Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Activists Block Continued Siege of Refugee Camp in Northern Nablus



The invasion of ‘Ein Beit Al Ma’ refugee camp by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) continued on Friday, July 20, 2007 at 10:20 am when several jeeps returned to the main street of Nablus and entered the camp. International human rights activists present created a human roadblock on the main thoroughfare of the camp to stop any other jeeps from entering the camp and continuing their siege on the camp’s inhabitants. Three internationals were shot with rubber bullets during the blockade. They were just three of the several victims of the IOF’s aggressive and excessive use of force that morning, on what could have otherwise been a quiet, peaceful and sunny Friday holiday.

Friday, July 27, 2007

The Israeli Siege of Zawata Village



On the morning of July 19, 2007, the Israeli Occupation Force invaded the village of Zawata just north of the city of Nablus. The army proceeded to demolish the house of Asad Natoor. Moving deeper into the village, the force sieged another home and proceeded to destroy the external walls while "interrogating" an individual inside.

Human rights activists arrived to the scene alongside medics - attempting to halt the destruction. The Israeli Army blocked the entrance of an ambulance called for a pregnant woman. The army used force to repell human rights observers from the first home demolition.

Upon the arrival of human rights legal observer, the army openly admitted they had no demolition order. Furthermore, the District Command Office (DCO) continually ignored calls. When officials from B'tselem (Israeli Human Rights Organization) inquired as to the presence of a demolition - the civil authorities indicated they weren't aware of the operation. Soldiers then assaulted the human rights workers requesting documentation and authorization from the soldiers.

Zawata: Witness to Israeli War Crimes is a short documentary covering the events of this day. It includes extensive interviews from the victims of that day and film of the soldiers who committed these crimes.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Human Rights Activists Evict Israeli Snipers holding 35 Palestinians (20 of them Children) Hostage in their Own Home



After a standoff in ‘Ein Beit Al Ma’ refugee camp, Friday morning, July 20, 2007, in which six international human rights activists confronted the Israeli Occupation Forces, at 11:30am several Israeli snipers were forced out of the home they had occupied since 3:00 am that morning. The internationals entered the house after the withdrawal of the snipers and found 35 civilians inside, 20 of which were children.

Several Palestinian boys approached the activists to point out Israeli snipers in a building on the hill above the camp. The Israeli soldiers had forced four families, 30 people, into a first floor room and held them hostage for over eight hours.

Occupying and using a civilian home as a military position is illegal under international and Israeli law.

Nablus, a city in the North of the West Bank is surrounded by military bases and invaded nightly by heavily armored Israeli Occupation Forces. These incursions kill and injure civilians on a daily basis. Not only are the individual actions of this platoon, these soldiers, and the Israeli Occupation Forces illegal, but the entire occupation of the West Bank since 1967 is in violation of the 4th Geneva Convention and in contravention of numerous UN declarations.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Thursday, July 12, 2007

A tough day for Nablus

On July 10th, a large scale invasion of the city took place, lasting until the morning hours. Clashes in the old city took place throughout the night whereupon the army moved into the upscale neighborhood of Rafidia, the location of one of Nablus' largest churches. In Rafidia, the soldiers cleared out two apartment complexes of all of their residents, forcing the men to strip, and detaining the women and children. The men were taking to a villa, in interviews there with the family living in the villa, torture of the detained men was described. The Israeli Army placed bombs around one of the apartment buildings and threatened to blow it up unless two wanted men inside surrended. These men surrendered, as well as the owner of the apartment. Two of them were reportedly taken to the villa as well and subject to the same torture. I was there, I saw it, now you can too.



---------------
In other news, last night July 11th, fighters from the Izzideen al Qassam Brigades of Hamas cooperated with fighters from the Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades of the Socialist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) to repel soldiers who had entered the Ein Beit Al Ma refugee camp, located in Nablus. The brigades said in a statement that three Israeli soldiers were injured. The statement explained that the PFLP fighters ambushed an Israeli infantry patrol and detonated two explosive devices before they clashed with the Israeli troops.

Israeli military forces reported that an explosive device was detonated while an Israeli patrol passed in Nablus, yet they claimed there were no casualties.

