Israeli Embassy Action - 13th May - Pictures
Stop the War | 13.05.2002 19:22
Today (13th May 2002) around 15 activists tried to scale the fences of the Israeli embassy in London to perform a banner drop.
Israeli Embassy Action - 13th May - Pictures
The action was in support of the Palestinian right to resist the occupation by Israel, and called for an immediate end to the occupation and immediate compliance and implementation of all UN resolutions including the right to return of Palestinian refugees and a Palestinian capital in Jerusalem.
The action also called for immediate intervention to protect the Palestinian people and ensure Israel’s compliance with international law - importantly it was also in solidarity with those internationals on hunger strike in jail after their arrest after leaving the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem (see below for more details).
At around 1.45 approx 15 activists rushed through the security checkpoint outside of the Israeli embassy and began scaling the iron fences to the embassy garden itself - preparing to perform a banner drop. At the same time a large banner reading "Free Palestine" was stretched out across the entrance gates. Some activists got to the top of the fence but were beaten off by security on the inside of the garden (one heftily swinging a golf umbrella), while police with batons drawn pulled people off from the other side (nb in one of the pictures you can see the umbrella shortly before the highest activist falls from the top of the fence in the next picture).
The group remained calm, having previously emphasised that they would act peacefully and not physically resist any actions by police. Police were instructed to tell people to stop writing notes and not to take any pictures. It was all over very quickly as everyone walked out of the security compound and set up the other banners for passers by to see.
Following this people walked down the street with banners unfurled handing out leaflets (see below) before making a short protest at Marks and Spencers dept store in connection with the sale of Israeli goods.
-----------------------
Text of Action Leaflet:
FREE PALESTINE, ISRAEL OUT
The people protesting at the Israeli Embassy today are acting in solidarity with the people of Palestine who continue to resist the Israeli 'incursions' into their territory and the day-to-day human rights abuses perpetrated by the Israeli military against the Palestinian people, thousands of whom have been murdered, injured and made homeless by an apartheid Israeli State.
As the Israeli army continues to promote the myth of withdrawal from the Palestinian territories, the situation on the ground remains highly critical for the Palestinian civilian population. The Israeli army has merely redeployed to surround the areas they previously invaded and the military closure and siege is still in force disrupting and directly threatening the lives of thousands of Palestinians every day.
- We support the Palestinian right to resist the occupation.
- We call for an immediate end to the occupation and immediate compliance and implementation of all UN resolutions including the right to return of Palestinian refugees and a Palestinian capital in Jerusalem.
- We call for immediate intervention to protect the Palestinian people and ensure Israel’s compliance with international law.
DEPORTING JUSTICE FROM ISRAEL
On Thursday 2 May, 23 internationals entered Manger Square in Bethlehem and delivered food to the starving people in the Church of the Nativity. 10 went inside, to act as human shields against the bullets fired daily into the church by the Military. As others tried top leave the square, they were detained without charge and due process. In the last week, many of those internationals were deported from Israel and banned from returning within 10 years. The
The remainder are still in jail, and some have been on hunger strike for many days now and several are also refusing water. Both yesterday and today the 4 Americans being detained called their Embassy pleading for assistance to put an end to this intolerable situation. The four hunger-strikers are in deteriorating health and have expressed their outrage at the lack of attention and support from the American Embassy.
Since Trevor Baumgarten collapsed yesterday afternoon from having no food for 10 days and no water for four, no one from the American Embassy has yet visited them.
The four men are protesting their deportation and the Ministry of the Interior's reneging on an agreement reached last week, that they wouldn't be deported. One woman, Huwaida Arraf, who was detained following the same action, has already returned to the US on these terms. Out of the group of 10 who were in the Church, 1 British and 1 Dane have already been deported.
Israel receives a staggering amount of financial aid from the American government to fund its war against the Palestinian people and also receives tacit support of the international community who seem content not to call to account the abusive and racist acts of the Israeli War Machine.
