ISM protects terrorists. THey protected innocent people, but they also protect terrorists. They protected Arafat a year ago when it was feared he might be killed. They protected the sick lunatic hamas terrorists who holed themselves up in the church of nativity a year ago, and they were recently caught hiding an islamic jihad terrorist in their office. THey also put volunteers in harm's way, trying to prevent Israel from getting at these terrorists. The fact that they also protect innocent people is irrevelant. They may be nonviolent, but they protect violent killers who need to be arrested or gotten rid of. Getting ISM the hell out of there is a good thing...

Ahhhh, the not so sweet smell of Zionist hypocrisy in the morning...
As the IDF turn more and more Palestinian areas into free fire zones, they clearly wish to do so with as few outside observers as possible. You don't need to be ISM to be attacked; you just need to be a cameraman for the mainstream media.

Tuesday, May 13, 2003
Statement by Flo (Kristin Razowsky) after being released

(source: Rapprochement Centre)

On May 9, 2003, at approximately 12:40 pm, the Israeli
military entered the media office of the International
Solidarity Movement(ISM) in Beit Sahour, Palestine.
Present were myself (Kristin Razowsky (flo) ), an
International from Austrailia who is working with Human
Rights Watch, and a local Palestinian woman from Beit
Sahour. The soliders entered the offices, took the
phones out of my hands that I was speaking on and
proceeded to search the office. We were not informed
as to what the reasons were for this search until the
Australian women asked one of the soldiers what the
search was about and he replied that we were working
for an "illegal organization". I am assuming he was
referring to the ISM. There were roughly 20-30
soldiers present. The three women, including myself,
were taken outside where even more soliders were
gathered with military and police jeeps, and a large
type of armored truck of which I had not seen before.
Possibly there were other types of vehicles present,
but since the situation was quite caotic, I am unaware
if there were. A female police officer took each of
us, one by one, into the stair well in order to search
us. Myself and the woman from Beit Sahour were taken
back into the office in order to collect our
belongings. At this time, I witnessed the soldiers
confiscating computer equiptment, magazines, telepones,
video tapes, c.d.s, files and other objects from the
office.
During this entire encounter, there were many soldiers
with video and still cameras recording myself and the
other women. We were then taken into the large armored
truck and waited for approximatley thrity minutes
before we began to move. We were told that at some
point we would be officially arrested and that myself
and the woman from Australia would be deported. The
soldiers did not know what our actual charges would be
(as the ISM has never officially been deemed illiegal
by the Israeli Government), and that they were "only
following orders". After this thirty minute wait in the
armored truck we were taken several miles down the road
and then moved into police jeeps. Each woman was in a
seperate jeep. We were all taken to the police station
in Gush Etzion, near to Jeruslaem. At this point I was
questioned by the investigator of the station. I was
told that if I did not answer the questions it would
make things much harder for me later on. I repeadatly
demanded to speak with an attorney and my Embassy to
which I was repeadalty told only later would I be
allowed these phone calls. At this point, I was
charged with being in a "closed military zone" Since I
had nothing to hide, I cooperated and answered the
inspectors questions. I told the investigator that
since I had been allowed through the Bethleham
checkpoint, I was not aware that I was in a "closed
military zone". After the interrogation I was
photographed and fingerprinted. At this point one of
the officers called my Embassy and I was allowed to speak
with a representative for only a few minutes. I was
still not allowed a phone call to an attorney. The
Palestinian woman from Beit Sahour was released and
allowed to return home. Myself and the Australian woman
were told that we were going to be taken to a hearing
with the Interior Ministry. We were then transported
to Pisgat Ziev to have this hearing. When we arrived
at the Interior Ministry, I was promptly told tht my
visa was being revoked and that I was to be deported. I
said that I thought I was coming to a hearing and
questioned how they could punish me before this hearing
even happened. I was told that the hearing would
eventually happen but that I was going to be deported.
I asked if this was happening because they ASSUMED I
was working with the ISM. I was told Yes. At this point
I returned to my demand to speak with an attorney and
was told that from jail I could contact a lawyer. The
deportation order was signed by the Minister of the
Interior and I was transported to the Emmigration
Detention Center in Hudera, Isreal. I was told that I
had 72 hours in order to fight the deportion. If in
that 72 hours, I failed, I would be deported (meaning
Monday, May 12). The Austailian woman was released,
her charges dropped, approximatly four hours after we
arrived at the detention center. None of the officials
at this center could tell me why she had been released
and not me, but it seems likely it was due to the fact
that she works for Human Rights Watch and is not
assumed to be working with the ISM.
I spent from Friday evening until Monday evening in
this deportaion center awaiting the outcome. Through
the help of so many amazing Human Rights groups in
Palestine and Israel, I was able to secure a lawyer.
My lawyer, at the last moment, was able to obtain a
freeze on the deportation order. It came through at
about the same hour I was to be deported. After much
work on my lawyer's part, I was released conditionally
from the detention center. These conditions are as
follows:
--I must remain in Jerusalem during the next two weeks
while my case is argued in court,
--I must report to the Immigration Office twice a week,
--If I am arrested in the next two weeks, try to escape
the law or fail any of these conditions, I must pay to
the State of Israel 10,000 shecklim, and
--If my deportation order is not cancelled within the
next two weeks, I must agree to leave the country (be
deported) at the time determined by the court.

All of this comes at a time when the Israeli Government
has greatly stepped up it's attack on the International
Solidarity Movement. Since the killing of Rachel
Corrie severel months ago in Rafah Gaza, when she was
run over by an Israeli driven, American- made
bulldozer, the Israeli Government and Military have
continuously targetted and attempted to deicredit the
work of the ISM. The ISM is a Palestinian led
organization dedicated to non-violent direct-action in
defense of the civilian population of Palestine living
under Israeli military occupation.
It is imperative to continue this work as it brings
much needed international attention to the reality of
Palestinian life under this occupation. If the Israeli
Government is allowed to continue this attack on
international peace workers, the situation in Palestine
will move forward without any international eyes to
witness. This eyetwiness pressence is crucial as much
of the information about the situation here is coming
from the side of the Israeli Government.
This sole sorce of information is extremely dangerous
as it covers up reality with lies in order to justify
the collective punishment of an entire civilian
population.
The ISM is not pro-Palestinian or anti-Israeli, nor for
or against any peoples. The ISM is against the
occupation of Palestine and for freedom and justice.

I am a 28 year old American-born Jewish peace activist.