Local activists targeted in occupied Palestinian territories

Abdallah Abu Rahme is affable and articulate.  Last July, when I called to set up a time to talk before one of the weekly protests in his village, Bi’lin in the occupied West Bank, he made jokes and explained exactly the best way to get there from Jerusalem through all the checkpoints and roadblocks.

Abdallah’s vocation is teaching, but what takes up a good portion of his time is his involvement with the village’s non-violent popular committee which protests the wall/fence built by Israel that snakes through the occupied West Bank (WB).  Israel says the wall is being built for security reasons; others that the wall is simply strangling villages’ economies by cutting them off from their agricultural lands and water sources.

The International Court of Justice ruled in 2004 that the wall is illegal where it sits on Palestinian territory and should be removed.  Eighty percent of the wall is built on Palestinian territory, but five plus years later, most of the wall continues to sit  and be built on Palestinian land.  Popular committees have sprung up across the WB to protest the wall and over the past 18 months, there appears to be an increase in the harassment and prosecution of activists involved in this and other non-violent actions.

Scores of activists, (Israeli, Palestinian and international) involved in peaceful protests have been picked up by Israeli authorities in the past several months.  Many are held at length with no charge being made while still being interrogated, others have been put under administrative detention and others are brought up on charges.

Just to name a few:  Muhammad Srour was detained when crossing the Allenby Bridge from Jordan after testifying before Goldstone’s UN mandated fact finding mission in Geneva.  He stated,

“I know full well that I will pay the price for this testimony when I return at Israeli crossing points in my journey of return after this hearing.”

Mohammad Othman,  known for his vocal support of the growing Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) campaign, was held and interrogated for two months before being put under administrative detention.  Dozens of protesters, including drummers, clowns, diplomats and rabbis, have been picked up and released in east Jerusalem, where Palestinians have been evicted from their homes or have had their homes demolished in the Sheik Jarrah neighborhood.  Most recently, Jamal Juma’, vocal and active coordinator of the Stop the Wall campaign, was detained.

Abdallah’s case highlights how ridiculous some of the charges by the Israeli army can be.  On December 10th, exactly one year after receiving the International League for Human Rights’ Carl Von Ossietzky medal Abdallah was arrested – like many others, including children, during a nighttime raid.  An indictment was filed in a West Bank military court yesterday for arms possession, incitement and stone throwing.  The arms possession charge is based on his collection of spent tear gas canisters and cartridges shot at the demonstrators by Israeli forces that he showcases in his home for visitors.

Advocate Gaby Lasky, Abu Rahme’s lawyer said,

“The army shoots at unarmed demonstrators and when they try to show the world the violence used against them by collecting the remnants – they are persecuted and prosecuted.  What’s next?  Charging protesters money for the bullets shot at them?”

UPDATE:  Jan. 8, 2010 AI statement:  http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/news/israeli-detention-palestinian-activists-must-end-20100108

UPDATE:  Jan. 13, 2010:  Jamal Juma’ is released, after nearly one month in Israeli detention. Abdallah Abu Rahma and Mohammed Othman, the two other detained campaigners against the fence/wall, continue to be held without charge or trial.  Please continue to work on their release at http://amnesty.org/en/appeals-for-action/call-on-israel-to-release-detained-activists

An exhibition of spent tear gas grenades and projectiles in the village of Bil'in for which Abu Rahmeh was indicted on. Photo: Oren Ziv ActiveStills

An exhibition of spent tear gas grenades and projectiles in the village of Bil'in for which Abu Rahmeh was indicted on. Photo: Oren Ziv ActiveStills

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48 thoughts on “Local activists targeted in occupied Palestinian territories

  1. I watched the youtube video and have been following Amnesty's reports on this conflict and several others around the world. But this conflict between Israel and Palestine is mind-boggling. Is Israel doing to Palestinians what the Nazzi regime did to Jews? It is ironic and humiliating.
    How much longer is this going to go on? You only live once.
    What will it take for this conflict to end? how did it all start? how did it come to this?

  2. There is good in the world. The numbers may be less but the impact is so much larger. Through out history good has always survived because of its nature.
    It takes great strength to make peace. Peace will bring change and change must come from within.
    And the people on both sides can make that happen. They must endure and have tolerance.
    "be the change you want to see in the world" – Gandhi

  3. @ ahssan,

    I don't agree either with the way the Israeli government manages the situation in the West Bank. Awful, terrible policy mistakes. You name it…

    But no, Israel is not "doing to Palestinians what the Nazzi (sic) regime did to Jews, for Israel is not methodically exterminating, killing or gassing, the Palestinian population.

    Let's talk the truth here, ok?

  4. I watched the youtube video and have been following Amnesty’s reports on this conflict and several others around the world. But this conflict between Israel and Palestine is mind-boggling. Is Israel doing to Palestinians what the Nazzi regime did to Jews? It is ironic and humiliating.
    How much longer is this going to go on? You only live once.
    What will it take for this conflict to end? how did it all start? how did it come to this?

  5. There is good in the world. The numbers may be less but the impact is so much larger. Through out history good has always survived because of its nature.
    It takes great strength to make peace. Peace will bring change and change must come from within.
    And the people on both sides can make that happen. They must endure and have tolerance.
    “be the change you want to see in the world” – Gandhi

  6. @ ahssan,

    I don’t agree either with the way the Israeli government manages the situation in the West Bank. Awful, terrible policy mistakes. You name it…

    But no, Israel is not “doing to Palestinians what the Nazzi (sic) regime did to Jews, for Israel is not methodically exterminating, killing or gassing, the Palestinian population.

    Let’s talk the truth here, ok?

  7. Dave Mex, I apologize for that awful comparison that I made. I know it is a touchy subject.
    But I think you are caught with the details.
    You see the difference was that Hitler wanted to conquer the world and the Jews were all over the world.
    What does Israel want?
    Do you know why Hitler wanted the Jews dead? Profile. In the end the Jews were just an escape goat. Hunting them was just an exercise to keep the Deutsche Reich united.
    Deconstruct every war and you will see a game plan, a method.
    Israeli Government is methodically killing the Palestinian people.
    If it wouldn't be methodically, then this conflict would have been resolved long ago.

    Anyways I think as individuals we may be able to do well but I think as the human race we are failing in keeping up humanity with all the wars and bad things we do to each other.
    And it hurts so see that humans are capable of such violence and hate.
    I hope we can get past this conversation and support peace for both the Israelis and Palestinians

  8. Dave Mex, I apologize for that awful comparison that I made. I know it is a touchy subject.
    But I think you are caught with the details.
    You see the difference was that Hitler wanted to conquer the world and the Jews were all over the world.
    What does Israel want?
    Do you know why Hitler wanted the Jews dead? Profile. In the end the Jews were just an escape goat. Hunting them was just an exercise to keep the Deutsche Reich united.
    Deconstruct every war and you will see a game plan, a method.
    Israeli Government is methodically killing the Palestinian people.
    If it wouldn’t be methodically, then this conflict would have been resolved long ago.