For more information see:
http://www.jerusalem.indymedia.org http://www.palsolidarity.org
Stop the War
Comments
Hide the following 43 comments
picture one
13.05.2002 19:30
picture one
-
Pictures two
13.05.2002 19:33
Pictures two
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Who did this vicious act of anti-semitism?
14.05.2002 22:25
Next
resistence? justice?human rights?
15.05.2002 19:57
do you call the murders of hundreds of innocent civilians including babies and children acts of legitimate resistance?
do you think that such acts of violence will bring the palestinian people closer to peace?
do you feel that acts of aggression such as those you comitted on tuesday will help to build trust or bring peace to a region wich suffers from enough violence(on both sides) without your contributions?
did any of you take the time to study one of the most complicated, multy faced conflicts of modern times?
trying to divide the two sides into good and bad, wrong and right is too simplistic and does not come from deep thinking or understanding of the situation.
israel has made a huge effort to solve it's problems with the palestinians in recent years. 4 prime ministers lost their jobs during the peace process. they all took huge risks along the road to peace. Mr. Yitzhack Rabin was murdered becuase of his peace agenda and his vision of a palestinian state and the"new middle east".
Ehud Barak lost his seat to Prime minister Sharon only after his peace plans(wich went further towards the palestinians than any of his predecessors)were rejected by Arafat.Barak offered Arafat an independent palestinian state in more than 95% of the west bank and Gaza with parts of a divided Jerusalem as it's capital.the deal also included access to the holy sites monitored by an international peace keeping force and also a partial right of return for the palestinians into Israel proper as a humaniterian act of families reunions. Arafats answer to this offer was the current intifada in wich he is using guns given to him as an act of trust building by the israeli Government.(can you imagine such a situation in Northern Ireland?)
The first suicide bombers started acting back in 96(if not before) inside Israel proper in the midst of the peace process lead at the time by Shimon Peres who is known as a dove and a leftist (far left in todays Israel political map).
This conflict started over a hundred years ago.
Both of the sides are not saints and there isn't just wrong and just right(just like in our own little lives) even if the palestinians appear to be the weaker side(don't forget that Israel is surrounded by over two million arabs).The weak can sometimes be more dangerous, cruel and harmful.
I hope i have given you some food for thought and that in the future you will do better than what could only be described as an ugly criminal act, in your attempts to make the world a better place even if you wish to support the unarmed Palestinians who can surely benefit from such support just as much as the Israeli civilians could.
i also hope that you will print my letter in full.
thanks
J.S.
J. Smith
Of course we condemn Suicide Bombers!!!!!
15.05.2002 21:20
And by the way we activists also condemn the atrocities committed during World War II by the allies such as the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the carpet bombing of Dresden, Tokoyo, Berlin, Cologne and Hamburg which killed, maimed and injured millions of innocent men women and children! And the atoricites commited during the Gulf War of 1991 which led to the deaths of 200,000 Iraqi civilians and the sanctions on Iraq which have killed 1.5 million Iraqis since 1990! We condemn all terrorism both state terrorism and individual terrorism!
Steelgate
What a pile of Horsesh*t Limey
15.05.2002 22:58
Seb
To all so-called "activists"
15.05.2002 23:04
The Zionist
To all so-called "activists"
15.05.2002 23:29
The Zionist
To all so-called "activists"
15.05.2002 23:39
The Zionist
Marxist Scum
16.05.2002 00:40
You marxists are no better than the palestinian terrorists themselves.
NO_TO_MARXISTS
resistence? justice?human rights?
16.05.2002 07:28
do you call the murders of hundreds of innocent civilians including babies and children acts of legitimate resistance?
do you think that such acts of violence will bring the palestinian people closer to peace?
do you feel that acts of aggression such as those you comitted on tuesday will help to build trust or bring peace to a region wich suffers from enough violence(on both sides) without your contributions?
did any of you take the time to study one of the most complicated, multy faced conflicts of modern times?
trying to divide the two sides into good and bad, wrong and right is too simplistic and does not come from deep thinking or understanding of the situation.
israel has made a huge effort to solve it's problems with the palestinians in recent years. 4 prime ministers lost their jobs during the peace process. they all took huge risks along the road to peace. Mr. Yitzhack Rabin was murdered becuase of his peace agenda and his vision of a palestinian state and the"new middle east".
