FIVE ISM VOLUNTEERS SNATCHED BY ISRAELI SOLDIERS
[AWARTA, Nablus] Five international ISM volunteers were snatched by the Israeli military at approximately 1230 hrs local time, while harvesting olives with Palestinian farmers in the village of Awarta, near Nablus. Two US citizens, one Briton, once Swede and one Irish national were standing on the side of the road, providing accompaniment to Palestinian farmers trying to harvest olives on their land despite the ban on Palestinian movement by the Israeli military, when they were taken.
The entire West Bank has been under lockdown since Wednesday, October 7, 2003 with no Palestinian vehicles allowed anywhere on main roads, gates to farmlands through the separation fence completely closed, and Palestinians not allowed outside their towns and villages. This lockdown is expected to remain in place until October 22, 2003. The siege was imposed less than two days after a complete closure, imposed on the Palestinian community while Jews celebrated Yom Kippur, was lifted. Despite this and persistent denial to Palestinians of access to their land, Palestinian farmers are determined to resist by making it to their fields.
On Wednesday, October 8, Palestinian farmers in Jayyous broke through the gates locking them out of their land to pour into their olive groves. International and Israeli civilians accompanied them and will continue to accompany farmers throughout the West Bank in their simple act of resistance. In some areas, the ISM is delivering food through barbed wire, gates and fences, to farmers sleeping out on their land. Meanwhile Gaza is completely closed to international witnesses as the Israeli military invades, bombs, demolishes and kills.
At the time of this writing the internationals have been released. The Israeli military has declared the olive groves of Awarta, a closed military zone.
For more information:
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
http://www.palsolidarity.org
FARMERS / INTERNATIONALS ARRESTED FOR HARVESTING
[JAYYOUS, Qalqiliya] Two Palestinian farmers and two Swedish peace activists were arrested this afternoon by Israeli soldiers in a campaign of harassment against farmers insisting on their right to access their land.
This morning, after Israeli soldiers announced that they would again, for the fifth day in a row, not allow farmers to access their land, dozens of Palestinian farmers, joined by 40 international and Israeli peace activists, broke through the gate that divides the people of Jayyous from their farmland and poured into the olive groves to harvest. Coming out of their fields, every farmer was stopped, his/her identity card taken by heavily armed Israeli soldiers, and the farmer forced to wait. One of the farmers, Imad Abdelkader Khalid, who tried to explain to the soldiers that he was needed urgently at home was verbally and physically abused by a soldier, who after firing his M16 rifle over Imad’s head, put him on his knees, handcuffed and blindfolded him.
A dozen of the peace activists who were monitoring the situation from the other side of the fence because they weren’t being let through were all threatened with arrest and further detainment of the Palestinians if they did not move away. The soldiers gave the internationals 10 seconds to retreat but as they started walking back, the soldiers rushed through the gate and grabbed Marthen Gunnarsson and Rickard Wickman, both Swedish citizens and volunteers with the International Solidarity Movement. The two peace activists were handcuffed, blindfolded and thrown into a military jeep.
When the soldiers decided that the farmers could all go home, the farmers refused to leave without Imad and sat on the ground. Two soldiers grabbed Samih Samha, a local farmer, and ISM peace activist and three soldiers went for Majdi Naji, an 18 year old farmer, who had spent the day harvesting with his mother. ISMer Huwaida Arraf, who was sitting with the farmers, grabbed hold of Majdi to try to cover and prevent him from being taken and both Huwaida and Majdi were dragged across the ground, before she managed to completely cover him. Majdi safely got away and Huwaida was dragged by three soldiers and thrown on the other side of the gate. Soldiers then began gassing the internationals, who were made up of men and women of all ages, including a number of elderly human rights workers; the soldiers laughed as they fired over 5 tear gas canisters at the group trying to ensure the safe return of farmers from their land. A jeep full of New York Times journalists were also threatened with arrest by Israeli soldiers if they did not leave the area.
At the time of this writing, 7 hours later, Samih, Morton, Rickard, and Imad have been released. But we still need your help!
The Israeli military produced an order today, that the farmers of Jayyous will not be able to pass through to their lands for the next 10 days – complete closure. Of course, this is completely random and can change, or be extended as the Israeli occupation sees fit. Is this what President Bush meant when he said that Palestinians should not suffer from this wall? Please write to your elected representatives!
