ISRAEL/PALESTINE:
A BUSY WEEKEND OF STRUGGLE IN ISRAEL AND THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES:
The following is a report from Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories by the Israeli Anarchists Against the Wall. These people hold actions each and every weekend in protest of the policies of the Israeli government. This weekend was an especially busy one. The following has been slightly edited for English grammar.
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Palestine-Israel, busy weekend of joint struggle in Jafa-Tel-Aviv and the occupied territories by Ilan S. - AAtW :
The anarchists against the wall initiative were busy on Wednesday with graffiti in preparation for the Thursday evening joint demonstration. On Thursday joined in direct action with our Palestinian partners of Bil'in and others of the region in the temporary liberation of an area near Ramalla where a new settler point is in development. Later, Thursday evening there was the monthly critical mass ride against occupation that started at the Tel Aviv "Zocolo" and traveled to the big counter demo of the 60 years anniversary celebration of the Zionists occupation of Jafa on 1948, in the park built on the ruins of the destroyed al-Manshiya district of the Palestinian Jafa. Friday we split five ways:





One in the Hebron big demo at the Shuhada road and the nearby square. A second in the struggle against the separation fence south of Bethlehem - at Um Salmuna and Al Khader. A persistent struggle for already a year or so. These days, the Israeli state arrested and sentenced to administrative jailing of 6 months Musa AbuMaria - one of the main organizers of the joint struggle against the separation fence and occupation.





The third was at the apartheid highway 443 - a somewhat new project in the Bil'in region. The fourth was in Shiftin - a small village near Shukba (in the west of Bil'in). There the action was targeted against a settler quarry which infringes on the village land and dusts the village. During the action, the villagers succeeded in burning one of the quarry tractors, before the army came. They soldiers shot at Palestinians and the car of the AAtW activists. Two villagers were lightly wounded - one of live ammunition. The fifth was the 166th Friday demonstration in Bil'in.... Bil'in become gradually the unofficial focus of the Palestinian non violent popular struggle against the separation fence and occupation. It is a real bi directional process. Activists from Bil'in participate in struggles in locations in the central part of Palestine.





Grass roots activists from all over Palestine come to Bil'in to be inspired and start similar activity at their villages. Even political activists at the national level feel obliged to come from time to time for meetings and even participate in the joint Friday demonstrations.This Friday, there was in Bil'in a meeting of political activists of the left spectrum of Palestine with a leftist delegation from Europe. After the meeting they participated in the Friday noon demonstration against the separation fence and occupation.The demonstration was, as usual ,with a small variation as the guests gave a speech at the square near the gate of the route of the separation fence.After the speeches, the unruly kids started to throw stones, which gave the Israeli state force the excuse to shoot on us tear gas and bullets coated with rubber. They also use it as usual to shoot at the video cameras documenting the demonstration.
This Friday's video by David can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhLYrpLxtDI





On Thursday the 24th a "celebration" took place, courtesy of The Etzel Museum and The Menachem Begin Heritage Foundation, commemorating 60 years of the "liberation" of Jafa . Arab and Jewish activists planned a series of actions trying to raise awareness to the absurdity of celebrating the actions of the terrorist organization the Irgun (Etzel) which was responsible for a series of terrorist attacks during 1947-8.On the night between Wednesday and Thursday, three activists were detained, accused of poster hanging in the area of Neve Tzedek and Jafa. A short time after that 5 more activists were detained and accused of vandalizing public property in the same area. Around 4am the first bunch of activists were released, signing a house arrest form for 24 hours.The second bunch accused of vandalizing were illegally detained for over 8 hours and finally were officially arrested and taken to court. Around noon the court decided to release all the five on self bail.
AN INVITATION OF ACTIVISTS FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE ACTION"
Hast thou taken possession and celebrated?"
This coming Thursday, April 24, at 19:00
A "celebration" will take place, courtesy of The Etzel Museum and The Menachem Begin Heritage Foundation, commemorating 60 years of the "liberation" of Jafa…
It is time to make some noise!
All those who cannot share the joy over the expulsion of Jafa Palestinian inhabitants in 1948 is invited to join us in a joint Jewish-Arab protest (and vociferous) event.
At 19:00, near The Etzel Museum, on the ruins of al-Manshiya, Charles Clore Parc.
Join us to liberate Jafa from the expulsion.
Please, bring pots, pans, and other means of distraction
For further details: 054-xxxxxxx and 052-xxxxxxxx
You can read about the deeds of the Etzel in Jafa:
http://yaffastruggleeh.wordpress.com/alternativetour
An alternative tour will start earlier, at 17:30, from Suzanne Dallal Square
For details on the tour: 050-xxxxxxx
PART OF THE RELEVANT MEDIA
Rightist one:
Anarchists Arrested for Tel Aviv Graffiti
Police said Thursday that they had arrested a group of five anarchists early on Thursday morning for vandalizing property in Tel Aviv. The five, residents of Jerusalem and Haifa in their 20s, were caught painting walls with slogans against the Israeli occupation.
The five were released on Thursday morning on their own recognizance. They are expected to face charges of vandalism. One of the suspects was caught in possession of illegal drugs as well.
More sympathetic one:
Police arrested photographer while doing his duty [licensed media worker who is also an activist]A photographer of the "Ha'ir" documented spraying of graffiti in protest of the tours of the legacy of the Etsel [A pre Israel rightist Zionist underground terrorists] tours, was arrested and his camera was confiscated though he did not participated in the action.
The youth intended to spray graffiti along the route of the tour in protest as the official tour does not reveal the story of the nearly complete depopulation of the original Palestinian population of Jafa.
The policemen present disregarded the activists but after they starting the spraying of "where have the Jafa Arabs gone" the plain clothes detectives of the Tel Aviv police arrested them. Oren showed them his official journalist card and insisted he is there in his professional capacity.The detectives did not respect it - arrested him and confiscated his camera.The detectives refused to verify his claim and took all of them to jail.
When they were brought before the judge in the morning the police prosecutor claimed Oren participated in the "crime". However, the judge verdict was that the "damage of property" by graffiti - a despicable act still didn't justify the arrest. He released them on very low bail. As for the photographer, the judge claimed that there was a high probability he was there in his work capacity, and released him with out any condition.
After his release Oren stated he has been working for the media for two years and that day was assigned the task of photographing the protest activity.It seems like the police targeted these activities using a lot of their resources in order to prevent this joint Arab/Jewish struggle inside Tel Aviv and Jafa.
During that day the Menachem Begin foundation held tours in the area of Neve Tzedek and Jafa. A few activists managed to infiltrate these tours, asking questions and handing out fliers. Around 6pm an alternative tour took place on the same route, ending at a demo in front of the "celebration". Activists from the critical mass against the occupation joined the demo and made a lot of noise trying to disturb the so called celebration. The demo was surrounded by a heavy presence of riot police. Three activists were arrested and released about four hours later. Two more activists that were outside the police station were detained for a short time. Haaretz
Palestinian, Israeli activists scuffle with troops in W. Bank
The IDF yesterday evacuated some 40 Palestinian, Israeli and foreign peace activists who had taken over an abandoned outpost west of Ramallah and hoisted the Palestinian flag over it. After the evacuation, the IDF allowed settlers who used to pray in the synagogue at the Yad Yair outpost to return to it, purportedly to "gauge the damage," military sources said. The protesters say settlers have taken over the site and are setting up an illegal outpost there. (Meron Rapoport)
Ynet....
Jonathan Polak of the "Anarchists Against the Wall" said: "The reason for that action was because that outpost expresses the cooperation between the army and the settlers. If we could overtake it with no problem, the army could do it too". He added: "A short time after the take over, an army force arrived and shoot bullets "coated with rubber" that hit the car of the photographer team".In response to the the army claim that it is a closed military zone, and as such needed to be evacuated, he said: In spite of that, there are tens of settlers who arrive there every day for prayers".
HEBRON
[The invitation for the activist to join the Hebron action]:
On April 25th, On the Jewish Holiday of Passover, that symbolizes more than any other thing the meaning of being a free people, we shall conduct a solidarity visit to Palestinian families in Hebron who lost their freedom since the first Jewish settlement 40 years ago in Hebron.For more details please make contact with Amos: amog@mscc.huji.ac.ilRegards. Bnei Avraham]MEDIA
Left-wing activists, settlers clash in Hebron
Some 50 activists arrived in the city on holiday eve for a protest march despite an army prohibition; later charge police 'did nothing to stop settler's aggression.' Jewish community slams police 'cooperation with terror supporters'
Scuffles broke out on Friday afternoon between settlers and left-wing activists in Hebron – with both sides denouncing local police forces.Shortly after 1:00 pm some 50 activists convened at the Gross Square in the city to join Palestinian residents for a protest rally under PLO flags and banners. Local witnesses said demonstration participants assaulted a Jewish resident.
[They marched along the Shuhada main street that a court verdict said must be open for the Palestinians too... but it is not respected by the army].
When IDF officials informed the protesters that the gathering was not authorized, they refused to leave the scene and lay down across one of the city's roads. One of the rally organizers has been detained for questioning by the police.Activists also tried to block the main route leading to the Jewish section of the city, preventing residents from accessing or leaving their homes. Police troops were alerted to the scene after the confrontation deteriorated into a brawl and separated the opposing sides.The activists were then escorted to a bus, presumably to leave the city, but its passage was blocked by a group of settlers, forcing the driver to return to the police station.Eventually the bus departed in the direction of Jerusalem with a police escort, but not before it was pelted with eggs by right-wing activists.
"The police did nothing to stop the settler's attacks and chose instead to arrest the leftist activists instead and take them to the police station," said the outraged activists, adding that they had also been attacked with rocks and were delayed for a lengthy period of time at the police station. Meanwhile the Committee of the Jewish Community of Hebron also had harsh words for local law enforcement. "Police here regularly allow anarchist groups, extreme left-wing activists and terror supports to stage provocations here in the city. Today the police allowed them to block the only road into the Jewish sector. We denounce this act and demand the provocations stop, they should be kept away from Jewish communities."
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http://ilan.shalif.com/anarchy/glimpses/glimpses.html
http://ilanisagainstwalls.blogspot.com/
http://awals.org/