Ehud Barak lost his seat to Prime minister Sharon only after his peace plans(wich went further towards the palestinians than any of his predecessors)were rejected by Arafat.Barak offered Arafat an independent palestinian state in more than 95% of the west bank and Gaza with parts of a divided Jerusalem as it's capital.the deal also included access to the holy sites monitored by an international peace keeping force and also a partial right of return for the palestinians into Israel proper as a humaniterian act of families reunions. Arafats answer to this offer was the current intifada in wich he is using guns given to him as an act of trust building by the israeli Government.(can you imagine such a situation in Northern Ireland?)
The first suicide bombers started acting back in 96(if not before) inside Israel proper in the midst of the peace process lead at the time by Shimon Peres who is known as a dove and a leftist (far left in todays Israel political map).
This conflict started over a hundred years ago.
Both of the sides are not saints and there isn't just wrong and just right(just like in our own little lives) even if the palestinians appear to be the weaker side(don't forget that Israel is surrounded by over two million arabs).The weak can sometimes be more dangerous, cruel and harmful.
I hope i have given you some food for thought and that in the future you will do better than what could only be described as an ugly criminal act, in your attempts to make the world a better place even if you wish to support the unarmed Palestinians who can surely benefit from such support just as much as the Israeli civilians could.
i also hope that you will print my comments in full.
thanks
J.S.
J. Smith
Keep on fighting
16.05.2002 08:09
Keep on fighting
Equal rights for all humanbeings!
STOP THE OCCUPATION + END THE APRATHEID
Tina
They didn't get anywhere!
16.05.2002 08:14
G.Smith
Why can't people post properly?
16.05.2002 08:26
Grow up and learn how to use a computer you hate filled Zionazis!
Martin Fensome
palestinian nazis
16.05.2002 08:45
The Zionist
Anti-Semitism?
16.05.2002 08:57
So grow up, no one on this site has ever said to destroy Israel, all we want is equal rights for Israelis and Palestinians. We want to end the apartheid.
Jews, Christians and Muslims lived in peace until the apartheid statred and destroyed the equality between the Jews and the Christians and Muslims.
Stop hating people.
Kevin Johnston
Real Jews
16.05.2002 08:59
Real Jews
Marwan
Zionazis
16.05.2002 09:11
Zionazis hate everyone and anyone that does not agree with them.
Zionazis support an apartheid state.
Zionazis don't believe in equality between all people.
Zionazis have become everything they hate, NAZIS.
Free Palestine from the evil Zionazis.
Ewok
You People Are Pathetic
16.05.2002 10:30
What about the whites that are being slaughtered in Zimbabwe? What about the Christians dying in Pakistan?
You are not Independant media, if you were you would present a blanced view point from ALL sides rather than just a Marxist twisted look at the world.
Reality Bites
You People Are Pathetic
16.05.2002 10:30
What about the whites that are being slaughtered in Zimbabwe? What about the Christians dying in Pakistan?
You are not Independant media, if you were you would present a blanced view point from ALL sides rather than just a Marxist twisted look at the world.
Reality Bites
"whites slaughtered in Zimbabwe"
16.05.2002 11:23
fruitloops
Dear Steelmate
16.05.2002 14:37
if you oppose any kind of terrorist attacks or use of violence of any kind, than why do you use violence in your protests?
Also would you be ready to protest against palestinian violence in front of the palestinian tourist board?
or maybe storm the hammas offices in Gaza or in any other place like you did in the Israeli embassy?
Don't you think that the Israeli use of force and incursions into west bank towns is somehow connected with the suicide bombings? you cannot sepperate Israeli violence from the palestinians.
It took over 18 months of brutal and horrific attacks on Israeli civilians all over Israel for the Israeli Government to decide on these incursions which are aimed at the terrorists themselves although unfortunately the unarmed palestinian population suffers too only because those terrorists act from within that population.