From the sweet city of Nablus,

Woody

Lies "Live" from Israel

Since the siege of the city of Nablus at the beginning of this month, there have been invasions by the Israeli Occupation Forces every night in multiple areas of the city. Stories from the siege are still sifting down through interviews - I spoke with a foreign educated doctor at some length as to the denial of ambulance and medical personnel into areas where there are wounded. He was turned away many times when trying to get to his clinic. The brutality of the occupation will quickly become apparent as I write and post more - it's so impossible to relay to someone who has lived a normal, predictable, and safe life what it is like to have an army of 60 vehicles storm into the city you live in, shoot out all the lights, throw grenades on the streets, and bulldoze everything on the streets out of the way BEFORE beginning to take over their homes for use as sniper posts and kidnapping entire buildings. Those who are lucky just get kept up all night by the noise.

This brings us to the question of why such intensity at this present moment. Even those in the city can feel it - Israel is on a brutal campaign at present to kidnap as many people as possible. This comes on the heels of the Sharm el Sheikh summit where the Israeli President Olmert declared a goodwill gesture of releasing 250 Fatah affiliated prisoners. The truth on the ground here, though, is that more than that number of prisoners have been arrested since this promise was made. It's a classic Israeli promise & switch move. It's how they get away with this all, and why no one notices. I remember it very explicitly from last summer - in the last days of the Lebanon War they pushed 30,000 troops into the occupied Lebanese territory so that they would appear to be making concessions to the rest of the world when they withdrew 20,000.

Now the rumor is that the Israelis have a goal of taking 500. That's right, they aim a taking 500, letting 250 old prisoners go, and then collecting the appreciation of the world opinion for being such a nice brutal occupation force. Here's the latest news report on the situation:


Nablus – Ma'an – Statistical evidence has revealed that the Israeli authorities have intensified their arrest campaigns against Palestinians in the West Bank in the past two weeks, especially after the Sharm el Sheikh summit of Middle Eastern leaders. During the summit Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, promised to release 250 prisoners affiliated to the Fatah movement.

The pledge was portrayed as a gesture of good will towards the Palestinians.

Fatah's information office issued a statement announcing that Israel has apprehended more than 300 Palestinians affiliated to the Fatah movement over the past two weeks. The number arrested in just two weeks has already exceeded the number of detainees proposed to be freed by Olmert.

"Israel is arresting Fatah loyalists and simultaneously discussing the farce of releasing prisoners," read the Fatah statement.

The movement also stated that "Israel's policy of apprehensions cannot bring about peace, nor can Israel's deception of the international community plant the seeds of trust between Israel and the Palestinians."

With hope for peace,

Woody

Tough to be a journalist in Palestine

There has been a little bit of a lull in the postings because recently Israel cut a telephone and internet connection which passed from '48 into the West Bank/'67. They wouldn't let Palestinian repair crews nearby for some time, so it's been tough to access any media. Hamdulillah, we're back online.

I start first with a post on the difficulties of being a journalist in Palestine. If you're one of those people who upon hearing my stories or messages find yourself confused or uncomfortable about the things I have to tell - often it's because those in the Western world see or hear very little of the truth of the situation. For the most part the story in the Western Media is of a poor beleaguered Israel who is always the victim. This pervades even what people would consider the "liberal" media in the US due to a rather complex interaction of political power, money, and media. So as not to sound conspiratorial, I suggest the reader checkout the freely available movie "Peace, Propaganda, and the Promised Land" to better aquaint themselves with why the story of this amazingly historic place is mistold. (it is an hour and fifteen minutes, so take some time tonight to watch it if you're interested)



When you're on the ground though, it's a much different situation. As a part of and in addition to the legal work I'm doing, there is a healthy dose of media collection I'm involved with. It's not easy - forget about about major media covering the daily invasions here - worse though, is that the local and regional media are attacked by the Israeli Occupation Forces when trying to pursue their profession.

Journalists and observers are routinely shot at, arrested, and more frequently (in my case) told that my camera will be smashed by one soldier while the other points a gun at me. Recently, in Gaza, the Israelis shot a cameraman - not only did they shoot him once to drop him, they continued to shoot him while he lay on the ground nearly life-less, with a massive 50 Cal nonetheless. He has since had both of his legs amputated due to the massive damage the huge bullets caused. (one minute video)



With hopes of Peace from the Promised Land,

Woody

Sunday, July 8, 2007

Closed Military Zone

I write quickly because most of my other work is taking up time. I promise there will be more to come - so don't get bored of me yet. I have tons of content!!!

Nablus - my dear Nablus - I have finally gotten to the city I fell in love with when I visited it last year. A city of ~200,000 people, it is known for three things (they jokingly say): 1) Soap, 2) Kanafe and 3) that those in Nablus are gay. Nabulsi, the word for one from Nablus is another way of saying "ah, he likes men!". Maybe it's their social nature, maybe it's their friendliness -- either way, it's a wonderful city. The sort of place that as you walk through the old city someone will come up to you and say "welcome in Nablus" and offer you some peanuts to eat out of a bag -- then if you smile in response, you get the whole bag of peanuts as a present. You CANNOT stop the people here from giving you all the respect and hospitality. This despite the fact that the number of people living in poverty is now over 60% (yes, I will get you cites).

