ISM and Freedom Summer: Good up to date analysis and news from ISM

by asdmog Sun May 11, 2003 13:55

ISRAELI DEFENCE FORCES

Form to be filled out and submitted to IDF authorities prior to entry to the Gaza Strip

First name:
Family name:
Nationality:
Passport number:
Home address:
Address in Gaza:
Purpose of visit in detail:
Duration of visit:
Organisation arranging visit:

Conditions of Entry into the Gaza Strip

Foreign nationals entering the Gaza Strip, please note that the IDF is committed to ensuring the safety of civilians not engaged in hostilities. However, in the current circumstances, the IDF cannot guarantee the personal safety of foreign nationals visiting the area. Although the IDF cannot accept responsibility for death, injury or damage/loss of property incurred as a result of military activity, foreign nationals visiting the area are subject to the following conditions whose purpose is to minimize the risks involved:

1. The Military Installation Area along the border with Egypt is IDF administered territory and is strictly out of bounds to foreign nationals. Please note that this area has been the site of intense hostilities and is extremely dangerous.

2. Interference or obstruction of Israeli security personnel in the performance of their duties is a criminal offence.

3. The areas adjacent to the Perimeter Fence, Israeli Settlements, Lateral Roads serving Israeli civilians and IDF positions are Closed Military Zones and are strictly out of bounds to all persons.

4. Foreign nationals are strongly advised to stay well clear of military activity.

Declaration

I declare that the details provided above are true and correct and that I have read the above conditions and agree to abide by the fully. I am aware that my failure to do so may lead to my arrest and/ or expulsion from the Gaza Strip and/or from the territory of the State of Israel. I am aware of the risks involved and accept that the Government of the State of Israel and its organs cannot be held responsible for death, injury and/or damage/loss of property which may be incurred as a result of military activity. I also undertake not to disrupt IDF operations in any way and declare that I have no association with the organization known as ISM (International Solidarity Movement) nor any other organization whose aim is to disrupt IDF operations.

Signed:
Date:

[ends]

by ipsiphi qoutes. Sun May 11, 2003 14:09

Developments Concerning the International Solidarity Movement
from New Profile - 08.05.2003 02:24

New Profile, a Movement for the Civil-ization of Israeli society, hopes to continue to circulate the following ISM information in order to bring awareness and attention to what is taking place in Israel and in the Occupied Territories.

Recent Developments Concerning the International Solidarity Movement: Press Release

Recently the International Solidarity Movement has been thefocus of a lot of attention and misinformation; attention that we've been trying to get for a long time engaging in Palestinian nonviolent resistance. However, usually what we hear from journalists is "call us if there is blood."

The International Solidarity Movement is a Palestinian-led movement committed to resisting the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land using nonviolent, direct-action methods and principles. This international coalition was founded to support and strengthen the Palestinian nonviolent resistance by providing the Palestinian people with a resource, international protection and a voice with which to resist, nonviolently, an overwhelming military occupation force. The occupation forces have shown little reservation in using brutal force against Palestinian civilians, and the Israeli government has shown little willingness toward ending its 36-year military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza and its devastating Apartheid-like system of oppression, which daily robs Palestinians of the right to life and liberty.

The initial campaign of the ISM was in August of 2001 at which time over 50 civilians from various countries came to the Occupied Palestinian Territories to engage in a coordinated campaign of nonviolent direct-action against occupation forces and policies. Since that time we've had over 1000 civilians from all over the world come join us. Many of our volunteers come from the United States and the United Kingdom, though we have a good number of volunteers also from Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Sweden, among others. The age range of the volunteers is vast, with the average age being over 30. A number of volunteers have been over the age of 50 and we've even had people in their seventies join us. The religious and socio-economic backgrounds are varied, with approximately 15-20% of our volunteers being Jewish.

Israelis have also joined in this struggle with the ISM, and have faced the same violence from soldiers and settlers.

While the primary purpose of the ISM has been to engage in and support the Palestinian unarmed, civilian-based freedom struggle against occupation, as the aggression of the Israeli military against Palestinian civilians has increased, the ISM has had to take up a role in providing humanitarian assistance and protection by using their status as internationals to escort doctors, ambulances, schoolchildren and other civilians to work, hospital and school.

The ISM believes that in order to end the violence in Israel and Palestine, the Israeli occupation - the root of the violence - must end.