The suicide bombers however, aim to kill as many civilians as possible(they sometimes kill their fellow Isreali arabs in their actions too)and get a massive support from their own people,leaders and other arab countries(Iraq,Iran, Syria and others)for these horrific actions.
The English Government took the easier option in their war on terrorism in Afganistan, they simply bombed from the air. How many innocent civilians died in those bombings?
or in Iraq or in Yugoslavia?
would you suggest to storm no 10 Downing street or the Parliament or maybe boycott English civilian products in protest for these acts of aggression?
Why don't you protest with such aggression in front of the embassies of all the countries the"zionist" has mentioned in his comment above?
and finally Mr.Ewok, who the fuck are the zionazies you seem to know so well?
isn't it you guys who seem to turn all your hate aggression and frustration against a country you don't know much about
and probably have never been to. I can assure you that I personaly Know some very nice Israeli-zionists as well as Israeli Arabs and palestinians. You would be surprized at how friendly they can be.Why don't you try to talk to them and see where they are coming from instead of just hating all of them and calling them nazies without even knowing any of them on a personal level.
By the way, as far as i know Indymedia was first created in Israel. Could such a tolerent, peaceful and loving organization be formed by those evil Israeli-zionists ?
Why don't you all mind your own business and do something more creative with your life instead of hating, preaching
and commiting crimes against people and countries who have nothing to do with you and have enough troubles of their own.
yours sincerely
J.S.
J.smith
Why do you bother?
16.05.2002 15:47
The underlying message of any of these protest actions, whoever they may be undertaken by, is that fighting must stop, and talking must begin again.
"He who does not draw on 3,000 years of knowledge is living hand to mouth"
Cy
e-mail:
cy@tidewillturn.net
Homepage:
http://www.tidewillturn.net
Everything...
16.05.2002 22:17
Fifteen people did something...Fifteen people did more than just watch telly that day...Fifteen people did something because they believe in something...Fifteen people did get up off their backsides...Fifteen people made a statement as is their right...Fifteen people made maybe fifteen others (or 1500 others, or 15000 others) stop and think about it...Fifteen people did something in solidarity...Fifteen people did something...
15 people is Everything...
Chris Roadbuster
e-mail:
roadbusters@gn.apc.org
Good work
17.05.2002 02:33
Israel is an illegal state.
To say something like 15 people is everything. That 15 people didn't sit and watch tv and did something is by implication having a go at those of us who do sit on our arses and watch tv. Good for them doing what they did but I'm fine sitting on my arse watching tv.
You can only put into this world what you already have inside. It doesn't matter if you're sitting on your arse or if you are a world leader or whatever.
The best any of us can do is to nurture and develop our love, compassion, understanding and acceptance.
You give the world all the meaning it has for you. You choose whether you see a world of love and mercy or death, evil and severity every second. This is where you can make a real difference to the world. Your perception of each moment.
Freedom to Palestine.
Shlomo Frampton
time will tall...
17.05.2002 09:34
and make u.k diffrent.
4-u.k
Dear J. Smith
17.05.2002 10:14
>if you oppose any kind of terrorist attacks or use of violence of any kind, than why do you use violence in your protests?
First of all I oppose all indiscriminate attacks on civilians, such as the suicide bombings, but I recognise the Palestinians legitimate right to defend themselves when attacked by Israeli soldiers or settlers.
But I don't see what violence we used on that protest: we tried to climb over a fence. How's that violent?
>Also would you be ready to protest against palestinian violence in front of the palestinian tourist board?
or maybe storm the hammas offices in Gaza or in any other place like you did in the Israeli embassy?
I fucking hate those Hamas bastards. If they had an office here, I wouldn't oppose anyone firebombing the fucker. And I draw a distinction between violence used by the State and violence used by the People. For instance, if the Israeli people rose up in arms against their own State, I would support it wholeheartedly.