    Anyways I think as individuals we may be able to do well but I think as the human race we are failing in keeping up humanity with all the wars and bad things we do to each other.
    And it hurts so see that humans are capable of such violence and hate.
    I hope we can get past this conversation and support peace for both the Israelis and Palestinians

  9. Comparing Israel to the Nazis, dear ahssan, is exact & just & appropriate.

    Israel's Zionist idea of the land of Palestine as a pure state of the Jews alone is based on the Nazis' Nuremberg laws defining the Jews. Zionism, the Israeli state, the Jewish settlers, & the hardline fundamentalist bigoted ultra – orthodox Jews base their definition of Jewishness upon the Nazis' Nuremberg definition of the Jews. ( And as such it's not accepted by many other Jews. )

    But even the Nazi comparison for Israel is not enough. For the Zionists conduct their ongoing genocide in a land which is not even their own. Israel is the manifestation of the European Zionist invasion of Palestine.

    america itself, then, is the real comprison for israel, america's unending genocide & domination & brutalization
    of the Indians, the only true Americans, is the real mirror to Israel, just as america & america's desruction of the Indians was Hitler's original dream – ideal & the inspiration of his youth, the seed & kernel of what he ultimately wrought. The alien invasion of Indian america by Europe, & its legalization by the Bible, is the essential comparison for Zionism's own invasion.

    america & Israel are both settler states, basically mirror images of each other, bonded in their ultimate selfdestruction.

    But in another, more terrible sense, even the american comparison is not enough for what Israel's doing. Not even america !

    For america has swallowed the Indians into its belly & will not disgorge them nor let them go. The Indians are made exiles on their own land.

    Israel , on the other hand, after swallowing the entire land of Palestine, wants to vomit out all of the People who are the people of that land, & exile them from their native land for ever . Only Jews will be allowed to live in this racist, pure race paradise.

    Ultimately, then, only israel is its own comparison, alone & hated throughout all the lands of the earth for the new milestones it goes on erecting in the desolate landscape of genocide .

    Thank you, ahssan.

    ( And my gratitude to Edith Garwood, for standing by, & sharing to an exent the lot of, the Palestinians. )

  10. Ahssan, if you're wondering about what i said, Israel is founded on the Jewish peple's "right" of return to Palestine.

    What's this "right" ?

    The American – Israel Cooperative Enterprise ( AICE ), which describes itself as "a nonpartisan organization to strengthen the US / Israel relationship", defines the Jewish people's right to return to Palestine in these words:
    "At present, the definition [ of the right to return ] is based on Hitler's Nuremberg Laws: the right of Return is granted to any individual with one Jewish grandparent, or who is married to someone with one Jewish grandparent. As a result, thousands of people with no meaningful connection to the Jewish people theoretically have the right to immigrate."

    Yes, THEY can immigrate to Israel. AND get citizenship.

    But a Palestinian in exile cannot return to his ancestral land, for Hitler's Laws didn't give her or him that "right" !!

    But if ever you dare to tell the truth, the bald & barefaced truth that Israel is a Hitlerite & a Hitlerian racist apartheid genocidal state, a state created for Just One people & no other, especially not for the "dirty natives" ( which is how they see the Palestinians ), if you say such a state is a Nazi state to the hilt, they will gang up on you & hound you for what they alone define as "antiSemitism", as if you're the one who is the racist here.

    Such is their terror of the truth, of the reality about themselves.

  11. Comparing Israel to the Nazis, dear ahssan, is exact & just & appropriate.

    Israel’s Zionist idea of the land of Palestine as a pure state of the Jews alone is based on the Nazis’ Nuremberg laws defining the Jews. Zionism, the Israeli state, the Jewish settlers, & the hardline fundamentalist bigoted ultra – orthodox Jews base their definition of Jewishness upon the Nazis’ Nuremberg definition of the Jews. ( And as such it’s not accepted by many other Jews. )

    But even the Nazi comparison for Israel is not enough. For the Zionists conduct their ongoing genocide in a land which is not even their own. Israel is the manifestation of the European Zionist invasion of Palestine.

    america itself, then, is the real comprison for israel, america’s unending genocide & domination & brutalization
    of the Indians, the only true Americans, is the real mirror to Israel, just as america & america’s desruction of the Indians was Hitler’s original dream – ideal & the inspiration of his youth, the seed & kernel of what he ultimately wrought. The alien invasion of Indian america by Europe, & its legalization by the Bible, is the essential comparison for Zionism’s own invasion.

    america & Israel are both settler states, basically mirror images of each other, bonded in their ultimate selfdestruction.

    But in another, more terrible sense, even the american comparison is not enough for what Israel’s doing. Not even america !

    For america has swallowed the Indians into its belly & will not disgorge them nor let them go. The Indians are made exiles on their own land.

    Israel , on the other hand, after swallowing the entire land of Palestine, wants to vomit out all of the People who are the people of that land, & exile them from their native land for ever . Only Jews will be allowed to live in this racist, pure race paradise.

    Ultimately, then, only israel is its own comparison, alone & hated throughout all the lands of the earth for the new milestones it goes on erecting in the desolate landscape of genocide .

    Thank you, ahssan.

    ( And my gratitude to Edith Garwood, for standing by, & sharing to an exent the lot of, the Palestinians. )

  12. a. savage by now every country has its terrible history hidden in the dark shades of their time because facing them is to embarrassing. I am not saying that that makes it okay. But the people that are born in the condition can't be held responsible for the wrong doing of their ancestors. They can't live in the past. But they, you, we, can change the course of the future by making sure that at least our children start with a better future.
    This earth we walk on does not distinguish between races or bloodlines. When we die, regardless of who we are it will take us in.
    Choice is a gift not a burden. Like I said earlier, tolerances, endurance and understanding is what the Palestinians and Israeli need. And that change has to be pure and it has to come from within. The activists that support amnesty risk their life to stand up for human rights. But they need the voice of the people to back them up to fight injustice, for each of them carries the candle of light.
    There is good and bad among everyone. But for this peace to come to existence, the good people from both sides MUST stand forward and have faith.

    Do it for your children if it is too late for yourselves and do it peacefully.

  13. Ahssan, if you’re wondering about what i said, Israel is founded on the Jewish peple’s “right” of return to Palestine.

    What’s this “right” ?

    The American – Israel Cooperative Enterprise ( AICE ), which describes itself as “a nonpartisan organization to strengthen the US / Israel relationship”, defines the Jewish people’s right to return to Palestine in these words:
    “At present, the definition [ of the right to return ] is based on Hitler’s Nuremberg Laws: the right of Return is granted to any individual with one Jewish grandparent, or who is married to someone with one Jewish grandparent. As a result, thousands of people with no meaningful connection to the Jewish people theoretically have the right to immigrate.”