To that end we are mobilizing nonviolently.
Over the course of the past year and a half, the Israeli military and government has used various tactics in efforts to delegitimize our message. Some of you in the media have repeated or suggested the accusations yourselves: that we are "young and naive", that we are "trouble-makers", that we are "pro-Palestinian". As I've noted above, the ISM is diverse in age and make up. We're Palestinian-led, but not pro-Palestinian. We're not pro or against any group. We are pro freedom and against occupation and injustice.

On March 16, 2003, the first international ISM volunteer was killed when she was run over by an Israeli-driven, American-made bulldozer in Rafah while she was trying to protect the house of a Palestinian doctor from demolition. Rachel Corrie was clearly identifiable in a florescent orange jacket with reflector stripes. Four days later, American volunteer Eric was hit 4 times with rubber-coated steel bullets, though he too was clearly identifiable in a bright yellow vest and he was not standing in the line of Israeli fire at Palestinian children throwing stones. Two weeks later, American volunteer, Brian Avery, was shot in the face with a high caliber bullet in Jenin. He was also wearing a florescent jacket with reflector stripes and was clearly unarmed in an empty street, with his hands in the air, when he was shot by an Israeli soldier from an APC. Only 6 days later on April 11, British volunteer Tom Hurndall was shot in the back of the head from an Israeli military guard tower, while he was escorting Palestinian children out of the line of Israeli fire. Tom now lies comatose at Saroka Hospital in Beersheva, without much hope of survival.

Instead of the media asking questions of Israeli authorities as to why these civilians were targeted, why they were hit in the head, or questioning the legitimacy of the Israeli army killing civilians, the media has instead helped blame the victims for their victimization through its reporting.

Instead of taking responsibility for its actions and the lives of these international volunteers, the Israeli military has attempted to skirt the issue of its responsibility for the protection of civilians by spreading untruths and engaging in character slander. The same disregard for human life that has been applied to the Palestinians, is now being applied to international civilians.

The ISM activists are NOT human shields. The term human shield is a specific reference to civilians used by military or armed personnel for protection. The ISM DOES NOT do this. On the contrary, documented reports of the Israeli Army engaging in this very behavior are available from all human rights organizations, including B'Tselem, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and others. We request that the press cease using this terminology as it is false, and instead refer to the ISM activists as accompaniment for Palestinian civilians, or as interposing themselves to prevent war crimes (such as the targeting of civilians demolishing civilian homes, etc. - all crimes of war according to international law).

With regards to getting rid of the ISM:
On April 16, Army Chief of Staff, Lt. General Moshe Yaalon announced that he had given the order to "take the ISM out", claiming that we "injure [the] freedom of action" of his troops. The Israeli military "freedom of action" includes military invasions and sieges of Palestinian civilian areas and flagrant abuses of basic rights and humanitarian law. It includes continuing to fire on innocent Palestinian men, women and children and continuing to hold a civilian population hostage to military terror.

But getting rid of the ISM and other attempts to break the phenomena of international solidarity and nonviolent resistance is not a new policy for the Israeli military and government. The statement by Lt. Gen Moshe Yaalon was made before the tragic attack in Tel Aviv and we've noticed
this policy in effect since at least April of 2002. From April 2002 until August of 2002 the Israeli government has deported approximately 50 ISM volunteers. Since April of 2002, the Israeli Ministry of Interior has denied hundreds of human rights or aid workers and others suspected of being "peace activists" or "Palestinian sympathizers" entry into the country. Therefore, the suggestion that the two Britons accused of carrying out an attack in Tel Aviv posed as "peace activists" or members of the ISM to get into the country, is highly suspicious. For doing so would have ensured that they would've been turned away by Israeli
officials, not let in.

The ISM views it reprehensible that Israeli officials are exaggerating the connection of these two attackers to ISM to serve its own interests.
There is in fact NO connection to be made. The two Britons, Omar Khan Sharif and Asif Hanif never made contact with the ISM, never registered to join us and never attended our mandatory training and orientation. To talk about the incident in which the ISM team and the two crossed paths in Gaza, is Raphael Cohen from our Rafah team.

Raphael Cohen
Shortly before noon on Friday, the 25th of April, about 15 people came to the ISM apartment in Rafah, the Gaza Strip. They were in three groups: 4 British citizens from London who were looking to prepare a summer camp in Gaza in conjunction with local Palestinians from Rafah;
three Italians and two Britons. The last two have been accused of perpetrating the attack in Tel Aviv early last Wednesday morning.
Our group of 5 offered all of them tea. I asked them general questions like who they were? were they with any group? and what they were doing in Rafah? The two accused Britons answered that they weren't with any particular organization but that they came with "alternative tourism".