>Don't you think that the Israeli use of force and incursions into west bank towns is somehow connected with the suicide bombings? you cannot sepperate Israeli violence from the palestinians.
Yes of course: if there was no occupation, there would be no Palestinian violence (as support for fundamentalists like Hamas would quickly evaporate).
>It took over 18 months of brutal and horrific attacks on Israeli civilians all over Israel for the Israeli Government to decide on these incursions
5 times as many Palestinians as Israelis have been killed since the beginning of the intifada.
>The English Government took the easier option in their war on terrorism in Afganistan, they simply bombed from the air. How many innocent civilians died in those bombings?
or in Iraq or in Yugoslavia?
Of course! I and pretty much everyone here opposed the hypocritical, useless and murderous war.
>would you suggest to storm no 10 Downing street or the Parliament or maybe boycott English civilian products in protest for these acts of aggression?
Yes! I even tried myself...
>isn't it you guys who seem to turn all your hate aggression and frustration against a country you don't know much about
All of my rage and anger, like that of all anarchists, is not directed at any country or race: it is directed at all authority and oppression wherever it rears its head in the world. The struggle of the Palestinian people is intrinsically linked to the struggle of the Israeli people and that of all people around the world. I do no hate anyone. I just hate authority.
>Why don't you all mind your own business and do something more creative with your life instead of hating, preaching
and commiting crimes against people and countries who have nothing to do with you and have enough troubles of their own.
I spend my life trying to build a new world, based on freedom, equality and mutual aid for all people.
You can't get much more creative than that.
red'n'black
Nice one
17.05.2002 12:54
amongst the ill informed rantings.
Matt
e-mail:
manch@imaginator.com
Keeping everyone happy
17.05.2002 17:54
If I protest for the rights of the Kurds, Turks will walk up to me and say "Bloody lefties! Why aren't you out protesting for Palestinian rights! Why are you supporting terrorists?"
If I protest for the rights of women in certain Muslim countries, Arabs will walk up to me and say "Bloody lefties! Why aren't you out protesting for Palestinian rights! Why are you supporting terrorists?
If I protest for the rights of the Palestinians, Sharon-sympathisers will walk up to me and say "Bloody lefties! Why aren't you out protesting for Kurdish rights! Why are you supporting terrorists?"
The only way I can keep all of these people happy is to stay home and watch TV. Sorry, but to quote Bush, "inaction is not an option". So why do I never meet any Sharon-sympathisers out on any protests? Because they don't really give a flying fuck about the Kurds, or Muslim women, or Christians in Sudan, to actually try to do anything for them. For them, the status quo is what needs protecting, not the rights of innocent civilians. Ah well. We can't make everyone happy, so we'll just have to concentrate on doing what seems the most useful.
Jon
embassy kept the incident out of the press
18.05.2002 10:18
By Sharon Sadeh, Ha'aretz Correspondent
Security forces turned back about 20 left-wing extremists who stormed the Israeli embassy in London on Monday and attempted to enter the building. The incident was reported on Friday because the embassy decided to try to keep the incident out of the press.
Scotland Yard said Friday that at 1:50 P.M. on Monday, British police were dispatched to the Israeli embassy when some 20 or more demonstrators attempted to scale the fence surrounding the compound. After police arrived, the demonstrators were alarmed and left the area. One man, in his twenties, received medical treatment at the scene. London police took no additional action in the matter.
According to eyewitnesses, the demonstrators climbed the fence and tried to enter the embassy building. According to a security source, the goal of the demonstrators was "to destroy everything in their way." Security guards at the embassy, with the help of a large London police force dispatched to the scene, were able to fend off the demonstrators after a violent scuffle, during which one of the demonstrators was lightly injured.
During the incident, embassy workers were instructed to remain inside the building until the demonstrators were removed.
The embassy, in consultation with security officials, decided to prevent the incident from being reported in the media, apparently in order to prevent alarm in the Jewish community in Great Britain. Security sources did say, however, that this was the first time in recent years that the embassy was subject to a violent attack.