    Yes, THEY can immigrate to Israel. AND get citizenship.

    But a Palestinian in exile cannot return to his ancestral land, for Hitler’s Laws didn’t give her or him that “right” !!

    But if ever you dare to tell the truth, the bald & barefaced truth that Israel is a Hitlerite & a Hitlerian racist apartheid genocidal state, a state created for Just One people & no other, especially not for the “dirty natives” ( which is how they see the Palestinians ), if you say such a state is a Nazi state to the hilt, they will gang up on you & hound you for what they alone define as “antiSemitism”, as if you’re the one who is the racist here.

    Such is their terror of the truth, of the reality about themselves.

  14. a. savage by now every country has its terrible history hidden in the dark shades of their time because facing them is to embarrassing. I am not saying that that makes it okay. But the people that are born in the condition can’t be held responsible for the wrong doing of their ancestors. They can’t live in the past. But they, you, we, can change the course of the future by making sure that at least our children start with a better future.
    This earth we walk on does not distinguish between races or bloodlines. When we die, regardless of who we are it will take us in.
    Choice is a gift not a burden. Like I said earlier, tolerances, endurance and understanding is what the Palestinians and Israeli need. And that change has to be pure and it has to come from within. The activists that support amnesty risk their life to stand up for human rights. But they need the voice of the people to back them up to fight injustice, for each of them carries the candle of light.
    There is good and bad among everyone. But for this peace to come to existence, the good people from both sides MUST stand forward and have faith.

    Do it for your children if it is too late for yourselves and do it peacefully.

  15. People have been fighting over this strip of land for such a long, long time. I don't know if there is any way to settle this dispute with all parties involved feeling satisfied.

  16. But that is the thing Joe. “Land is nothing, Friendship is everything.”
    You can not satisfy all the parties involved. Some of the hungry parties have to make scarifies for the greater cause. And their satisfaction can’t be larger than life. Not when that life is someone else’s life they are toying with.
    There is never an easy way, not after all this. But if one cannot forgive it will never end. And the two go hand in hand because we are not talking about the fate of one or two people here. It is an entire population. Forgiveness is not a sign of weakness or betrayal. And furthermore, the innocent people on both sides did not choose to make such history. They trusted in their government. Just as the so many people in the United States trusted the Bush administration and were betrayed and disappointed.
    I have lived in many countries. Each time I thought that was going to be my new home (It is in our human nature to adapt). Canada is the place I choose to stay and I feel home. I feel home because of the value and character I see in certain people around me. But I chose to become a citizen of Canada when Prime Minister Jean Chrétien gave reason for Canada not to join the U.S. in a war against Iraq. There I saw strength and character in the administration. But today's administration is different. And that tells us one thing that they are also people. What I am trying to say is this: if the Leading government is not interested in peace and has its certain sponsors to support it that does not mean that the majority of the local people have to stand by and accept the oppression.
    War brings so much confusion. And in that confusion it creates a sense of betrayal and hate. And it is good at one thing: TAKING. It is good at taking life, taking freedom, taking friendship, taking joy, taking humanity. And when all that is gone, what is left?
    And from a religious perspective: the prophets, Ibrahim, Moses, Jesus and Mohammad, they all suffered injustice, pain and hate but endured and showed tolerance. This they did for most of their life. Hate and injustice were advocated by those in power not by the innocent people.
    The whole world is watching. So the local people of Palestine and Israel have to ask themselves one question. DO I WANT THIS SITUATION TO CONTINUE? and If the answer is no. Then get up and say NO!
    The government had a plan and the plan in not working and it is costing people’s life and future. It is time for a change. And change is inevitable.

  17. People have been fighting over this strip of land for such a long, long time. I don’t know if there is any way to settle this dispute with all parties involved feeling satisfied.

  18. But that is the thing Joe. “Land is nothing, Friendship is everything.”
    You can not satisfy all the parties involved. Some of the hungry parties have to make scarifies for the greater cause. And their satisfaction can’t be larger than life. Not when that life is someone else’s life they are toying with.
    There is never an easy way, not after all this. But if one cannot forgive it will never end. And the two go hand in hand because we are not talking about the fate of one or two people here. It is an entire population. Forgiveness is not a sign of weakness or betrayal. And furthermore, the innocent people on both sides did not choose to make such history. They trusted in their government. Just as the so many people in the United States trusted the Bush administration and were betrayed and disappointed.
    I have lived in many countries. Each time I thought that was going to be my new home (It is in our human nature to adapt). Canada is the place I choose to stay and I feel home. I feel home because of the value and character I see in certain people around me. But I chose to become a citizen of Canada when Prime Minister Jean Chrétien gave reason for Canada not to join the U.S. in a war against Iraq. There I saw strength and character in the administration. But today’s administration is different. And that tells us one thing that they are also people. What I am trying to say is this: if the Leading government is not interested in peace and has its certain sponsors to support it that does not mean that the majority of the local people have to stand by and accept the oppression.
    War brings so much confusion. And in that confusion it creates a sense of betrayal and hate. And it is good at one thing: TAKING. It is good at taking life, taking freedom, taking friendship, taking joy, taking humanity. And when all that is gone, what is left?
    And from a religious perspective: the prophets, Ibrahim, Moses, Jesus and Mohammad, they all suffered injustice, pain and hate but endured and showed tolerance. This they did for most of their life. Hate and injustice were advocated by those in power not by the innocent people.
    The whole world is watching. So the local people of Palestine and Israel have to ask themselves one question. DO I WANT THIS SITUATION TO CONTINUE? and If the answer is no. Then get up and say NO!
    The government had a plan and the plan in not working and it is costing people’s life and future. It is time for a change. And change is inevitable.

  19. Dizi,

    You are wrong.

    I am the author of this blog post and have had the honor to work with and know extremely courageous and dedicated activists from all over the world, including both Palestinians and Israelis.

    To say you 'hate Israel people and solders all Israel shitty' is painting everyone with the same brush and is the beginning of prejudice and racism. Please check out this video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSaG8m0ymmI.

    This video shows a demonstration on Christmas Day of 500 Israelis marching and protesting the evictions and demolisions in east Jerusalem, specifically the Sheik Jarrah neighborhood. These protests have been going on for some time and Rabbis for Human Rights is just one Israeli organization that has actively participated despite the fact that many rabbis have been detained right along with other participants.

    Israelis make up a large portion of activists that regularly show up in Bil'in and Na'alin to protest the illegal wall. Comet-ME is an Israeli organization that works with local Palestinians to bring 'off-the-grid' communities (usually in the occupied territories) environmentally and sustainable energy. This helps many Palestinians stay in their homes and alleviates real, daily hardships. Ta'ayush, also an Israeli organization, actively works for justice in both Israel and the OT as well as B'tselem, the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories. There are simply too many to name.

