Palestine-Israel, The joint struggle in east Jerusalem resurrect the Israeli radicals

mashriq / arabia / iraq | community struggles | news report Monday June 28, 2010 18:36 by Ilan S. - AAtW, ainfos, Matzpen Tel Aviv

It seems that the increased number (already 10) of locations of persistent joint struggles reported in the Israeli media, and especially the struggle in Sheikh Jarrah, resurrect the Israeli radical left. The Friday joint demonstration of about 500 participants in Silwan against home demolitions was the largest one seen so far. It was a respectful addition to the more confrontational regular weekend joint demonstrations in the west bank: Beit Jala, Beit Ommar, Bil'in, Hebron, Ma'asara, Nebi Saleh, Ni'ilin, Wadi Rahal, and Wallaje. [Italiano]

BEIT JALA

The National Committee to Resist the Wall in Beit Jala invites you to the weekly demonstration this Sunday 27.6 2010 at 11:30 AM in the town of Beit Jala. Please spread the word and come join us to stop the bulldozers destroying Palestinian lands. Your presence supports the struggle for peace and justice.

Main public radio channel reported as usual about clashes between protesters and state forces with three arestees as bonus.

Around 30 Palestinians, Israelis and internationals demonstrated against the building of the Wall in Beit Jala. Israeli soldiers blocked the march with barbwire; a few people managed to bypass the Israeli soldiers but they were then violently pushed back. The Israeli soldiers violently arrested three demonstrators that refused to leave. Concussion grenades and tear gas canisters were thrown directly at the crowd and nearby houses. At distance, bulldozers were seen continuing their work, paving the route of the Wall just a few meters from Palestinian homes.

BEIT OMAR

We have been invited to a meeting in beit umar tonight (Thursday). If you can go please let me know.

The Israeli Anarchists Against the Wall (AAtW) are invited to the village of Beit Ommar tomorrow for the weekly demonstration against the wall and the occupation. The courageous people of Beit Omar request that as many people as possible will participate in the demo. If you wish to come please contact

This Saturday an expanded demonstration in Beit Ommar is planned, with a message about increasing international condemnation of Israel's Occupation, particularly regarding settlements.

Please join the National Committee of Beit Ommar, PSP and locals this Saturday at 10am (please plan on getting to the village 15 minutes early to arrange for transportation to the demonstration location). At least a car of Israelis (two would be great!) would be needed.

Last week, the group of about 30 people was prevented from even reaching the fence around Karmei Tsur, where the demonstration was to take place, and 2 Israeli activists were arrested, released after a few hours.

PLEASE NOTE: we have gone to great lengths to promote a positive image of International and Israeli activists in this relatively skeptical community. Please respect the work that has been done in this regard and dress appropriately for a Muslim village: pants that go down to your ankles and shirts that don't show your cleavage or your ass crack (it is preferred that women wear shirts with sleeves that go down to their elbows).

BIL'IN

Protest: Hotel Dan Panorama, Charles Clore Park/10 Kaufman Street, Tel Aviv Wednesday 1PM sharp.

"About 200 participants from 42 member states of the Kimberley Process Forum arrived at Tel Aviv’s Hotel Dan Panorama this morning, for the opening of the Kimberley Process Conference, hosted by Israel which holds the forum’s rotating chair position this year. In 2003, the World Diamond Council introduced a system of self-regulation called the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme to stem the flow of "conflict" or "blood diamonds." In keeping with the limited concerns of the WDC the UN-mandated Kimberly Process adopted a very narrow definition of what constitutes a conflict or blood diamond: "rough diamonds used by rebel movements or their allies to finance conflict aimed at undermining legitimate governments." As a result of this tight ring-fencing, the much more lucrative trade in cut and polished diamonds avoids the human rights strictures applying to rough diamonds, provided the industry uses only Kimberly Process-compliant rough diamonds. Regardless of the human rights violations and atrocities funded by revenue from the Israeli diamond industry, governments and other vested interests party to the Kimberly Process facilitate the unrestricted access of diamonds crafted in Israel to the multi-billion dollar global diamond market. The Kimberly Process Certification Scheme strictures only apply to rough diamonds, thus allowing diamonds crafted in Israel to freely enter the market regardless of the criminal actions of the Israeli government and armed forces. The Kimberly Process is seriously flawed and is being used by the diamond industry and jewelers to pull the wool over consumers' eyes by telling them that all diamonds are now "conflict free" without explaining the limitations and exactly what that means. The high-value end of the diamond industry is the main artery of the Israeli economy, accounting for more than 30 percent of Israel's total manufacturing exports worth nearly $20 billion in 2008. By comparison, the budget for Israel's Ministry of Defense was $16 billion in 2008. Revenue from the diamond industry helps fund Israel's illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories, its brutal subjugation of the Palestinian people and its international network of saboteurs, spies and assassins. None of this is alluded to in the WDC's "Diamond Facts."
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11170.shtml

Tomorrow’s protest (Wednesday) is to bring attention to the exemption of Israel in the Kimberley Process and to shame the World Diamond Council into broadening its paradigms and include this area of bloody conflict.