Maybe it's a social city because no one leaves the city much. It's certainly not exciting to leave, as when I tried to yesterday and was threatened with having my camera smashed by a 19 year old soldier. I'm foreigner though - for the Nabulsis the situation at present is much different. The city has been declared a "closed military zone". This may sound innocuous enough and in an era where all you hear in the Western media is a story of Palestinian sovereignty the idea doesn't make sense. Here is what it means - there are six checkpoints surrounding the city. You can't go in or out without passing through a post guarded by heavily armed soldiers, surrounded by sniper towers, and policed by brutal soldiers who frequently shoot civilians when frustrated. The current closure on the city means that no one under the age of 35 can leave the city if they possess a Nablus ID. Some place to vacation, huh?

More to come...

Friday, June 29, 2007

Welcome in Palestine!!! Welcome, welcome, welcome!!!

(warning: graphic images below)

So I've moved around a lot quite quickly.

Tel Aviv is still the same place that looks like it hasn't been painted in 40 years - that is for the majority of the population, not the Americans who move into the fabulous suburbs. I honestly think it's too hot for mosquitos to survive, roosters still wake me up, and old men pulling carts yell in Yiddish "altezachen" (old things) -- a sort of mobile Goodwill Industries if you will.

Jerusalem is still the amazing, but frighteningly divided city it is. It's strange to see oblivious Jewish-American tourists eating up the hippie lifestyle of their secular Judaism, while down the block you have ultra-orthodox yelling "Nazim! Nazim!" at people who enter their neighborhood dressed inappropriately. I had an orthodox man spit at me yesterday -- it's amazing to me that as little as Americans know about the Israel-Palestine conflict, they know even less about the internal conflict amongst Israelis. More about that in future posts.

Israel has decided to "celebrate" the "reunification" of Jerusalem 40 years ago by putting up signs and billboards celebrating this "victory". A victory that has effectively resulted in the demotion of civil and political rights for East Jerusalem which is now surrounded by rings of Jewish settlements that have trapped the people. They are not allowed to build new homes or expand their homes, many homes are demolished to allow the expansion of the Jew-only neighborhoods, and the route of the wall has broken up neighborhoods, families, and people's lives. Meanwhile, a huge middle finger of an illuminated banner "celebrating" 1967 occupation of East Jerusalem hangs on every lamp post. They can be seen all the way into East Jerusalem.

Ramallah - There is tension in the air, but it is not at all unsafe. As opposed to interactions inside '48, where people are cold if not hostile -- when they're not carrying guns -- in Ramallah, everyone yells "welcome in Palestine, welcome, welcome, welcome!" and little boys run after you with their greetings. Yes, there was an assassination a few weeks ago and incursions around the city by the Israeli army. Right now, though, the most striking difference from last year is that the US-backed security forces of "President" Abbas line the streets of Ramallah and you see more of the elite "sabahtash" or Force 17 crews around. Districts of Ramallah are highly secure and it's clear that the Gazan fighters that were evacuated with Israel's permission are filling up hotels in these areas. I saw a man, clearly a fighter, who's patched eye couldn't cover up the fact that he was angry Fateh's coup didn't work in Gaza. The bad news is that now all these forces are filling up the West Bank. Collaborator Gazans have come here en masse and pro-fateh armed units are lining up on the Jordanian border waiting for orders from Abbas and permission from Israel to come in. It's rumored now too that the 500 strong Egyptian pro-Abbas forces that were set to invade Gaza to finish the coup over Hamas might still enter.

Nablus - I'm trying to make my way up to Nablus to attend University. However, the city had a massive invasion over the past few days with 100+ vehicles. Curfews were imposed and the Israeli army took over the radio stations in order to broadcast this news. Fierce battles continue and to me it seems like this is a serious incursion. It's the largest in a few months and the fact that the resistance managed to injure 8 Israelis is a very big deal. Sure, there have been numerous killing and injuries of Palestinians, 30 Palestinians were kidnapped by the Israeli Army very swiftly and the refugee camps have been sieged. Normally the injury rate for Israeli Army is very low, however. I suspect that they will be out soon and will spend a few weeks torturing those they took and then come back for assassinations, rather than large scale armored invasion -- this is usually how they work. So for those of you worried, this means it will most likely be safer for me.