    The peace movement may be a small percentage in Israel right now, but to declare ALL Israelis guilty is as wrong as the collective punishment of the population in the Gaza Strip for the actions of a few there.

    I understand your frustration, but please try to refrain from generalizations that can only lead to prejudice and racism – which does not help anyone, but clearly leads to more injustices. Respect for human rights (and thereby the human) by all parties to the conflict is the only way that can lead to a sustainable and lasting peace in the region.

  20. Dizi,

    You are wrong.

    I am the author of this blog post and have had the honor to work with and know extremely courageous and dedicated activists from all over the world, including both Palestinians and Israelis.

    To say you 'hate Israel people and solders all Israel shitty' is painting everyone with the same brush and is the beginning of prejudice and racism. Please check out this video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSaG8m0ymmI.

    This video shows a demonstration on Christmas Day of 500 Israelis marching and protesting the evictions and demolisions in east Jerusalem, specifically the Sheik Jarrah neighborhood. These protests have been going on for some time and Rabbis for Human Rights is just one Israeli organization that has actively participated despite the fact that many rabbis have been detained right along with other participants.

    Israelis make up a large portion of activists that regularly show up in Bil'in and Na'alin to protest the illegal wall. Comet-ME is an Israeli organization that works with local Palestinians to bring 'off-the-grid' communities (usually in the occupied territories) environmentally and sustainable energy. This helps many Palestinians stay in their homes and alleviates real, daily hardships. Ta'ayush, also an Israeli organization, actively works for justice in both Israel and the OT as well as B'tselem, the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories. There are simply too many to name.

    The peace movement may be a small percentage in Israel right now, but to declare ALL Israelis guilty is as wrong as the collective punishment of the population in the Gaza Strip for the actions of a few there.

    I understand your frustration, but please try to refrain from generalizations that can only lead to prejudice and racism – which does not help anyone, but clearly leads to more injustices. Respect for human rights (and thereby the human) by all parties to the conflict is the only way that can lead to a sustainable and lasting peace in the region.

  21. Dizi,

    You are wrong.

    I am the author of this blog post and have had the honor to work with and know extremely courageous and dedicated activists from all over the world, including both Palestinians and Israelis.

    To say you 'hate Israel people and solders all Israel shitty' is painting everyone with the same brush and is the beginning of prejudice and racism. Please check out this video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSaG8m0ymmI.

    This video shows a demonstration on Christmas Day of 500 Israelis marching and protesting the evictions and demolisions in east Jerusalem, specifically the Sheik Jarrah neighborhood. These protests have been going on for some time and Rabbis for Human Rights is just one Israeli organization that has actively participated despite the fact that many rabbis have been detained right along with other participants.

    Israelis make up a large portion of activists that regularly show up in Bil'in and Na'alin to protest the illegal wall. Comet-ME is an Israeli organization that works with local Palestinians to bring 'off-the-grid' communities (usually in the occupied territories) environmentally and sustainable energy. This helps many Palestinians stay in their homes and alleviates real, daily hardships. Ta'ayush, also an Israeli organization, actively works for justice in both Israel and the OT as well as B'tselem, the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories. There are simply too many to name.

    The peace movement may be a small percentage in Israel right now, but to declare ALL Israelis guilty is as wrong as the collective punishment of the population in the Gaza Strip for the actions of a few there.

    I understand your frustration, but please try to refrain from generalizations that can only lead to prejudice and racism – which does not help anyone, but clearly leads to more injustices. Respect for human rights (and thereby the human) by all parties to the conflict is the only way that can lead to a sustainable and lasting peace in the region.

  22. Dizi,

    You are wrong.

    I am the author of this blog post and have had the honor to work with and know extremely courageous and dedicated activists from all over the world, including both Palestinians and Israelis.

    To say you ‘hate Israel people and solders all Israel shitty’ is painting everyone with the same brush and is the beginning of prejudice and racism. Please check out this video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSaG8m0ymmI.

    This video shows a demonstration on Christmas Day of 500 Israelis marching and protesting the evictions and demolisions in east Jerusalem, specifically the Sheik Jarrah neighborhood. These protests have been going on for some time and Rabbis for Human Rights is just one Israeli organization that has actively participated despite the fact that many rabbis have been detained right along with other participants.

    Israelis make up a large portion of activists that regularly show up in Bil’in and Na’alin to protest the illegal wall. Comet-ME is an Israeli organization that works with local Palestinians to bring ‘off-the-grid’ communities (usually in the occupied territories) environmentally and sustainable energy. This helps many Palestinians stay in their homes and alleviates real, daily hardships. Ta’ayush, also an Israeli organization, actively works for justice in both Israel and the OT as well as B’tselem, the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories. There are simply too many to name.

    The peace movement may be a small percentage in Israel right now, but to declare ALL Israelis guilty is as wrong as the collective punishment of the population in the Gaza Strip for the actions of a few there.

    I understand your frustration, but please try to refrain from generalizations that can only lead to prejudice and racism – which does not help anyone, but clearly leads to more injustices. Respect for human rights (and thereby the human) by all parties to the conflict is the only way that can lead to a sustainable and lasting peace in the region.

  23. The Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Israel), as of 2008, describes the population of Israel to be to be 7,424,400. 76 % Jewish and 16 % Muslim.
    If 500 Israelis were marching against the Apartheid. what were the over 99% of the Jewish citizens doing? Do they not have an opinion? Do they support their government? Are they confused? Are they afraid?

    The Germans have a saying: the further you move away from a mountain, the better you see the peek of it. Perhaps, the people have no access to impartial news and internet and being prisoners of their won walls they are blind deaf and mute.

    Dizi if you are a Muslim, you know these statements:
    God says to kill one human is as if you have killed all human.
    To save one human is as if you have saved all human.

    Your rage must die within for it will bring no peace and no justice. It will only serve as oxygen to the fire that those in power want to spread.
    I could not even imagine what you are going through, but be careful and don't let people take advantage of your emotions.

    peace be upon you.

  24. The Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Israel), as of 2008, describes the population of Israel to be to be 7,424,400. 76 % Jewish and 16 % Muslim.
    If 500 Israelis were marching against the Apartheid. what were the over 99% of the Jewish citizens doing? Do they not have an opinion? Do they support their government? Are they confused? Are they afraid?

    The Germans have a saying: the further you move away from a mountain, the better you see the peek of it. Perhaps, the people have no access to impartial news and internet and being prisoners of their won walls they are blind deaf and mute.

    Dizi if you are a Muslim, you know these statements:
    God says to kill one human is as if you have killed all human.
    To save one human is as if you have saved all human.

    Your rage must die within for it will bring no peace and no justice. It will only serve as oxygen to the fire that those in power want to spread.
    I could not even imagine what you are going through, but be careful and don't let people take advantage of your emotions.

    peace be upon you.