I've seen reports that suggest the two came with the Alternative Tourism Group. I only heard them say "alternative tourism". We stayed in the
apartment for approximately 15 minutes, before we went down to the place where Rachel Corrie was killed by an Israeli Occupation Force bulldozer on March 16. Owing to the presence and approach of an Israeli army tank, we were only able to spend a few minutes at the site where Rachel was
killed. We placed a flower on the place in the dirt where Rachel was run over.

Our ISM group then went to the house of Dr. Samir Nasrallah, the house that Rachel died defending, while everybody else, including the group that had visited us, went their own way.

I've been in Rafah for the past 4 weeks. In that time one British journalist, cameraman James Miller, has been killed by the Israelis and one British ISM volunteer Tom Hurndall is brain dead after being shot in the head by an Israeli sniper. I can recall at least six Palestinians who have been killed. I have personally visited eight people in hospital shot by the IOF, many tens more I could not visit. There have been two large Israeli incursions involving 60 and 20 military vehicles respectively. I felt the explosions which blew up civilian houses. The night James Miller was killed, an ISM colleague and I were shot at from a tank , likely the very same one used to kill James, at 30m distance.

The shots were extremely close and forced us both to throw ourselves to the ground and crawl away through the dirt. There did not seem to be any justification for the Israeli tank fire. The Israeli military was in a civilian area full of people and homes, and there was no Palestinian resistance.

In sum I have experienced unjustifiable Israeli army terrorization for the last month. Perhaps you can see it has taken a toll.

Huwaida Arraf
While we absolutely do not support in any way the attack by the two Britons in Tel Aviv, or any other targeting and killing of civilians -
Palestinian or Israeli - we believe that significant fault for the Tel Aviv attack lies the Israeli security apparatus - which clearly failed its own citizens. The ISM bears no responsibility in anyway, as there was absolutely no connection between these two men and the ISM.
Furthermore we believe that Israeli security can be greatly enhanced by Israel declaring an immediate end to the occupation, withdrawing its
forces from the Occupied Territories, and complying with UN resolutions and international law.

The ISM has no plans to leave the Palestinian areas nor to reduce our actions or our efforts. The declaration by Israeli officials that we are to be detained and taken out is not only a concern to us, but should be a concern for the international community and humanity. Our volunteers have been instrumental in documenting and sometimes preventing grave human rights abuses against Palestinian civilians. This effort by the Israeli government is seen as nothing short of a further attempt to shield from the international community the brutality of the daily
Israeli military actions against the Palestinian people. The international volunteers are guests of the Palestinian people and seeing as they are all from countries with diplomatic relations with Israel, unwarranted detentions, arrests and deportations will be taken up at the diplomatic level. We will consider any ISM volunteer detained or arrested while in the West Bank or Gaza, as "disappeared" as human rights activists and opposition figures were considered in Chile, Argentina and many other places suffering under military rule.

Our actions and efforts are supported and often joined by many Israelis.

What is to happen to them? Some of them are here with us today:
A copy of this press statement has been sent to our diplomatic representatives in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and we will follow up with our embassies to ensure our safety and protection according to international law.

Thank you. We will open up for questions.

Flo
ISM Media Coordinator
Beit Sahour, Occupied Palestine
[email protected]
972 -2-277-4602
+972-67-361-708
+972-67-862-439

Homepage: http://http://www.newprofile.org/english

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latest news from the ISM
Von: mango

We now can tell you that the ISM (International Solidarity Movement) and Raprochement offices in Beit Sahour were raided today.

Three women were taken into custody. Two internationals were arrested, both apparently American (one is Flo, the communications
coordinator). A Palestinian was questioned, and then released; The 2:00 and 3:00 PM radio news reported that the internationals were
illegally here, but the ISM office confutes that. In addition to the arrests, 5 computers and 3 lap tops were confiscated.

This is a step further in the government‚s and military‚s war on human rights groups, particularly those who aim to help the nonviolent
struggle of Palestinians against the occupation. It follows the killing of Rachel Corrie, and the shooting and seriously wounding of Tom
Hurndall - still in coma - and Brian Avery, shot in the face, and invalidated for life.
International human shielders are apparently losing their special status and treated no better than Palestinians.

At present, legal aid is being sought to try to release the women and to recoup the computers.