Also, please bombard the Israeli District Coordinating Office (DCO) in the Qalqilya region (responsible for the schedule of the farmers’ gates) with phone calls protesting this treatment of Palestinians farmers. Let them know that you are monitoring what they are doing and working to expose this brutal system of Apartheid and human rights abuses:
DCO: +972 9 775 9217/8
Israeli Ministry of Defense:
Fax: +972-3-696-27-57 / +972-3-691-69-40
*Pictures available at http://www.palsolidarity.org ; we hope to make video available on the site soon.
InternationaL Solidarity Movement
Original Article:
Farmers in Jayyous Break Gate to Harvest Olives
[Jayyous, West Bank]
Dozens of Jayyous farmers, accompanied by press and internationals, broke open a gate in the Israeli "Separation Wall", allowing farmers, donkey and tractors to pass through and harvest olives from their land. The gate has been closed for 5 days in a row, with no reason given for the closure.
Farmers are forced daily to wait for hours at the gate for the army to come and open it, hoping they will be allowed access that day. Many days they must simply give up and go home.
Israeli government and army officials claim the Wall is not affecting Palestinian farmers, but in reality, the gate is open only a few minutes, three times a day, or twice, or once: at random, and sometimes not at all, for days at a time- severely limiting access to 9,000 dunams (over 2,000 acres) of land including 120 greenhouses, 15,000 olive trees, 50,000 citrus trees, 6 groundwater wells and livestock pasture. 87% of the families in Jayyous (480 out of 550 families) rely on this land for food and income.
Farmers fear that the Israeli army will prevent them from finishing the harvest. One farmer has said: "Cages are for animals, not for people. Olive trees are important to our culture and economy. This Wall has created many problems for us and we are afraid that this year we will not be able to harvest our olives. What will we do if this happens?"
Please take action: call or fax the Israeli government to let them know that the world is watching, and to insist that Palestinian farmers have unrestricted access to their own farmland.
Contact:
Captain Ramy, DCO: +972 (0) 9 775 9218
Israeli Ministry of Defense:
Fax: +972-3-696-27-57 / +972-3-691-69-40
International Solidarity Movement
For more information onn Jayyous, contact The International Solidarity Movement: http://www.palsolidarity.org
Please also see:
Human Rights:
RAFAH: ISRAELI FORCES DEMOLISH 18 PALESTINIAN HOMES,LEAVING 44 FAMILIES HOMELESS
Report, PCHR, 1 October 2003
This morning, Wednesday, October 1, 2003, Israeli
occupying forces demolished 18 houses in Block L of the
Rafah refugee camp, in the southern Gaza Strip. The
demolition operation took place under intense shelling and
indiscriminate shooting within the camp and was followed
by further shelling as Israeli forces withdrew.
http://electronicIntifada.net/v2/article2013.shtml
Human Rights:
B'TSELEM: ISRAEL'S RECENT PROPOSAL ON THE WALL WILL HARM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PALESTINIANS Report, B'Tselem, 30 September 2003
Setting the route of the third stage of the separation barrier so that it passes east of the settlements of Ariel, Qedumim, Immanu'el, and Qarne Shomeron - in accordance with the proposal put forward by the Minister of Defense and the Prime Minister - proves once again that the defense establishment's decisions regarding the barrier are based on unacceptable politicalconsiderations.
http://electronicIntifada.net/v2/article2017.shtml
Human Rights:
WEST BANK BARRIER ENDANGERS BASIC RIGHTS
Report, Human Rights Watch, 1 October 2003
The United States should deduct the cost of the West Bank separation barrier from U.S. loan guarantees for Israel, Human Rights Watch said today.
http://electronicIntifada.net/v2/article2018.shtml
Development:
THE IMPACT OF THE FIRST PHASE OF SECURITY BARRIER ON PALESTINIAN REFUGEES
Report, UNRWA, 2 October 2003
On 31 July, the Israeli Ministry of Defence announced the completion of the first phase of the security barrier, officially launched on 16 June 2002. UNRWA calculated the impact of the wall on Palestinian refugees.
http://electronicIntifada.net/v2/article2022.shtml
Human Rights:
KOFI ANNAN: "ISRAEL'S SEPARATION WALL 'OBSTACLE' TO TWO-STATE SOLUTION"
Report, United Nations, 2 October 2003
Kofi Annan's spokesman Fred Eckhard said the Secretary-General "views both the security wall and settlements in the West Bank built on Palestinian land as
serious obstacles to the achievement of a two-Statesolution."
http://electronicIntifada.net/v2/article2021.shtml
[AWARTA, Nablus] Five international ISM volunteers were snatched by the Israeli military at approximately 1230 hrs local time, while harvesting olives with Palestinian farmers in the village of Awarta, near Nablus. Two US citizens, one Briton, once Swede and one Irish national were standing on the side of the road, providing accompaniment to Palestinian farmers trying to harvest olives on their land despite the ban on Palestinian movement by the Israeli military, when they were taken.