  25. The Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Israel), as of 2008, describes the population of Israel to be to be 7,424,400. 76 % Jewish and 16 % Muslim.
    If 500 Israelis were marching against the Apartheid. what were the over 99% of the Jewish citizens doing? Do they not have an opinion? Do they support their government? Are they confused? Are they afraid?

    The Germans have a saying: the further you move away from a mountain, the better you see the peek of it. Perhaps, the people have no access to impartial news and internet and being prisoners of their won walls they are blind deaf and mute.

    Dizi if you are a Muslim, you know these statements:
    God says to kill one human is as if you have killed all human.
    To save one human is as if you have saved all human.

    Your rage must die within for it will bring no peace and no justice. It will only serve as oxygen to the fire that those in power want to spread.
    I could not even imagine what you are going through, but be careful and don't let people take advantage of your emotions.

    peace be upon you.

  26. The Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Israel), as of 2008, describes the population of Israel to be to be 7,424,400. 76 % Jewish and 16 % Muslim.
    If 500 Israelis were marching against the Apartheid. what were the over 99% of the Jewish citizens doing? Do they not have an opinion? Do they support their government? Are they confused? Are they afraid?

    The Germans have a saying: the further you move away from a mountain, the better you see the peek of it. Perhaps, the people have no access to impartial news and internet and being prisoners of their won walls they are blind deaf and mute.

    Dizi if you are a Muslim, you know these statements:
    God says to kill one human is as if you have killed all human.
    To save one human is as if you have saved all human.

    Your rage must die within for it will bring no peace and no justice. It will only serve as oxygen to the fire that those in power want to spread.
    I could not even imagine what you are going through, but be careful and don’t let people take advantage of your emotions.

    peace be upon you.

  27. Oh and Edie, thanks for sharing the video. keeping communication across the two sides and letting them know that people are resisting this oppression will bring hope.

  28. Oh and Edie, thanks for sharing the video. keeping communication across the two sides and letting them know that people are resisting this oppression will bring hope.

  29. For 29 years, from the 6 Day War of 1967 until 2002 there was no fence of any kind between Israel and West Bank. Belin could farm the 200 acres they are complaining about on the other side of fence no problem. Israel only reluctantly built this temporary fence after a wave of over 100 suicide bombings inside Israel committed by Palestinians coming from the West Bank.

    These Palestinian suicide bombing were repeatedly called a crime against humanity by Amnesty International. More than 1000 completely innocent Jewish women, children, the elderly were murdered in these attacks on for example Pizza parlors packed with Jewish children after school, and ice cream shops where Jewish babies died on their Grandmothers arms, tthier arms and legs torn off, thier skin melted. These suicide attack war crimes aimed primarily at Jewish women and children were organized and authorized by the highest levels of the Palestinian leadership and completely supported and praised by the vast majority of the Palestinian people.

    This fence built for only one reason, to stop these attacks, and since then suicide attacks have dropped to essential ZERO.

    Do you claim this is all just a big coincidence? No fence and Palestinians commit horrific Crimes against Humanity on Jewish civilians every day, and then a fence is built and suddenly these attacks stop completly ? No connection at all ? Is that what you claim ?

    So very sorry, but the rights of Jewish babies not to have their bodies ripped apart by nail bombs while eating an ice cream cone on Grandma's lap temporarily overrules the right of the residents of Be'lin to access 200 acres of farmland on the other side of a temporary anti-suicide bomber fence.

    This fence is just a temporary thing that can easily be moved when a peace agreement is made. Israel has made no attempt to expropriate these lands or declare them part of Israel. The only reason the fence is there is to stop Palestinian bombers intent of committing mass murder of civilians, Crimes against Humanity far worse in my opinion than not being easily able to access ones farmland temporarily for a few years until a peace agreement.

    If the Palestinians don't like this fence then they should not collectevly as a people have chosen as a mass to support the War Crime of suicide bombings on Jewish civilian women and children as thier primary tactic. Did the Palestinian people, when they so wholeheartedly supported mass murding Jewish women and children, did they not realize the Jews would at least build a fence to stop more suicide bombings?

    Once a peace agreement is established and borders agreements made between Palestine and Israel, this fence can easily be moved in about ten seconds with a bulldozer.

    Reattaching the head back on a Jewish baby after her body is ripped apart by a Palestinian suicide bomber war criminal is not quite so easily done, so the residents of Belin will just have to sacrifice thier rights temporarily and wait a year or two for peace between the two sides.

  30. For 29 years, from the 6 Day War of 1967 until 2002 there was no fence of any kind between Israel and West Bank. Belin could farm the 200 acres they are complaining about on the other side of fence no problem. Israel only reluctantly built this temporary fence after a wave of over 100 suicide bombings inside Israel committed by Palestinians coming from the West Bank.

    These Palestinian suicide bombing were repeatedly called a crime against humanity by Amnesty International. More than 1000 completely innocent Jewish women, children, the elderly were murdered in these attacks on for example Pizza parlors packed with Jewish children after school, and ice cream shops where Jewish babies died on their Grandmothers arms, tthier arms and legs torn off, thier skin melted. These suicide attack war crimes aimed primarily at Jewish women and children were organized and authorized by the highest levels of the Palestinian leadership and completely supported and praised by the vast majority of the Palestinian people.

    This fence built for only one reason, to stop these attacks, and since then suicide attacks have dropped to essential ZERO.

    Do you claim this is all just a big coincidence? No fence and Palestinians commit horrific Crimes against Humanity on Jewish civilians every day, and then a fence is built and suddenly these attacks stop completly ? No connection at all ? Is that what you claim ?

    So very sorry, but the rights of Jewish babies not to have their bodies ripped apart by nail bombs while eating an ice cream cone on Grandma’s lap temporarily overrules the right of the residents of Be’lin to access 200 acres of farmland on the other side of a temporary anti-suicide bomber fence.

    This fence is just a temporary thing that can easily be moved when a peace agreement is made. Israel has made no attempt to expropriate these lands or declare them part of Israel. The only reason the fence is there is to stop Palestinian bombers intent of committing mass murder of civilians, Crimes against Humanity far worse in my opinion than not being easily able to access ones farmland temporarily for a few years until a peace agreement.

    If the Palestinians don’t like this fence then they should not collectevly as a people have chosen as a mass to support the War Crime of suicide bombings on Jewish civilian women and children as thier primary tactic. Did the Palestinian people, when they so wholeheartedly supported mass murding Jewish women and children, did they not realize the Jews would at least build a fence to stop more suicide bombings?

    Once a peace agreement is established and borders agreements made between Palestine and Israel, this fence can easily be moved in about ten seconds with a bulldozer.

    Reattaching the head back on a Jewish baby after her body is ripped apart by a Palestinian suicide bomber war criminal is not quite so easily done, so the residents of Belin will just have to sacrifice thier rights temporarily and wait a year or two for peace between the two sides.