----------------------------------------------------------

ISRAELI MILITARY INTENSIFIES ASSAULT
ON INTERNATIONAL PEACE WORKERS

SINGLING OUT INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT

As of Thursday, May 8, 2003, humanitarian organizations
working within the Gaza Strip, Occupied Palestine began
receiving a new declaration created by the Israeli
military. This document (included below) demands
signature of all international groups working within the
Gaza Strip and any internationals attempting to enter the
Gaza Strip. In addition to stipulations of not holding the
Israeli Government responsible for the death of
internationals, the declaration specifically states that the
individual signing can have no connection to the
International Solidarity Movement (ISM).
[
http://www.palsolidarity.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/palsolidarity
]

The ISM, a Palestinian led non-violent group which
attempts to provide protection to the Palestinian people
and to enable them to non-violently resist the Israeli
military occupation of Palestine, has recently come
under attack from the Israeli Government and Army.
This attack, including the targeting of ISM volunteers that
left one dead, one comatose and one severely injured,
and now this new declaration, are all aimed at
discrediting and inhibiting the peace work of the ISM.

by ipsiphi clarifies Sun May 11, 2003 14:11

just after your PC doesn't recognise the arabic was May 7th.

by ipsiphi Sun May 11, 2003 14:31

More Arrest!
from Mary La Rosa - 10.05.2003 21:58

Today three more ISM workers were arrested including one with epilepsy and in the middle of an attack. Charlotte, Osam and Radika were arrested and are being held at Ariel Police Station.
Please Phone: PHONE 03 906 5444 or 03 906 530

The International Solidarity Movement and Rapprochement offices in Beit Sahour were raided yesterday. Three women were taken into custody.
Two internationals were arrested, both apparently American. One of the arrested was the communications co-ordinator. A Palestinian is being held for questioning. Radio news reported that the internationals were illegally here, but the ISM office confutes that. In addition to the arrests, 5 computers and 3 lap tops were confiscated.

Today three more ISM workers were arrested including one with epilepsy and in the middle of an attack. Charlotte, Osam and Radika were arrested and are being held at Ariel Police Station.

Please Phone: PHONE 03 906 5444 or 03 906 530

This is the beginning of the War on Human Rights Groups. It is being perpetuated by the Israeli Defense Forces and aimed, in particular, at those who wish to aid the cause of human rights in the Occupied Territories and in Gaza. Amnesty International delegates have just released that they were denied access to the Gaza today because they refused to sign the "waivers".

At present, legal aid is being sought to try to release the women and to recoup the computers. Action beyond that is also needed. If the attack on the ISM and the document below that foreigners will from now on be forced to sign are allowed to succeed, then ALL other international human rights and anti occupation groups will soon follow. After them, all Israeli groups similar to New Profile will, no doubt, be directly targeted.

New Profile, a Movement for The Civil-ization of Israeli Society, works diligently against the injustice being perpetuated by the Military State of Israel. Besides their on-going and continuous support of the growing number of Refusers (men and women who refuse to participate, via their military service, in the oppression of the
Palestinian people) New Profile directly intervenes with the arrest and detainment of Palestinians and Internationals who are seized by the Israeli government.

Obviously, it would be of benefit to the IDF if all such an organization could not function..in its liaison capacity with the Occupied Territories, but also with regards to the upcoming trials of the conscientious objectors.

The International Solidarity Movement, a Palestinian led non-violent group which attempts to provide protection to the Palestinian people and to enable them to non-violently resist the Israeli military occupation of Palestine, has recently come under direct attack from the Israeli Government and Army.

This attack, including the targeting of ISM volunteers that left one dead, one comatose and one severely injured, and now this new declaration, are all aimed at discrediting and inhibiting the peace work of the ISM. New Profile, and other Israeli groups of similar heart and mind, in turn, tries to protect and support the efforts of the ISM.
In the US: Contact your congressperson, the State
Department and the White House using this link.
http://www.cflweb.org/congress_merge_.htm or
http://www.congress.gov Also call the State Department and demand action. STATE DEPARTMENT 1-202-647-5150

For UK, Please call THE FOREIGN OFFICE 020 7008 1500,Also Contact your MP and Prime Minister

For Israel Contact Israeli Minister of Interior, Tel:
+972-2-629-4701; Fax: +972-2-629-4750
Israeli Foreign Minister, Silvan Shalom Fax:
+972-2-5303704 e-mail: [email protected] Defense Minister, Shaul Mofaz Fax: +972-3-6916940, 6976990
e-mail: [email protected]