The entire West Bank has been under lockdown since Wednesday, October 7, 2003 with no Palestinian vehicles allowed anywhere on main roads, gates to farmlands through the separation fence completely closed, and Palestinians not allowed outside their towns and villages. This lockdown is expected to remain in place until October 22, 2003. The siege was imposed less than two days after a complete closure, imposed on the Palestinian community while Jews celebrated Yom Kippur, was lifted. Despite this and persistent denial to Palestinians of access to their land, Palestinian farmers are determined to resist by making it to their fields.
On Wednesday, October 8, Palestinian farmers in Jayyous broke through the gates locking them out of their land to pour into their olive groves. International and Israeli civilians accompanied them and will continue to accompany farmers throughout the West Bank in their simple act of resistance. In some areas, the ISM is delivering food through barbed wire, gates and fences, to farmers sleeping out on their land. Meanwhile Gaza is completely closed to international witnesses as the Israeli military invades, bombs, demolishes and kills.
At the time of this writing the internationals have been released. The Israeli military has declared the olive groves of Awarta, a closed military zone.
For more information:
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
http://www.palsolidarity.org
FARMERS / INTERNATIONALS ARRESTED FOR HARVESTING
[JAYYOUS, Qalqiliya] Two Palestinian farmers and two Swedish peace activists were arrested this afternoon by Israeli soldiers in a campaign of harassment against farmers insisting on their right to access their land.
This morning, after Israeli soldiers announced that they would again, for the fifth day in a row, not allow farmers to access their land, dozens of Palestinian farmers, joined by 40 international and Israeli peace activists, broke through the gate that divides the people of Jayyous from their farmland and poured into the olive groves to harvest. Coming out of their fields, every farmer was stopped, his/her identity card taken by heavily armed Israeli soldiers, and the farmer forced to wait. One of the farmers, Imad Abdelkader Khalid, who tried to explain to the soldiers that he was needed urgently at home was verbally and physically abused by a soldier, who after firing his M16 rifle over Imad’s head, put him on his knees, handcuffed and blindfolded him.
A dozen of the peace activists who were monitoring the situation from the other side of the fence because they weren’t being let through were all threatened with arrest and further detainment of the Palestinians if they did not move away. The soldiers gave the internationals 10 seconds to retreat but as they started walking back, the soldiers rushed through the gate and grabbed Marthen Gunnarsson and Rickard Wickman, both Swedish citizens and volunteers with the International Solidarity Movement. The two peace activists were handcuffed, blindfolded and thrown into a military jeep.
When the soldiers decided that the farmers could all go home, the farmers refused to leave without Imad and sat on the ground. Two soldiers grabbed Samih Samha, a local farmer, and ISM peace activist and three soldiers went for Majdi Naji, an 18 year old farmer, who had spent the day harvesting with his mother. ISMer Huwaida Arraf, who was sitting with the farmers, grabbed hold of Majdi to try to cover and prevent him from being taken and both Huwaida and Majdi were dragged across the ground, before she managed to completely cover him. Majdi safely got away and Huwaida was dragged by three soldiers and thrown on the other side of the gate. Soldiers then began gassing the internationals, who were made up of men and women of all ages, including a number of elderly human rights workers; the soldiers laughed as they fired over 5 tear gas canisters at the group trying to ensure the safe return of farmers from their land. A jeep full of New York Times journalists were also threatened with arrest by Israeli soldiers if they did not leave the area.
At the time of this writing, 7 hours later, Samih, Morton, Rickard, and Imad have been released. But we still need your help!
The Israeli military produced an order today, that the farmers of Jayyous will not be able to pass through to their lands for the next 10 days – complete closure. Of course, this is completely random and can change, or be extended as the Israeli occupation sees fit. Is this what President Bush meant when he said that Palestinians should not suffer from this wall? Please write to your elected representatives!