Gaza - what a mess. One of the most densely populated places in the world subject to some of the most frequent invasion of their sovereign territory (well, if you expel a people from their land and then put them in a very large refugee camp which they are not allowed to enter or leave and they can't go to their own oceanside land and then call it sovereign, you can see how this word is very flexible). Two days ago a number of invasions and attacks left 14 dead, including a 9 year old boy. I finish this report with a collection of news reports

This is what US aid to Israel looks like



Photo

Reuters

Wed Jun 27, 6:18 AM ET

A Palestinian woman carries her daughter after she was injured by an Israeli tank shell in Gaza June 27, 2007. Israeli forces killed at least 10 Palestinians, most of them gunmen, on Wednesday in their biggest raid in the Gaza Strip since Hamas Islamists took over the territory two weeks ago, medical workers and residents said. REUTERS/Ismail Zaydah (GAZA)

Photo

AP

Wed Jun 27, 5:40 AM ET

The bodies of two wounded Palestinians are seen inside a car as they are taken to the Shifa hospital in Gaza City, Wednesday June 27, 2007. Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday killed eight Palestinians, including a 12-year-old boy, Palestinians said, the bloodiest fighting in the area since the Hamas militant group violently seized control two weeks ago. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

Photo

Reuters

Wed Jun 27, 10:42 AM ET

A woman carries a girl injured by an Israeli tank shell in Gaza June 27, 2007. (Ismail Zaydah/Reuters)

Photo

AFP

Wed Jun 27, 2:25 PM ET

A wounded Palestinian child lies on a hospital trolley in Gaza City following an Israeli offensive. Nine Palestinians were killed on Wednesday as Israel launched twin offensives in the Gaza Strip, triggering the deadliest violence since Hamas fighters overran the territory 12 days ago.(AFP/Mohammed Abed)

Photo

Reuters

Wed Jun 27, 3:48 PM ET

A wounded Palestinian woman lies on the ground after she was injured by an Israeli tank shell in Gaza, June 27, 2007. (Ismail Zaydah/Reuters)

Photo

AP

Wed Jun 27, 5:30 AM ET

A Palestinian man carries a wounded boy at the Shifa hospital in Gaza City,Wednesday, June 27, 2007. Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday killed eight Palestinians, including a 12-year-old boy, Palestinians said, the bloodiest fighting in the area since the Hamas militant group violently seized control two weeks ago. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

Photo

Reuters

Wed Jun 27, 8:46 AM ET

A Palestinian woman carries her daughter after she was injured by an Israeli tank shell in Gaza June 27, 2007. (Ismail Zaydah/Reuters)

AP

Wed Jun 27, 10:50 AM ET

A Palestinian man carries a boy who was wounded in an Israeli army operation into Shifa hospital in Gaza City, June 27, 2007. Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday killed ten Palestinians, including a 12-year-old boy, Palestinians said, the bloodiest fighting in the area since the Hamas militant group violently seized control two weeks ago. (AP Photo/Majed Hamdan)

Reuters

Wed Jun 27, 9:29 AM ET

Palestinian children wait in line to receive food distributed at a soup kitchen in the West Bank city of Hebron June 27, 2007. REUTERS/Nayef Hashlamoun (WEST BANK)

Photo

Reuters

Wed Jun 27, 6:14 AM ET

People carry a wounded Palestinian girl (L) and a boy after they were injured by an Israeli tank shell in Gaza June 27, 2007. Israeli forces killed at least 10 Palestinians, most of them gunmen, on Wednesday in their biggest raid in the Gaza Strip since Hamas Islamists took over the territory two weeks ago, medical workers and residents said. REUTERS/Ismail Zaydah (GAZA)

Photo

AP

Wed Jun 27, 5:26 AM ET

A Palestinian woman carries her wounded daughter at the Shifa hospital in Gaza City, Wednesday June 27, 2007. Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday killed eight Palestinians, including a 12-year-old boy, Palestinians said, the bloodiest fighting in the area since the Hamas militant group violently seized control two weeks ago. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

Photo

Reuters

AP

Wed Jun 27, 9:02 AM ET

Palestinians carry the body of a badly wounded man at the Shifa hospital in Gaza City, Wednesday June 27, 2007. Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday killed eight Palestinians, including a 12-year-old boy, Palestinians said, the bloodiest fighting in the area since the Hamas militant group violently seized control two weeks ago. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

Reuters

Wed Jun 27, 5:07 AM ET

A woman carries a Palestinian girl injured from an Israeli tank shell in Gaza June 27, 2007. Israeli forces killed at least 10 Palestinians, most of them gunmen, on Wednesday in their biggest raid in the Gaza Strip since Hamas Islamists took over the territory two weeks ago, medical workers and residents said. REUTERS/Ismail Zaydah (GAZA)

Why are you here...please wait...welcome???