The attack occurred one day after a Sunday Times report quoted a leader of London-based fundamentalist group al-Muhajiroun as saying that the Israeli embassy in London and its employees were a legitimate target for suicide attacks.
In October last year the group called on British Muslims to assassinate Prime Minister Tony Blair to avenge the bombing of Taliban forces in Afghanistan.
Over the last six months security has been stepped up considerably at the embassy. Muslim and pro-Palestinian demonstrators protest next to the embassy almost every Friday.
The increasing number of security alerts during this period have become a disturbance to work at the embassy.
.
You can't argue with Zionists
19.05.2002 13:33
Against capitalism, authority, fascism & zionism.
For ANARCHY (we are not marxists).
Matthew Cohen
About Time
20.05.2002 10:10
Ibi
why should israel pander to terrorists
20.05.2002 18:41
Just as we should be.
Mike
e-mail:
mjpann@essex.ac.uk
no one listens to you...
21.05.2002 11:18
You're not gonna recruit anyone here so why don't you fuck off and die?
red'n'black
The division of Israel
21.05.2002 15:41
the idea of dividing Israel between the jews and the palestinians was proposed by the English Government before the creation of the state of Israel.(Jerusalem was to become an international city).
Unfortunately, the proposal which was welcomed by the jewish population, was rejected by the palestinians.
As you can see, their rejection of the proposals for the end of the ocupation and the division of Jerusalem offered in camp david as a result of the Oslo peace process is only an echo to similar reactions in the history of this conflict. in both cases they turned to extreme violence soonafter.
p.s. you do not necessarily have to read my "rubbish".
J.S.
Historic actions to burn down embasseys.
21.05.2002 17:51
There were attempted incursions by protestors against apartheid South Africa's embassey in London.
why should the Zionist Israeli embassey be immune ?
No the squarking zionist apologists for the terroristic state of israel - had better prepare for far more actions designed to expose the real character of the Zionist state of israel.
Looks like rock-climbing classes, assault courses and rope work training could be getting a boost this year ?
Smash the racist apartheid Zionist State ! For a democratic, secular and socialist state of palestine ! Solidarity with the palestinian Masses - Arms for Self defence !
vik the red
Help for Red and Black
22.05.2002 12:00
Big Daddy
Love , Peace, Democracy for all
22.05.2002 14:46
however, if your opinions are different or even slightly different (not to mention opposing)to ours, we will send our non violent comrade red&blue to kill you.
our future non violent actions will include burning down embassies, attacking (verbally or physically) innocent civilians who hold different opinions to ours and planting the seeds for a new, tolerant and better world .
with love and sympathy
the holy idiots.
Bull&Shit
Jack's back
22.05.2002 17:41
Follow you leader - put a gun a gun in your mouth and eat a bullet
intifada
Jack's back
22.05.2002 17:46
Follow you leader, Mr Adolph - put a gun a gun in your mouth and eat a bullet
intifada
I've got these weird, egalitarian ideas.
25.05.2002 11:19
"Immigrants"? Who are the immigrants? Aren't immigrants people? Aren't they people who've been granted citizenship, and so are supposed to be equal? 'Israel' does not have the right to treat "immigrants" any differently to "its own citizens"; they are its own citizens! (And the division is idiotic.)
So who are the "immigrants"? Are you under the impression that the Palestinians have moved into Israel? News for you: Palestine, unsurprisingly, is the historical Palestinian homeland. The immigrants--the people who've moved to the area--are mostly Jewish.
They should not be treated differently, and neither should the Palestinians.
tzartzam
e-mail:
tzartzam@hotmail.com
We shoukld be widening our proests
27.05.2002 09:55
Israel though is far from a democratic free country. It carries out torture and executions and has terrorised the Palestinian population for over 50 years demolishing tens of thousands of Palestinian homes and bombing Palestinian towns from the air on a regular basis! It has forced hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees to flee there homes aas refugees and arab citizens in Israel are treated as second class citizen and are used as cheap labour by the Israeli state!
steelgate
Microsoft supports Israeli forces
29.05.2002 16:50
Johznn