The January 1st death of Palestinian protester Jawaher Abu Rahmah from Israeli tear gas, and efforts to imprison people like us illustrate the Israeli government's intensifying crackdown on the unarmed Palestinian protest movement. Though threatened, this movement of Palestinian men, women and children, along with Israeli and international supporters, has grown too much to be easily stopped.
Over the last eight years a Palestinian-led movement using a strategy of nonviolence has coalesced around marches by unarmed civilians in a number of West Bank villages to reclaim land Israel is seizing for its wall and settlements. As one example, six years ago the village of Bil'in began weekly protests opposing Israel's seizure of 60 percent of the village's land. Even Israel's own Supreme Court ruled in 2007 that the wall must be rerouted to return some of Bil'in's land. Yet the decision remains unimplemented.
These protest marches by unarmed civilians are generally met by heavily armed Israeli soldiers with arrests and violence -- tear gas, rubber-coated steel bullets, and live ammunition. The Israeli army has killed 21 unarmed Palestinians in these protests since 2004, the majority with live ammunition -- not to mention hundreds of other innocents in Gaza and the West Bank.
Eyewitnesses and medical records show that Jawaher Abu Rahmah was overcome with tear gas at a protest in Bil'in, leading to her death. Jawaher's brother Bassem was killed in April 2009 when he was shot directly in the chest with a tear gas canister during a peaceful protest. In 1988 during the first Palestinian intifada, Amnesty International documented 40 tear gas related deaths over seven months. However, judging from the mainstream media and Israeli military justice system's response, one would think that the rocks sometimes thrown on the margins of these protests are the deadly weapons and the soldiers the victims of the people whose land they occupy.
When Jonathan and his friends first came to Bil'in, we Palestinians were surprised to meet Israelis who believed in our rights. But after we saw these Israelis injured and arrested, the people of Bil'in opened homes and hearts to them. We became partners in a joint struggle against Israel's occupation.
Though Palestinians are primarily targeted, Israel's crackdown reaches even Jewish Israelis who enjoy significantly more rights. I, Jonathan, started three months in prison on January 11th of this year for riding my bicycle along with many others in a 2008 protest in Tel Aviv against Israel's siege of Gaza.
I, Mohammed, barely avoided a prison sentence. I was acquitted this month following my arrest a year ago, my release on bail and subsequent hearings. The case was flimsy. Upon arrest I was charged with throwing stones, but I proved that I was overseas the day I was accused of doing so.
However, many other Palestinians, including our friend Abdallah Abu Rahmah, a teacher from Bil'in, have been imprisoned. Abdallah was sentenced to one year in prison for "incitement" and organizing "illegal protests," charges denounced by Jimmy Carter, European governments, and human rights organizations. On January 11th, after Abdallah served 13 months, an Israeli military judge extended his sentence by three more months.
Hundreds of West Bank protesters have been jailed in recent years. Also this month, Israel expelled prominent activist Adnan Gheith from his Silwan home in East Jerusalem to the West Bank. An Israeli military judge ordered this without charges, and based solely on secret evidence that Adnan and his lawyer were not allowed to see. This fundamentally undemocratic persecution is the sort most commonly associated with police states.
Still, our movement is growing and in many ways embodies the principles of equal rights and freedom that have historically galvanized action worldwide. Palestinians from all parties and from throughout the West Bank now come to participate in our protests. And Israelis and people from around the world are joining us.
Yet if Israel is allowed to continue arrests and violence against unarmed protesters without strong criticisms and sanctions from the international community, some Palestinians may conclude that nonviolence is an ineffective path to freedom.
European governments have condemned the arrests of protest organizers. However, the US government, Israel's closest ally, remains terribly reticent, cautiously acknowledging the issue only after repeated questions. President Obama called on Palestinians to employ only nonviolence in his 2009 Cairo speech, but we and our colleagues have since faced death, maiming and prison without a public word of concern from him.
Nonetheless, we are building a movement for Palestinian rights that is part of the global movement for justice and peace for people of all races and religions. To succeed, we need the support of civil society and governments worldwide.
Mohammed Khatib from the West Bank village of Bil'in, is the Coordinator of the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee, a Palestinian grassroots initiative composed of various Palestinian popular committees in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Jonathan Pollak, Media Coordinator for the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee, is an Israeli activist who has been involved in Palestinian popular resistance since 2002. He is currently serving a three month prison sentence.
Sami Awad: What One Palestinian Learned From Gandhi
Sami Awad: Palestinian Nonviolence: Muslims, Not Christians, Are the Leaders
- “C. Israel is under an obligation to make reparation for all damage caused by the construction of the wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in and around East Jerusalemâ€;
- “D. All States are under an obligation not to recognize the illegal situation resulting from the construction of the wall and not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by such construction; all States parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 12 August 1949 have in addition the obligation, while respecting the United Nations Charter and international law, to ensure compliance by Israel with international humanitarian law as embodied in that Conventionâ€;
- “E.The United Nations, and especially the General Assembly and the Security Council, should consider what further action is required to bring to an end the illegal situation resulting from the construction of the wall and the associated régime, taking due account of the present Advisory Opinion.â€
From "The International Court of Law"- The court of the UN
PART ONE
The Court finds that the construction by Israel of a wall in the Occupied Palestinian
Territory and its associated régime are contrary to international law; it states
the legal consequences arising from that illegality
THE HAGUE, 9 July 2004. The International Court of Justice (ICJ), principal judicial organ of the United Nations, has today rendered its Advisory Opinion in the case concerning the Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (request for advisory opinion).
In its Opinion, the Court finds unanimously that it has jurisdiction to give the advisory opinion requested by the United Nations General Assembly and decides by fourteen votes to one to comply with that request.
