Campaign launched to save Al Masrah' villagers.
Brett Cohen | 29.11.2007 19:30 | Anti-racism | Palestine | Social Struggles | London | South Coast
A Brighton group has launched a campaign to free five villagers from Al Masrah' in Occupied Palestine, held on remand after protesting against the theft of their land.
On Friday 26th October 2007 the people of Al Mazra’ Al Qibliah, Occupied Palestine held a peaceful demonstration against the theft of their land by the ever expanding Israeli settlement of Talmon.
In a brave show of non violent direct action the demonstrators pulled up the grape vines (that settlers had planted on the stolen land) dismantled water irrigation pipes and set fire to the small tent on the land .They were supported by ten internationals from Brighton Tubas Friendship and Solidarity Group. In response the settlers and Israeli Army shot at the demonstrators repeatedly with live bullets and unleashed a campaign of violence and aggression.
Seven British campaigners who were present at the demonstration and witnessed the aftermath are to complain about the lack of action taken against Israeli settlers who arrived at the village of Al Mazra' Al Qibliah carrying guns intent on punishing the villagers for their act of defiance. Louise Marsh, 22, anthropology student at the University of Sussex, Brighton, UK, said: “The following day the settlers returned, uprooted and burnt olive trees, attacked houses, broke windows, beat some villagers with sticks and bars and destroyed olive trees and property. Not one of these criminals has been arrested, yet the Israeli army has seen fit to collectively punish this village by arresting its elders.”
Despite complaints being made the Israeli police have not arrested any Israeli settlers responsible for the vandalism. Instead Fifteen Palestinian villagers were arrested, including eight children. Five of them, including the Mayor of the village, are still on remand awaiting trial for the crime of entering their own land. The Brighton Tubas Friendship Group is campaigning for these five villagers: Sa'eed Shreiteh, mayor of Al-Zaytouneh council, 48, Muhaamed Hasan Shreiteh, 25, Riyad Ribhi Hannoun, 32, Sameer Muhammad Shreiteh, 49, Waseem Ahmad Ladadweh, 30, to be released and for the real criminals to be brought to justice.
Another official complaint is being made against Israeli police after the lives of three British activists were threatened by armed Israeli settlers.One of the settlers was identified by Israeli police at the scene as a security guard for the illegal settlement of Talmon B. No action has been taken against this man. The three members of the Brighton-Tubas Friendship and Solidarity Group were subsequently arrested, held for 33 hours in an Israeli gaol and released without charge.
Fiona Cruikshanks, 40, health worker from Brighton, UK, said: “This collective punishment, so eerily reminiscent of Apartheid-era South Africa with its Pass Laws and two tier legal system amounts to nothing short of collective punishment, illegal under Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. It fills me with disgust to see a 'so-called' civilized police force totally disregard the human rights of Palestinians while these criminals from the illegal settlements get away with violence and intimidation right under their noses.”
What you can do:
International Support
The village of Al Mazra’ Al Qibliah are asking for international support. We were told that if we had not been there on the 26th October demonstration somebody would undoubtedly have been seriously injured or killed.
Send messages of support:
Email:
scobham@googlemail.com and we will forward them on
Demand the release of the Mayor and other villager elders. Write to:
Beit El District Coordinating Office:
Email: send to scobham@googlemail.com and we will forward your email on.
Fax: 00972 (0)29977337
Tel: 00972 (0)29977747
Officer of the Central Command of the Army:
Email to scobham@googlemail.com and we will forward your email on.
Ask your embassy to demand their release.
British Embassy
Email: webmaster.telaviv@fco.gov.uk
Fax: 00972 (0)3 527 8574
British Consulate in Jerusalem
Email: britain.jerusalem@fco.gov.uk
Fax: 00972 (0)2 5322368
For other nationalities please check your embassy and consulate details on the internet.
Brighton Tubas, Friendship and Solidarity Group
Tel: 07984 438655
Email: tubas@brightonpalestine.org
Website:
http://tubas.brightonpalestine.org
In a brave show of non violent direct action the demonstrators pulled up the grape vines (that settlers had planted on the stolen land) dismantled water irrigation pipes and set fire to the small tent on the land .They were supported by ten internationals from Brighton Tubas Friendship and Solidarity Group. In response the settlers and Israeli Army shot at the demonstrators repeatedly with live bullets and unleashed a campaign of violence and aggression.
Seven British campaigners who were present at the demonstration and witnessed the aftermath are to complain about the lack of action taken against Israeli settlers who arrived at the village of Al Mazra' Al Qibliah carrying guns intent on punishing the villagers for their act of defiance. Louise Marsh, 22, anthropology student at the University of Sussex, Brighton, UK, said: “The following day the settlers returned, uprooted and burnt olive trees, attacked houses, broke windows, beat some villagers with sticks and bars and destroyed olive trees and property. Not one of these criminals has been arrested, yet the Israeli army has seen fit to collectively punish this village by arresting its elders.”
Despite complaints being made the Israeli police have not arrested any Israeli settlers responsible for the vandalism. Instead Fifteen Palestinian villagers were arrested, including eight children. Five of them, including the Mayor of the village, are still on remand awaiting trial for the crime of entering their own land. The Brighton Tubas Friendship Group is campaigning for these five villagers: Sa'eed Shreiteh, mayor of Al-Zaytouneh council, 48, Muhaamed Hasan Shreiteh, 25, Riyad Ribhi Hannoun, 32, Sameer Muhammad Shreiteh, 49, Waseem Ahmad Ladadweh, 30, to be released and for the real criminals to be brought to justice.
Another official complaint is being made against Israeli police after the lives of three British activists were threatened by armed Israeli settlers.One of the settlers was identified by Israeli police at the scene as a security guard for the illegal settlement of Talmon B. No action has been taken against this man. The three members of the Brighton-Tubas Friendship and Solidarity Group were subsequently arrested, held for 33 hours in an Israeli gaol and released without charge.
Fiona Cruikshanks, 40, health worker from Brighton, UK, said: “This collective punishment, so eerily reminiscent of Apartheid-era South Africa with its Pass Laws and two tier legal system amounts to nothing short of collective punishment, illegal under Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. It fills me with disgust to see a 'so-called' civilized police force totally disregard the human rights of Palestinians while these criminals from the illegal settlements get away with violence and intimidation right under their noses.”
What you can do:
International Support
The village of Al Mazra’ Al Qibliah are asking for international support. We were told that if we had not been there on the 26th October demonstration somebody would undoubtedly have been seriously injured or killed.
Send messages of support:
Email:
scobham@googlemail.com and we will forward them on Demand the release of the Mayor and other villager elders. Write to:
Beit El District Coordinating Office:
Email: send to
scobham@googlemail.com and we will forward your email on. Fax: 00972 (0)29977337
Tel: 00972 (0)29977747
Officer of the Central Command of the Army:
Email to
scobham@googlemail.com and we will forward your email on. Ask your embassy to demand their release.
British Embassy
Email:
webmaster.telaviv@fco.gov.uk Fax: 00972 (0)3 527 8574
British Consulate in Jerusalem
Email:
britain.jerusalem@fco.gov.uk Fax: 00972 (0)2 5322368
For other nationalities please check your embassy and consulate details on the internet.
Brighton Tubas, Friendship and Solidarity Group
Tel: 07984 438655
Email:
tubas@brightonpalestine.org Website:
http://tubas.brightonpalestine.org
Brett Cohen
Homepage:
http://www.brightonpalestine.org