Also, please bombard the Israeli District Coordinating Office (DCO) in the Qalqilya region (responsible for the schedule of the farmers’ gates) with phone calls protesting this treatment of Palestinians farmers. Let them know that you are monitoring what they are doing and working to expose this brutal system of Apartheid and human rights abuses:
DCO: +972 9 775 9217/8
Israeli Ministry of Defense:
Fax: +972-3-696-27-57 / +972-3-691-69-40
*Pictures available at http://www.palsolidarity.org ; we hope to make video available on the site soon.
InternationaL Solidarity Movement
Original Article:
Farmers in Jayyous Break Gate to Harvest Olives
[Jayyous, West Bank]
Dozens of Jayyous farmers, accompanied by press and internationals, broke open a gate in the Israeli "Separation Wall", allowing farmers, donkey and tractors to pass through and harvest olives from their land. The gate has been closed for 5 days in a row, with no reason given for the closure.
Farmers are forced daily to wait for hours at the gate for the army to come and open it, hoping they will be allowed access that day. Many days they must simply give up and go home.
Israeli government and army officials claim the Wall is not affecting Palestinian farmers, but in reality, the gate is open only a few minutes, three times a day, or twice, or once: at random, and sometimes not at all, for days at a time- severely limiting access to 9,000 dunams (over 2,000 acres) of land including 120 greenhouses, 15,000 olive trees, 50,000 citrus trees, 6 groundwater wells and livestock pasture. 87% of the families in Jayyous (480 out of 550 families) rely on this land for food and income.
Farmers fear that the Israeli army will prevent them from finishing the harvest. One farmer has said: "Cages are for animals, not for people. Olive trees are important to our culture and economy. This Wall has created many problems for us and we are afraid that this year we will not be able to harvest our olives. What will we do if this happens?"
Please take action: call or fax the Israeli government to let them know that the world is watching, and to insist that Palestinian farmers have unrestricted access to their own farmland.
Contact:
Captain Ramy, DCO: +972 (0) 9 775 9218
Israeli Ministry of Defense:
Fax: +972-3-696-27-57 / +972-3-691-69-40
International Solidarity Movement
For more information onn Jayyous, contact The International Solidarity Movement: http://www.palsolidarity.org
Please also see:
Human Rights:
RAFAH: ISRAELI FORCES DEMOLISH 18 PALESTINIAN HOMES,LEAVING 44 FAMILIES HOMELESS
Report, PCHR, 1 October 2003
This morning, Wednesday, October 1, 2003, Israeli
occupying forces demolished 18 houses in Block L of the
Rafah refugee camp, in the southern Gaza Strip. The
demolition operation took place under intense shelling and
indiscriminate shooting within the camp and was followed
by further shelling as Israeli forces withdrew.
http://electronicIntifada.net/v2/article2013.shtml
Human Rights:
B'TSELEM: ISRAEL'S RECENT PROPOSAL ON THE WALL WILL HARM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PALESTINIANS Report, B'Tselem, 30 September 2003
Setting the route of the third stage of the separation barrier so that it passes east of the settlements of Ariel, Qedumim, Immanu'el, and Qarne Shomeron - in accordance with the proposal put forward by the Minister of Defense and the Prime Minister - proves once again that the defense establishment's decisions regarding the barrier are based on unacceptable politicalconsiderations.
http://electronicIntifada.net/v2/article2017.shtml
Human Rights:
WEST BANK BARRIER ENDANGERS BASIC RIGHTS
Report, Human Rights Watch, 1 October 2003
The United States should deduct the cost of the West Bank separation barrier from U.S. loan guarantees for Israel, Human Rights Watch said today.
http://electronicIntifada.net/v2/article2018.shtml
Development:
THE IMPACT OF THE FIRST PHASE OF SECURITY BARRIER ON PALESTINIAN REFUGEES
Report, UNRWA, 2 October 2003
On 31 July, the Israeli Ministry of Defence announced the completion of the first phase of the security barrier, officially launched on 16 June 2002. UNRWA calculated the impact of the wall on Palestinian refugees.
http://electronicIntifada.net/v2/article2022.shtml
Human Rights:
KOFI ANNAN: "ISRAEL'S SEPARATION WALL 'OBSTACLE' TO TWO-STATE SOLUTION"
Report, United Nations, 2 October 2003
Kofi Annan's spokesman Fred Eckhard said the Secretary-General "views both the security wall and settlements in the West Bank built on Palestinian land as
serious obstacles to the achievement of a two-Statesolution."
http://electronicIntifada.net/v2/article2021.shtml