da www.palsolidarity.org ISM Coordinator and Italian Journalist Arrested

Nur Shams Refugee Camp
Tulkarem

ISM coordinator Osama Qashoo and an Italian journalist, Thomaso Besavi, were snatched yesterday, Tuesday April 22 at approximately 7:00pm, by Israeli soldiers while in the Palestinian refugee camp of Nur Shams, where the Israeli Army had surrounded the camp and were reportedly detaining a group of Palestinian women and beating a 15-year-old boy.

Osama and Thomaso both had cameras and were attempting to document Israeli military abuse of Palestinian civilians when they were threatened with arrest and then thrown into a military jeep. Cameras are a danger to the Israeli military image and various efforts have been made to restrict journalist access to Palestinian areas and to keep out international peace and human rights workers. Recently, physical and psychological harassment of internationals and journalists by the Israeli military has been dramatically increased. In the last month, American ISM volunteer Rachel Corrie was killed when she was run over by an Israeli military bulldozer, American ISM volunteer Brian Avery was shot in the face and will need to undergo a series of facial reconstructive surgeries, British ISM volunteer Tom Hurndall was shot in the head and is currently on life support, and Palestinian journalist Nazih Darawzeh was shot in the head and killed, all while clearly identified as non-threatening, non violent, unarmed civilians.

Both Thomaso and Osama are currently being held at the police station of the illegal settlement of Ariel. Thomaso is threatened with deportation, while Osama, a Palestinian is in danger of abuse, long-term arrest and maybe even torture.

Please help us put pressure on the Israeli authorities to release both Thomaso and Osama . Call the Ariel police station to protest this abuse of human rights observers and journalists and to demand their unconditional release. (Osama Qashoo - ID# 906848627)

+972-3-906-5530 (Prisoner information)
+972-3-903-5444 (General information)
+972-50-374-237 (Ariel police spokesman)

Please let us know that you called, by dropping as an email at info@palsolidarity.org and inform us of any information that you receive.
For any additional information, please call Huwaida at +972-67-473-308.

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INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
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