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon fax: (+972-2) 566-4838 or 651-3955 or 651-2631

For Canada: Minister of Foreign Affairs Bill Graham, House of Commons, Ottawa ON K1A 0A6; Fax 613-996-3443 e-mail:
[email protected]

Everyone, Contact the Israeli embassy in your country

For more info see: www.palsolidarity.org
http://www.news.amnesty.org

Mary La Rosa

by Avi Sun May 11, 2003 18:27

The membership of the so called ISM are in reality supporters of the Arafat terrorist regime, it's very simple really.

by Phuq Hedd Mon May 12, 2003 05:08

Israel's rulers abhor the likes of Rachel Corrie because they are driven by purely humanitarian concerns. Rachel couldn't, by any stretch of the imagination, be portrayed as a terrorist sympathizer, nor could her faith be held accountable for her solidarity with Palestinians. As her emails to her parents - made available to the press after her murder - testify, she was simply an average American responding to a profound injustice. Sharon and his gang have no time for such Americans; they'd rather see them dead. George W. Bush and many of his closest aides appear to empathize with that point of view.

by kokomero Mon May 12, 2003 09:58

By having peace activists and observers effectively fill out their death warrants Israel has shown itself to be a facist 3rd world dictatorship, with no interest in peace where death-squads reign.

by iosaf Mon May 12, 2003 14:58

Anti Semitic
by Avi Sun, May 11 2003, 5:27pm

The membership of the so called ISM are in reality supporters of the Arafat terrorist regime, it's very simple really.

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?
Avi is in reality a suporter of the Sharon terrorist regime, it's very simple, there is a war between a nuclear power, which does not recognise international law nor will as expressed by the UN, nor EU foreign policy as articulated by the EU council of Foreign ministers.

very simple.

One terrorist state waging war on an impovrished people who unsurprisingly find themselves living in the conditions that beget terrorism.

and both people's be they arab or jew are semites.
thus the Anti-Semitism tag has worn thin.

Avi, there are rich and poor semites in this war, do not be surprised if some in Ireland prefer to take side with the poorer of the two combatant groups. 20,000 Irish men mostly served in the Irish state's army, a state never thought to be a terrorist state in the Lebanon attempting to assist International Peace keeping mandate of the UN. They served for 23 years not without casualty nor incident of returning fire. Those soldiers and ex-soldiers did not go away, and their version of Israeli foreign policy is the prevalent in Irish society.

....& you are a fake and a racist.

by kokomero Mon May 12, 2003 15:57

Sorry to disagree with you iosaf but 47 Irish troops were killed and several times that number wounded by the Israelis and their SLA proxies when serving as part of the UNIFIL peace-keeping mission in South Lebanon, before and after Sharons illegal invasion in 1982 which devastated the country.

by kokomero Mon May 12, 2003 18:04

sorry I missed the not.

by kanata Mon May 12, 2003 19:33

ISM Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize - Letter of Nomination

May 2, 2003

The Norwegian Nobel Committee
Drammensveien 19
0255 Oslo
Norway

Dear Committee Members,

As a member of the House of Commons of Canada, and as the International Human Rights advocate for the New Democratic Party of Canada, it is my pleasure to nominate the
International Solidarity Movement (ISM) for the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize.

The contribution of the ISM to advancing the cause of peace in the Middle East, to defending human rights, and to upholding international law is without parallel. This organization's
selfless efforts to promote peace and protect the lives of innocent civilians in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict clearly merit international recognition.

Although this nomination is for the ISM as a whole, three young individuals merit particular recognition for the courage and resolve they displayed in their acts of non-violent civil
disobedience in defence of peace and human rights in the Palestinian Occupied Territories.

These individuals are Brian Avery and Tom Hurndall, who miraculously survived sniper shots to the head by Israeli forces while they were defending Palestinian civilians from Israeli troops, and Rachel Corrie, who was crushed to death by an Israeli Defence Force bulldozer while attempting to prevent the demolition of the home of an
innocent Palestinian family.

A Nobel Peace Prize for the ISM would be a fitting testament to the fortitude and principle exemplified by the members of this organization and these three individuals in particular.

Thank you for accepting this nomination.

Sincerely yours,

Svend J Robinson, MP

_________________________________________________

by iosaf TEFL resource centre Tue May 13, 2003 12:57

how I used the "not" in the comment above.
now the "not" is fairly flexible, but to be sure of avoiding misunderstanding, you should type "not" in Capital letters.