December 29, 2009
Abdallah Abu Rahmah, a leader of the Bilin Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements, was arrested at his home during a military operation in Ramallah by the Israeli Army on December 12.
FFIPP interns and members of faculty delegations know Abdallah Abu Rahmah well. For the past two years, he has received our students and faculty at his home in Bilin and has taken them to see the Separation Wall on the village's land.
Abdallah with FFIPP students and faculty in Bili'n
Abdallah is currently in military prison and is being charged with illegal weapons possession, in response to his creative exhibition of discharged tear gas canisters, bullets and sound grenades used by the Israeli military in Bil’in against non-violenet protestors. As many of our students and faculty have witnessed, the exhibition was created for educational purposes and does not have live ammunitions but only the remains of weapon used by the Israeli Army.
In the last 20 years Israel confiscated more than 50% of Bil’in land for Israeli settlements and the construction of the separation wall. Supported by Israeli and international activists, Bil’in residents have peacefully demonstrate every Friday in front of the Separation Wall on their land for the past five years.
Under international law the confiscation of land in Bilin for the construction of the settlements on the village's land is illegal. The ongoing construction of the Wall is also condemned by the UN and the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In 2007 the Israeli High Court of Justice ordered the government to reroute a section of its separation barrier that is on the village's land.
Abdallah's arrest appears to be part of an ongoing campaign conducted by the Israeli military to undermine the efforts of residents of Bil'in and leaders of the Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements, in an attempt to discourage them from continuing their non-violent struggle and spreading their non-violent, creative and inclusive struggle to other villages. Since June 2009, 31 residents of Bil'in have been detained by the Israeli military. Recently, other leaders of the grassroots and non-violent Palestinian movement for the removal of the Wall and for freedom have been arrested, such as Jamal Juma and Mohamed Othman.
By imprisoning leaders of the non-violent struggle against the confiscation of Palestinian land, what is the message that the Israeli military intends to convey? If the leaders of this struggle, who work openly and jointly with Israeli and international peace activists, are taken away by the Israeli military, what options are left open to a new generation of Palestinians who desire to fight for their freedom and their dignity?
South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who met with Abdallah Abu Rahma last summer during a visit to Israel, under the auspices of The Elders, a group of global leaders formed by former South African president Nelson Mandela, condemned Abu Rahma's arrest and indictment.
Archbishop Tutu said that he and his fellow delegation members - who included former American president Jimmy Carter, former Irish president Mary Robinson and former Norwegian prime minister Gro Brundtland - were "impressed by [Abdallah Abu Rahma] commitment to peaceful political action, and their success in challenging the wall that unjustly separates the people of Bil'in from their land and their olive trees." He called Abu Rahma's arrest and indictment "part of an escalation by the Israeli military to try to break the spirit of the people of Bil'in."
Abdallah Abu Rahma and members of the Elders delegation Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former American president Jimmy Carter, former Irish president Mary Robinson, Ela Bhatt and former Norwegian prime minister Gro Brundtland in Bilin
All of us who met with Abdallah Abu Rahmah in Bilin share Desmond Tutu's evaluation and condemnation.
We urge students and faculty to
1) Send a message of support and solidarity to the Bilin Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements, http://www.bilin-village.org/
2) Request their release from Israel, http://www.embassiesabroad.com/embassies-of/Israel,
3) Ask President Obama to put pressure on Israel to release the leaders of the non-vilolent struggle Against the Wall and Settlements, http://www.whitehouse.gov/CONTACT/
FFIPP-France letter to the French Parliament on Bili'n
Gaza Freedom March
From Women in Black
By Rochelle
Cairo
December 29, 2009
Dear Friends,
After 2 grueling days of travel I arrived in Cairo on Dec. 25 which seems like a few years ago. Despite tremendous international pressure on the Egyptian embassies and consulates world wide we have been refused entry to Gaza. The bus company that contracted with the Gaza Freedom March has been told by the government to cancel our trip. A small group of about 30 people from several countries decided to go to Al Arish, the northern Egyptian city nearest the Rafa border by public transportation to attempt to enter. They were met by the military police who placed them under house arrest there. They are being "detained" in their hotel and seem to be fine, not harmed, etc. It is likely that they will be sent back to leave the country.
Our 1361 delegates were supposed to meet for a big briefing at a large cathedral but the Egyptian government pulled the permit. Here you can be arrested for meeting with more than 6 people without a permit. So far we have held meetings in several hotels crammed packed with people. You can imagine how difficult it is to communicate under these circumstances.
A plan to rent dozens of faluccas, boats that sail on the Nile for a couple of hours was also stopped by the government. Hundreds and hundreds of us arrived planning to divide into small groups on the boats to allow us to communicate more easily and to put 1400 candles into the Nile to commemorate those who were killed last year in the massacre in Gaza, half of whom were children. Instead we held a huge demonstration with candles and banners and chants. We were surrounded by police but they were restrained and we dispersed with no trouble.
We then gathered a bit later for a large outdoor meeting infront of a government building to hear about next steps. I took on the responsibility of leading a group of people who like myself were unaffiliated, ie, not part of any contingents like faith based or artists or a particular country. We have named ourselves the Lost and Found but more formally just plain Free Palestine contingent. It is made up of about 18 people ranging in age from 22 to 77. We are from the US, Belgium, Bulgaria, Libya, Egypt, Algeria and Jordan. As a group leader I will go to a meeting to represent the group and then communicate with them via email and phone. It will make it a lot easier to meet and plan. There are several Plan B's afoot including creating an encampment infront of the UN here.
The French delegates seem like their government may be having more luck intervening with the Egyptians and they may be able to take busses to Al Arish tomorrow. Whether that happens, whether they will actually then get to Rafa, whether they will then get to Gaza - en shallah - it is in God's hands. I have gotten to know several of the French folks and if they go they have invited me and a few others to join because they have some extra seats. To be seen.
It is incredibly inspiring to be among hundreds and hundreds of activists from around the world who raise their voices as part of civil society to end the siege of Gaza and the occupation of Palestinians. Cairo has the dubious distinction of being the most polluted city in the world, the air is blue, it is a filthy, crowded, noisy city that never sleeps and pulses with a tremendous life force. The people are friendly and non-Arabs are still somewhat of an oddity.
The fact that it is almost midnight seems to have no relevance to the Egyptians who are in the streets all day and night. Shops never seem to close. I however, am not Egyptian and so I will eat my falafel and go to bed.
Here, at this moment, in this in a shabby hotel filled with peace loving people and never ending clouds of cigarette smoke I really do feel that the world is a better place waiting to happen.
I will keep you posted but may be out of internet access.
Thank you all for your support and good hearts.
To a future of what could be,
Rochelle