  31. they say know your ground.
    I thought I will add this little you-tube video. It has some insight on the bitter truth.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1NZGI02WkI

    Edi I don't want to sound like a broken idealist but this "wall of shame" is not gonna come down anytime soon. It is the symbol for something much larger.
    It may come down long after it has served its purpose.
    If US wants to fight terrorism, there it is it is most advanced form.

  32. they say know your ground.
    I thought I will add this little you-tube video. It has some insight on the bitter truth.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1NZGI02WkI

    Edi I don't want to sound like a broken idealist but this "wall of shame" is not gonna come down anytime soon. It is the symbol for something much larger.
    It may come down long after it has served its purpose.
    If US wants to fight terrorism, there it is it is most advanced form.

  33. they say know your ground.
    I thought I will add this little you-tube video. It has some insight on the bitter truth.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1NZGI02WkI

    Edi I don't want to sound like a broken idealist but this "wall of shame" is not gonna come down anytime soon. It is the symbol for something much larger.
    It may come down long after it has served its purpose.
    If US wants to fight terrorism, there it is it is most advanced form.

  34. they say know your ground.
    I thought I will add this little you-tube video. It has some insight on the bitter truth.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1NZGI02WkI

    Edi I don’t want to sound like a broken idealist but this “wall of shame” is not gonna come down anytime soon. It is the symbol for something much larger.
    It may come down long after it has served its purpose.
    If US wants to fight terrorism, there it is it is most advanced form.

  35. ahssan:

    The Israelis did not even think of building a fence from 1967 till 2002. Till 2002 there was no fence at all preventing Palestinians from entering Israel. This temporary fence was only built only after over 100 Palestinian suicide bombers came from the West Bank into Israeli towns and illegaly attacked Jewish civilian targets. Almost 1000 Jewish civilians were killed in these attacks, mostly women and children, and these Palestinian suicide bombings were called "Crimes against Humanity" completly illegal and without any justification or excuse permissible under International law by Amnesty International.

    Once the fence was built the number of suicide bombings has dropped to ZERO. Can you really not understand the Israeli point of view on why they like this fence?

    Edie herself has acknowledged last year in a previous blog on this site that the Israeli anti-suicide bomber fence buit near Be'lin has in fact prevented further Palestinian crimes of mass murder against Jewish women and children. Unfortunately about 200 acres of farm land claimed by Be'lin is on the other side of this fence.

    This land has not been expropriated by Israel, Israel makes no claim to extending its borders over this land and after lawyers for Be'lin won thier case in Israeli court, by order of the Israeli Supreme Court the fence was moved as far from Be'lin as possible to reduce the suffering for Be'lin as much as possible while also considering the needs of security for Israeli civilians and no building of any kind has been permitted on the small parcel of farmland still on the other side of the fence that Be'lin claims.

    This fence is a temporary and easily movable and in no way represents any Israeli claim to a border. Its only function is to prevent Palestinian suicide bombings.

    Israel has in no way claimed the route of this fence to be a permanent border. According to the Oslo Agreement signed by the Palestinians and the Road Map for Peace, only a peace agreement based on UN Security council resolution 242/338 which mandates a "negotiated settlement" between the two sides can set the final borders, not the route of a temporary security fence.

    Hopefully to G-d the two sides will restart negotiations soon and come to a peace agreement as soon as possible in which the border and all other points are agreed on and the two sides can live in peace without fear of one another.

    The fence can be easily be moved at that future time to conform with any future peace treaty. In the mean time, Israel feels the right of Jewish women and children to live without threat of what Amnesty International called Gevena Convention War Crimes Against Humanity, namely the wave after wave of organized mass murder attacks by Palestinian suicide bombers into Israel from the West Bank untill this fence was built unfortunately temporarliy overrules Be'lin getting to access these fields for a few years until a peace treaty is reached.

    If you want to really help Be'lin get back to these fields, the obvious thing to do is to pressure the Palestinians to get back to the negotiation table as the Israeli Prime Minister has offered to do as recently as yesterday and as quickly as possible find a peaceful and mutually beneficial solution where both peoples, Jew and Arab, can live side by side in thier own countries in peace and prosperity.

  36. Edie:

    This blog contains a provable lie.
    These protests at Bi'lin are not non-violent and the web site of Amnesty International should not be used to spread easily disprovable propaganda.

    These protests always include rock throwing.

    Unless you claim throwing rocks into the faces of police is non-violence, because Gandhi and MLK Jr. would disagree with you. Rock throwing is violence.

    Here is a youtube video of the Friday 1/5/2009 weekly protest at Bilin.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XX2Hx13c4sg

    Please move the video ahead to 6 minute, 20 second point

    If you move the video ahead to 6 minute, 20 second point what you see in this video is many Palestinian men from Bi'lin attacking the Israeli border police and throwing and launching from slingshots large baseball sized rocks from a only a few meters away directly into the faces of Israeli Police, and screaming to the Israeli Police insults in Hebrew such as that their mothers and sisters are prostitutes.

    What you see is the Israeli Border Police behaving with great restraint, and outfitted with plastic shields to ward off the rocks as any western police force would use.

    You see in this video the Israelis not using lethal force but instead using tear gas which is considered a legal and non-violent riot control method by Police forces across the western democratic world who would use tear gas in exactly this situation on a large group of attacking rock throwers.

    For two full years, these weekly protests have occurred with hundreds of Palestinians attacking the Israeli positions in this manner each week and unfortunately 5 Palestinian men have been killed in the last 2 years, mostly from falling tear gas randomly accidentally hitting them on their heads, so clearly the Israeli Police are trying as best they can to avoid using excessive force. The Israeli police are acting under the Geneva Convention to maintain order and have a legal right to use tear gas to defend themselves from rock throwing.

    I doubt many western democratic police forces would have had such a low rioter death rate over this period faced with this much violence and rock throwing. Needless to say, if these Arabs rock throwers tried this in most Arab countries they would all have been killed on the spot. That is why you never see Gazans throwing rocks on Egyptian Border Guards enforcing the blockade of humanitarian supplies Egypt has imposed on Gaza. Because the Gazans know full well they would all be killed on the spot by thier brother Muslim Arabs.

  37. Edie:

    This blog contains a provable lie.
    These protests at Bi'lin are not non-violent and the web site of Amnesty International should not be used to spread easily disprovable propaganda.

    These protests always include rock throwing.

    Unless you claim throwing rocks into the faces of police is non-violence, because Gandhi and MLK Jr. would disagree with you. Rock throwing is violence.

    Here is a youtube video of the Friday 1/5/2009 weekly protest at Bilin.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XX2Hx13c4sg

    Please move the video ahead to 6 minute, 20 second point

    If you move the video ahead to 6 minute, 20 second point what you see in this video is many Palestinian men from Bi'lin attacking the Israeli border police and throwing and launching from slingshots large baseball sized rocks from a only a few meters away directly into the faces of Israeli Police, and screaming to the Israeli Police insults in Hebrew such as that their mothers and sisters are prostitutes.