Friday demo

About 100 demonstrators - including Israelis of the AAtW and international activists marched from the center of the village chanting for Palestinian Resistance to occupation and the release of all prisoners, slogans condemning the aggression of settler colonialist in Jerusalem, against the policy of exclusion and deportation, and the siege on the Gaza Strip.

When the march arrived at the gate of the route of the separation fence the military force of the Israeli occupation army was waiting as usual behind the concrete blocks on the hill - some dozen meters behind the fence. (With closed gate in the barrier with barbed wire "protecting" them.) When the demonstrators tried to cross towards the land they own, behind the fence, the army fired tear gas canisters, sound bombs and coated metal bullets. Then the soldiers crossed the fence chasing the fleeing demonstrators up to the outskirts of the village, wounding a university lecturer Radwan Yassin (50 year) hand with a tear gas canister. Dozens of others inhaled high dozes of tear gas. Fires resulted from the gas canisters damaged the near by olive orchards.

Since the early morning volunteer group of young men and women within the project partnership for development cooperation with Alhadaf cultural center in Bil'in draw approximately 25 murals in the village, giving a distinctive aesthetic character of the village.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQn0VGscujk
Israel Putermam video Bil'in 25-6-10 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cz4xyOnv4-o

EAST JERUSALEM

The weekly Demonstration moves to Silwan

Solidarity with Silwan – No to house demolitions!

This week the Jerusalem Municipality approved a plan to build a tourist site in the neighborhood of Silwan in East Jerusalem that foresees the demolition of 22 Palestinian homes for its realisation. This project is just another way to take over Palestinian lands and to increase Jewish presence in the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan.

The residents of Silwan, together with the residents of Sheikh Jarrah, decided to organize this week's demonstration against illegal settlements in East Jerusalem in Silwan. We will stand in solidarity with those whose houses are slated for demolitions and dozens of families at risk of displacement.

We will meet in Giva'ati parking lot (across the street from 'City of David') at 16:00

There will be a meeting point at the Jerusalem Cinematheque (Hebron Road) at 15:30

Transportation from Tel Aviv will leave from Arlozerov bus station at 14:30

This Friday afternoon we walked, bout five hundreds of Palestinians, Israeli (about 100 mobilized from Tel Aviv, and dozens [including me] came from earlier Friday demos), and International activists, in Silwan to protest against the decision to demolish 22 houses, and against the Israeli policy of violence and theft in east Jerusalem. The demo was very strong and powerful. Speeches have been made, slogans shouted and samba drummed. One settler threw a few small stones at us, and no one was injured.
This was the largest demo in Silwan in the last few years. And it came instead of the weekly SJ demo.

Israel Putermam video Silwan 25-6-10 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW70cZx5iOY

DAHMASH (between Lod and Ramle)

There was a good meeting tonight at the tent in Dahamash .
I just wanted to update that 3 major demos are planned for early July:

5.07 - in front of the district planing committee in ramle, while they will be discussing the building plans submitted by the popular committee.
10.07 - huge demo with a music event (during a very cool simmer camp we are planning these days for the Dahamash kids) against the approaching house demolitions
14.07 - in front of the court hearing on the demolitions orders

more info to come in the next days Y.

HEBRON

Hebron – Ma’an – Israeli forces forcefully shut down a protest Saturday in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, onlookers said.

Demonstrators chanting slogans in Arabic, Hebrew, and English called on Israel to reopen Shuhada Street to Palestinians.

The army prevented the Palestinian and international activists from reaching the road, which was closed for about an hour.

NEBI SALEH

David Reeb video of 27 Jun 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGE8YHHe6xg

MA'ASARA

In Ma'asara a smaller than usual demonstration of some 30 people made an unprecedented achievement, and made it all the way from the village, over the route of the wall, and onto the entrance to the illegal settlement of Efrat. At the gate, they were attacked by tens of soldiers, who pushed them all the way back to the route of the fence. Once there, and joined by twenty more people who had just finished demonstrating in neighboring Wadi Rahal, demonstrators decided to be content with what they had achieved, and returned to the village.

NI'ILIN

WADI RAHAL

Some eighty Palestinians, Israelis and internationals demonstrated today (Friday) against the fence in the village of Wadi Rahal, south of Bethlehem. The village celebrated the completion of one month of popular resistance, and is planning to proceed with the struggle.

Demonstrations in Wadi Rahal were launched after two years of complete stoppage of fence-construction work in the area, as suicide attacks subsided and Israeli coffers ran out. All that was left of the planned apartheid monster was a new road, meant to serve soldiers patrolling along the barrier, but now serving Palestinians of the region instead. However, recently villagers started receiving new land expropriation warrants, indicating Israeli intentions to restart construction, and leading them on to struggle.

Demonstrators marched from the center of the village to the road on the route of the wall at noon, where soldier where already waiting. The soldiers failed to stop the colorful procession, and retreated, allowing the march to proceed on the road. At some point the soldiers stopped, declared the area a closed military zone, and denied further marching. Demonstrators gave speeches in Arabic and English, in spite of threats of arrests, and eventually decided to leave peacefully, only to return the next week once more.

As of next week, the two demonstrators are supposed to be coordinated, so that the Ma'asara one will start right after the Wadi Rahal protest ends.

WALLAJE

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See Previous reports at: http://ilanisagainstwalls.blogspot.com