Finally arrived...after hours of travel and a quick stint in Kiev city proper. I can say that it's good to be back. I love this place, both '48 and '67, but nearly every interaction with '48 makes me feel uncomfortable. This all started when my flight on a foreign airline switched in Kiev to an El Al flight. Well, let's back up -- Kiev was a beautiful place. Much more modern than that xenophobic and paranoid reports by travelers online which I read in preparation. The train station is one of the largest I've ever seen in my life and as a result my original goal of traveling to Babi Yar ( the sight of the largest massacre of Jews at one single time ) was foiled by the fact that NOTHING is in English. Like many of my layovers, I got out - ate some local fare - viewed the local scenery - got back to the airport.

At the airport, I crossed through the gate where they check your ticket to see if your flight leaves soon enough. Immediately upon crossing I was approached by shabak (the israeli domestic intelligence) and an interrogation began. Flights to Israel require you to arrive three hours prior...the net result of which was three hours of interrogation. I'm not sure why this occurred exactly. Perhaps it's because I have visited the West Bank (although they would never mention the word "territories" in the interrogation for fear that I don't know such a place exists and they just confirmed it does). It is also perhaps because I don't have family in Israel. I think it is much more likely that my annoying walking-in-circles bored-out-of-my-mind at the airport got suspicion of the cameras. That and that fact that a very jovial American with a hiking backpack was on my flight. He was chatting up the only Palestinian on our flight and security approached the Palestinian and demanded ID and the ID of the American talking to him. This kid and I had bought the same flight path off the same website and they began his interrogation with questions as to whether he knew me.

Then begins the fun - can you imagine what idiocy is discussed in a three hour interrogation? I was discussing my favorite philosophers, the streets I've lived on, the food that my friends in Israel cook, what their political/religious beliefs are, and even about my "sister" (one of those 50% guesses they make and hope to strike-gold with).

Then it moved onto the strip search. As if out of a bad SNL comedy movie, the action of a man pulling a rubber glove over his hand and snapping it is apparently a shtick that creates fear/laughter worldwide (depending on which end of the glove you're taking). Then, my bags were spread out on three tables and combed over by a team of five idiots. I say idiots because whoever is assigned to bother an American student is clearly low on the pecking order -- that's not to say they aren't aspiring to be water-boarding Palestinians someday, so questions my answers to which they could not possibly understand were asked again and again. It turns out (imagine!) that there is a policy that you can't carry a laptop onto an airplane. As if this lie wasn't transparent enough, apparently the ban applies to the cord to plug in my camera, but not the camera itself. It also includes earphones...thanks guys.

All of this was packed up and to be mailed to me at my address in Tel Aviv. Sadly, all of my DVDs were taken, detained, or "disappeared" - police states generally lack a "lost & found". I can't imagine the intelligence will find Arrested Development or the Office very fun since I tend to think they're a particularly American brand of humor. The Battle of Algiers might be good food for thought if they take the time to watch the whole thing.

As you can imagine, one might have the urge to relieve their bladder at some point. A simple request that at the time merely meant "I have to go!!!" to me turned into a sort of surreal scene from a horrible movie. I was escorted to a bathroom in which huddled a fraternity of Borat-looking men, furiously smoking cigarettes in uniforms that appeared to be dulled by a combination of boredom, sunlight, and the fall of the Soviet Union. Sensing the opportunity to break our shared boredom, I pulled out a cigarette, but my personal guard rejected that advance.

To have a man stand next to you while you're urinating is one of those things that men are somewhat used to. The need to get back before the beginning of the next inning usually prevails to calm any discomfort. A man who had just strip searched you and now stood perpendicular to you looking at you is another experience altogether.

Apparently my preference for a window seat was ignored as well -- ok not just that, any of my preferences had gone out the window as I was reissued a ticket to sit next to the two other individuals who had been interrogated with me. VIP seating you might call it - if it weren't that we were sat in the back, with the Palestinian interogatee furthest from the aisle, and two large (but clearly bored) security guards seated behind us. The buffer of about five rows they placed between us and the rest of the flight really put the exclamation point on "welcome to Israel".

So now I'm here - finally got my computer and things. Tel Aviv is horribly hot and humid, Jerusalem is much better, Ramallah even cooler.