    What you see is the Israeli Border Police behaving with great restraint, and outfitted with plastic shields to ward off the rocks as any western police force would use.

    You see in this video the Israelis not using lethal force but instead using tear gas which is considered a legal and non-violent riot control method by Police forces across the western democratic world who would use tear gas in exactly this situation on a large group of attacking rock throwers.

    For two full years, these weekly protests have occurred with hundreds of Palestinians attacking the Israeli positions in this manner each week and unfortunately 5 Palestinian men have been killed in the last 2 years, mostly from falling tear gas randomly accidentally hitting them on their heads, so clearly the Israeli Police are trying as best they can to avoid using excessive force. The Israeli police are acting under the Geneva Convention to maintain order and have a legal right to use tear gas to defend themselves from rock throwing.

    I doubt many western democratic police forces would have had such a low rioter death rate over this period faced with this much violence and rock throwing. Needless to say, if these Arabs rock throwers tried this in most Arab countries they would all have been killed on the spot. That is why you never see Gazans throwing rocks on Egyptian Border Guards enforcing the blockade of humanitarian supplies Egypt has imposed on Gaza. Because the Gazans know full well they would all be killed on the spot by thier brother Muslim Arabs.

  38. Edie:

    This blog contains a provable lie.
    These protests at Bi'lin are not non-violent and the web site of Amnesty International should not be used to spread easily disprovable propaganda.

    These protests always include rock throwing.

    Unless you claim throwing rocks into the faces of police is non-violence, because Gandhi and MLK Jr. would disagree with you. Rock throwing is violence.

    Here is a youtube video of the Friday 1/5/2009 weekly protest at Bilin.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XX2Hx13c4sg

    Please move the video ahead to 6 minute, 20 second point

    If you move the video ahead to 6 minute, 20 second point what you see in this video is many Palestinian men from Bi'lin attacking the Israeli border police and throwing and launching from slingshots large baseball sized rocks from a only a few meters away directly into the faces of Israeli Police, and screaming to the Israeli Police insults in Hebrew such as that their mothers and sisters are prostitutes.

    What you see is the Israeli Border Police behaving with great restraint, and outfitted with plastic shields to ward off the rocks as any western police force would use.

    You see in this video the Israelis not using lethal force but instead using tear gas which is considered a legal and non-violent riot control method by Police forces across the western democratic world who would use tear gas in exactly this situation on a large group of attacking rock throwers.

    For two full years, these weekly protests have occurred with hundreds of Palestinians attacking the Israeli positions in this manner each week and unfortunately 5 Palestinian men have been killed in the last 2 years, mostly from falling tear gas randomly accidentally hitting them on their heads, so clearly the Israeli Police are trying as best they can to avoid using excessive force. The Israeli police are acting under the Geneva Convention to maintain order and have a legal right to use tear gas to defend themselves from rock throwing.

    I doubt many western democratic police forces would have had such a low rioter death rate over this period faced with this much violence and rock throwing. Needless to say, if these Arabs rock throwers tried this in most Arab countries they would all have been killed on the spot. That is why you never see Gazans throwing rocks on Egyptian Border Guards enforcing the blockade of humanitarian supplies Egypt has imposed on Gaza. Because the Gazans know full well they would all be killed on the spot by thier brother Muslim Arabs.

  39. ahssan:

    The Israelis did not even think of building a fence from 1967 till 2002. Till 2002 there was no fence at all preventing Palestinians from entering Israel. This temporary fence was only built only after over 100 Palestinian suicide bombers came from the West Bank into Israeli towns and illegaly attacked Jewish civilian targets. Almost 1000 Jewish civilians were killed in these attacks, mostly women and children, and these Palestinian suicide bombings were called “Crimes against Humanity” completly illegal and without any justification or excuse permissible under International law by Amnesty International.

    Once the fence was built the number of suicide bombings has dropped to ZERO. Can you really not understand the Israeli point of view on why they like this fence?

    Edie herself has acknowledged last year in a previous blog on this site that the Israeli anti-suicide bomber fence buit near Be’lin has in fact prevented further Palestinian crimes of mass murder against Jewish women and children. Unfortunately about 200 acres of farm land claimed by Be’lin is on the other side of this fence.

    This land has not been expropriated by Israel, Israel makes no claim to extending its borders over this land and after lawyers for Be’lin won thier case in Israeli court, by order of the Israeli Supreme Court the fence was moved as far from Be’lin as possible to reduce the suffering for Be’lin as much as possible while also considering the needs of security for Israeli civilians and no building of any kind has been permitted on the small parcel of farmland still on the other side of the fence that Be’lin claims.

    This fence is a temporary and easily movable and in no way represents any Israeli claim to a border. Its only function is to prevent Palestinian suicide bombings.

    Israel has in no way claimed the route of this fence to be a permanent border. According to the Oslo Agreement signed by the Palestinians and the Road Map for Peace, only a peace agreement based on UN Security council resolution 242/338 which mandates a “negotiated settlement” between the two sides can set the final borders, not the route of a temporary security fence.

    Hopefully to G-d the two sides will restart negotiations soon and come to a peace agreement as soon as possible in which the border and all other points are agreed on and the two sides can live in peace without fear of one another.

    The fence can be easily be moved at that future time to conform with any future peace treaty. In the mean time, Israel feels the right of Jewish women and children to live without threat of what Amnesty International called Gevena Convention War Crimes Against Humanity, namely the wave after wave of organized mass murder attacks by Palestinian suicide bombers into Israel from the West Bank untill this fence was built unfortunately temporarliy overrules Be’lin getting to access these fields for a few years until a peace treaty is reached.

    If you want to really help Be’lin get back to these fields, the obvious thing to do is to pressure the Palestinians to get back to the negotiation table as the Israeli Prime Minister has offered to do as recently as yesterday and as quickly as possible find a peaceful and mutually beneficial solution where both peoples, Jew and Arab, can live side by side in thier own countries in peace and prosperity.

  40. Edie:

    This blog contains a provable lie.
    These protests at Bi’lin are not non-violent and the web site of Amnesty International should not be used to spread easily disprovable propaganda.

    These protests always include rock throwing.

    Unless you claim throwing rocks into the faces of police is non-violence, because Gandhi and MLK Jr. would disagree with you. Rock throwing is violence.

    Here is a youtube video of the Friday 1/5/2009 weekly protest at Bilin.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XX2Hx13c4sg

    Please move the video ahead to 6 minute, 20 second point

    If you move the video ahead to 6 minute, 20 second point what you see in this video is many Palestinian men from Bi’lin attacking the Israeli border police and throwing and launching from slingshots large baseball sized rocks from a only a few meters away directly into the faces of Israeli Police, and screaming to the Israeli Police insults in Hebrew such as that their mothers and sisters are prostitutes.

