INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY
MOVEMENT


PRESS RELEASE

June 3 2003



ISM Demands Israeli Retraction and Apology over Mike's Place Bombing
Allegations



The International Solidarity Movement demands a retraction of
statements made by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a
full apology.



The Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs website makes the following
accusations against the International Solidarity Movement (ISM).

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that "ISM members take an
active part in illegal and violent actions against IDF soldiers. At
times, their activity in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip is under
the auspices of Palestinian terrorist organizations". This is
incorrect. The International Solidarity Movement does not and has
never worked under the auspices of, or in cooperation with, any
armed Palestinian resistance group. The ISM does not undertake any
activity in the Occupied Territories this is violent or illegal. On
the contrary ISM activists have been harmed by and threatened with
harm by Israeli army personnel.

In connection with the two British suicide bombers the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs states that "The two terrorists were careful to
establish their presence in Judea and Samaria by forging links with
foreign left wing activists and members of the International
Solidarity Movement (ISM)". This is incorrect. No ISM activist had
contact with the two men in the West Bank. Their sole contact was a
brief social encounter in Rafah in the Gaza Strip and no "links"
were "forged" in short time. See attached press statement for full
details.

Immediately after the suicide attack on Mike's Place Israeli
intelligence stated that the men had entered the Gaza Strip posing
as international peace activists with the ISM. In their report of
June 3 Israeli investigations now prove that "On April 24, 2003, the
terrorists entered the Gaza Strip via the Erez checkpoint, along
with the Italian woman journalist and additional Italian
journalists, which greatly assisted them in avoiding suspicion at
Erez". The ISM has been shown to be innocent of this false
accusation by the Israeli government.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that "It has become clear
from the investigation of the Italian journalist that the terrorists
exploited foreign left wing activists in the Palestinian Authority
(PA) areas for the purpose of covering their movements throughout
Judea, Samaria and Gaza. Even though the latter were unwitting, they
in effect were accomplices to terrorist activity". This is
incorrect. The Italian journalist was interrogated by the Israeli
authorities and has subsequently been found to be unaware of their
intentions and so is not guilty of being an accomplice. Similarly
the ISM activists in Rafah were entirely unware of the men's
intentions to commit an attack in Israel. Moreover ISM has not been
approached for questioning by the Israeli authorities in connection
with the contact they had with the suicide attackers. Further to
this the only contact ISM had with these men was a brief social
meeting in Rafah, not in the West Bank and it has been proved that
the men used a journalist as a cover for their movements. It is
important to state that since it's founding ISM activists have been
denied entry to the country and many have been deported. Moving
around the Occupied Territories is not made easier as a peace
activist.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that "None of the persons
involved - neither Palestinian nor foreign - bothered to contact any
official body, despite their familiarity with the terrorists, even
after they understood that they were involved in the attack, until
they came under ISA investigation." This is incorrect. ISM held an
open press conference a few days after the attack on Mike's Place
and explained the circumstances under which the activists in Rafah
briefly met the British men. The ISM has never been approached by
the Israeli authorities in connection with an investigation.