The Court responds as follows:
- “A. The construction of the wall being built by Israel, the occupying Power, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in and around East Jerusalem, and its associated régime, are contrary to international lawâ€;
- “B. Israel is under an obligation to terminate its breaches of international law; it is under an obligation to cease forthwith the works of construction of the wall being built in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in and around East Jerusalem, to dismantle forthwith the structure therein situated, and to repeal or render ineffective forthwith all legislative and regulatory acts relating thereto, in accordance with paragraph 151 of
While in the West Bank I volunteered my services with two local human rights organizations: the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) is a Palestinian-led entity, dedicated to non-violent methods of support for people suffering under the Occupation; the Palestine Solidarity Project (PSP), based in the village of Beit Ummar, south of Bethlehem, concentrates on supporting villages in the area which are under threat from nearby Jewish settlement/colonies and the Israeli Occupation Force – the so-called Israel Defence Force."
http://www.veteranstoday.com/2011/01/23/report-a-2010-visit-to-the-occupied-west-bank-as-a-human-rights-observer/
How they are seen by the average Palestinian is likely to have a greater effect (over the short/mid term) on the dynamics of the situation (I hereby propose that people on both sides start using the fairly neutral term 'the Debacle' for the same reason that both sides started referring to the Irish situation as 'the Troubles') than this latest 'nonviolent movement' will over the same period.
If Abbas and Fatah lose credibility as 'the Palestinian Leadership' despite US and Israeli attempts to continue to prop them up in that role, the 'two state solution' will go down with them, at least for a fair while.
The nonviolent Palestinian movement must continue to grow and must continue to raise its voice against the injustices carried out by Israel. The world must know the truth of the occupation and the crimes against the Palestinian people. I hope the authors keep doing what they're doing, for their cause is the righteous one in this conflict.
Getting little fresh air and getting some of the aggression out is good for the digestion.
And yet, Israel's detractors claim that Israel isn't a democracy...
hmmm
Indeed, other than Syria, it appears that the places in the middle east where Women cannot vote all have one thing in common, US supported dictators.
(Oh, and a large number of people who are subjected to Israeli laws, and have most of the important parts of their daily lives governed by the decisions of the Israeli government are denied the ability to vote in Israeli elections. Your point seems to get lost as soon as the facts are introduced)
"Civilian uprising and non-violent activism is not like the Gandhi movie. It’s not carrying posters and saying we don’t like your wall, go away. We stand in front of Caterpillar’s knowing we will be shot and arrested. I was shot five times in the last two years by rubber bullets, which are 1/2-inch steel bullets covered with plastic. I have been shot in the head and the more experience I have the scarier it is. One learns to recognize the ritual of it all: when the IOF will begin using the Billy clubs, when the tear gas will come, when the bullets will come...
"We believe that, as with Apartheid South Africa, Americans have a vital role to play in ending Israeli occupation - by speaking out, coming to Palestine as witnesses, or standing with Palestinians in nonviolent resistance.
"We are confident that Israeli occupation will one day be defeated, as were other US government supported repressive regimes - Apartheid South Africa, Pinochet`s Chile and racial segregation in the United States. There is no price too great to pay for freedom, and nothing will deter us from achieving this goal."
http://wearewideawake.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1933&Itemid=240
eileen fleming,
Citizen of Conscience for House of Representatives
But a better question is, what were these so called Palestinian ghandis waiting for before they were jailed? They had their entire life to make peace, create peaceful movements that work toward peace. Suddenly these canaries are in jail and they want peace?
That is a wrong conclusion and the movement IS growing as you say because it has adopted non-violent means. It is rapidly growing among the world community and even among more and more Israelis everyday. The more non-violent the movement, the more rapid the growth by the world and by Israelis. This is happening now.
The vociferous comments below remind of of the energy and tone of hate against supporters of the civil rights movements in the USA in the 60's. The language was the same.
In this case while still under probation the judge ordered community services Pollack refused and asked for jail time instead.
I guess he knew sending him to jail will get alot more headlines than community services or probation and he was right it seems by the amount of headlines and articles he got.
After these conscientious objectors serve their jail sentence, they are once again drafted. When they refuse a second time, they face the same sentence, and there is literally no end to the number of times these forward thinking youth will return to jail as an act of conscience and courageous dissent from a country that has not kept its very own words:
"On the day of the termination of the British mandate and on the strength of the United Nations General Assembly declare The State of Israel will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel: it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion it will guarantee freedom of religion [and] conscience and will be faithful to the Charter of the United Nations."-The Declaration of the Establishment of Israel, May 14, 1948...
http://www.wearewideawake.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1308&Itemid=221
Why the rocks and slingshots? Because singing songs and carrying signs get no real publicity. somebody needs to get hurt to generate that.
I think that there is a case to be made in concerning the barriers. PA has made a great deal of progress, yet I can understand why they went up in the first place. My niece, an American, was one block away from one of the human bombs. Several US citizens from my community were killed by one. Just a man, a prominent trauma doctor, having coffee with his daughter one morning.
When such things happen takes time for people to feel secure again. The horrific toll of Arafat's grand Intifada still reverberates and still matters. It killed the Israeli peace movement.
So things can move on and should. I know that some Israel haters here are not so interested in peace. You certainly turn off some of us on the Israel side who want to see a square deal for Palestinians.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eMkth8FWno
http://israelagainstterror.blogspot.com/2011/01/what-palestinians-are-saying-online.html
The examination of the Palestinian Internet social media environment found the following trends:
Many Palestinians do not support the efforts to achieve peace.
Palestinian Salafism is on the rise.
Fatah, which currently represents Palestinians in the U.S.-led peace talks, is in disarray.
The Islamist Hamas shows little desire for a negotiated peace with Israel.
The three-year conflict between Hamas and Fatah is not likely to end soon.
Palestinian reform factions are weak.