    What you see is the Israeli Border Police behaving with great restraint, and outfitted with plastic shields to ward off the rocks as any western police force would use.

    You see in this video the Israelis not using lethal force but instead using tear gas which is considered a legal and non-violent riot control method by Police forces across the western democratic world who would use tear gas in exactly this situation on a large group of attacking rock throwers.

    For two full years, these weekly protests have occurred with hundreds of Palestinians attacking the Israeli positions in this manner each week and unfortunately 5 Palestinian men have been killed in the last 2 years, mostly from falling tear gas randomly accidentally hitting them on their heads, so clearly the Israeli Police are trying as best they can to avoid using excessive force. The Israeli police are acting under the Geneva Convention to maintain order and have a legal right to use tear gas to defend themselves from rock throwing.

    I doubt many western democratic police forces would have had such a low rioter death rate over this period faced with this much violence and rock throwing. Needless to say, if these Arabs rock throwers tried this in most Arab countries they would all have been killed on the spot. That is why you never see Gazans throwing rocks on Egyptian Border Guards enforcing the blockade of humanitarian supplies Egypt has imposed on Gaza. Because the Gazans know full well they would all be killed on the spot by thier brother Muslim Arabs.

  41. Judo,

    I have attended and witnessed a number of protests against the wall/fence, including Bil'in and yes, I've seen rock throwing myself. Over-all the characteristic of most of the protests I've seen have been non-violent and the organizers have stressed the non-violent nature. I have Abdallah Abu Rahme on video addressing this issue specifically before one protest in Bil'in. He acknowledges that there are youth that do end up throwing rocks at the Israeli forces although discouraged from doing so by the organizers. The youth can simply not be policed or restrained from doing this.

    As far as non-lethal force being used – this also is an anecdotal thing. Although Israeli forces do use restraint at some protests, they have also used lethal force against unarmed protesters and stone throwers in other instances. Your characterization of the tear gas canisters and bullets which have killed protesters as "mostly from falling tear gas randomly accidentally hitting them on their heads" would be laughable if the issue weren't so tragic.

    I've witnessed myself tear gas canisters intentionally being fired directly at non-violent protesters that were simply standing near the fence. There wasn't even any organized protesting going on at the time. The tear gas canisters were aimed at Palestinians including women, children and one individual I saw that was in a wheel chair.

    You and I can point at anecdotal instances all day and I would not say that the protests I witnessed personally happen 100% of the time, but from what I witnessed and accounts from other credible organizations and individuals there is a pattern you can draw.

    UPDATE: Amnesty International has issued a statement Jan. 8, 2010 for the release of these activists: http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/news/i

  42. Judo,

    I have attended and witnessed a number of protests against the wall/fence, including Bil'in and yes, I've seen rock throwing myself. Over-all the characteristic of most of the protests I've seen have been non-violent and the organizers have stressed the non-violent nature. I have Abdallah Abu Rahme on video addressing this issue specifically before one protest in Bil'in. He acknowledges that there are youth that do end up throwing rocks at the Israeli forces although discouraged from doing so by the organizers. The youth can simply not be policed or restrained from doing this.

    As far as non-lethal force being used – this also is an anecdotal thing. Although Israeli forces do use restraint at some protests, they have also used lethal force against unarmed protesters and stone throwers in other instances. Your characterization of the tear gas canisters and bullets which have killed protesters as "mostly from falling tear gas randomly accidentally hitting them on their heads" would be laughable if the issue weren't so tragic.

    I've witnessed myself tear gas canisters intentionally being fired directly at non-violent protesters that were simply standing near the fence. There wasn't even any organized protesting going on at the time. The tear gas canisters were aimed at Palestinians including women, children and one individual I saw that was in a wheel chair.

    You and I can point at anecdotal instances all day and I would not say that the protests I witnessed personally happen 100% of the time, but from what I witnessed and accounts from other credible organizations and individuals there is a pattern you can draw.

    UPDATE: Amnesty International has issued a statement Jan. 8, 2010 for the release of these activists: http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/news/i

  43. Judo,

    I have attended and witnessed a number of protests against the wall/fence, including Bil'in and yes, I've seen rock throwing myself. Over-all the characteristic of most of the protests I've seen have been non-violent and the organizers have stressed the non-violent nature. I have Abdallah Abu Rahme on video addressing this issue specifically before one protest in Bil'in. He acknowledges that there are youth that do end up throwing rocks at the Israeli forces although discouraged from doing so by the organizers. The youth can simply not be policed or restrained from doing this.

    As far as non-lethal force being used – this also is an anecdotal thing. Although Israeli forces do use restraint at some protests, they have also used lethal force against unarmed protesters and stone throwers in other instances. Your characterization of the tear gas canisters and bullets which have killed protesters as "mostly from falling tear gas randomly accidentally hitting them on their heads" would be laughable if the issue weren't so tragic.

    I've witnessed myself tear gas canisters intentionally being fired directly at non-violent protesters that were simply standing near the fence. There wasn't even any organized protesting going on at the time. The tear gas canisters were aimed at Palestinians including women, children and one individual I saw that was in a wheel chair.

    You and I can point at anecdotal instances all day and I would not say that the protests I witnessed personally happen 100% of the time, but from what I witnessed and accounts from other credible organizations and individuals there is a pattern you can draw.

    UPDATE: Amnesty International has issued a statement Jan. 8, 2010 for the release of these activists: http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/news/i

  44. Judo,

    I have attended and witnessed a number of protests against the wall/fence, including Bil’in and yes, I’ve seen rock throwing myself. Over-all the characteristic of most of the protests I’ve seen have been non-violent and the organizers have stressed the non-violent nature. I have Abdallah Abu Rahme on video addressing this issue specifically before one protest in Bil’in. He acknowledges that there are youth that do end up throwing rocks at the Israeli forces although discouraged from doing so by the organizers. The youth can simply not be policed or restrained from doing this.

    As far as non-lethal force being used – this also is an anecdotal thing. Although Israeli forces do use restraint at some protests, they have also used lethal force against unarmed protesters and stone throwers in other instances. Your characterization of the tear gas canisters and bullets which have killed protesters as “mostly from falling tear gas randomly accidentally hitting them on their heads” would be laughable if the issue weren’t so tragic.

    I’ve witnessed myself tear gas canisters intentionally being fired directly at non-violent protesters that were simply standing near the fence. There wasn’t even any organized protesting going on at the time. The tear gas canisters were aimed at Palestinians including women, children and one individual I saw that was in a wheel chair.

    You and I can point at anecdotal instances all day and I would not say that the protests I witnessed personally happen 100% of the time, but from what I witnessed and accounts from other credible organizations and individuals there is a pattern you can draw.

    UPDATE: Amnesty International has issued a statement Jan. 8, 2010 for the release of these activists: http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/news/israeli-detention-palestinian-activists-must-end-20100108

Comments are closed.