Farm Against Apartheid

With rapidly escalating levels of settler violence in the West Bank, the International Solidarity Movement is issuing an urgent call for volunteers to participate in its 2008 Olive Harvest Campaign.

The olive tree is a national symbol for Palestinians. As thousands of olive trees have been bulldozed, uprooted and burned by the Israeli military and settlers, harvesting has become more than a source of livelihood; it has become a form of resistance. The olive harvest is an annual affirmation of Palestinians’ historical,...

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By Fred Schlomka

As the eyes of the world are on the Liberty Ships approaching Gaza, a massive segregated road project in the Greater Jerusalem area is quietly approaching completion. Israel is about to unveil the realization of former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s dream of Palestinian ‘transportational contiguity’, in lieu of contiguous territory. Route 1, currently shared with Palestinians, connects Jerusalem to the eastern settlement of Ma’ale Adumim (pop. 35,000). This four-lane highway leads to the Dead Sea and also whisks settlers to Jerusalem in twenty minutes through the ‘E1′ development area. Since Sharon’s ultimate goal was to remove...

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To view the Free Gaza Movement website click here

NICOSIA, CYPRUS (18 Aug. 2008) - In a letter today to the Free Gaza Movement, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged that the group of international human rights activists attempting to break the siege of Gaza were “humanitarian,” and stated that the Israeli government “assume[s] that your intentions are good.”

Greta Berlin, one of the organizers of the Free Gaza Movement stated that, “Since the Foreign Minister’s office responded to our invitation to join us, and said that we have good intentions, we now fully expect to reach Gaza.”

According to recent...

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On the 17th of August at 15:30 in the village of Ni’lin there was a demonstration of around 50 Palestinian together with 10 internationals and Israelis, organized by the Ni’lin Popular Committee Against the Illegal Apartheid Wall. The demonstration took place close to the site where the wall is being built by the Israel.

The non-violent demonstration marched to the construction site placed on their land despite a large amount of tear gas and rubber bullets that being shot by the Israeli army. The army eventually left at 18:00 and it meant that many of the protesters were able to reach the site where the wall will be built. The demonstration ended at 18:15, with no injuries...

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To view original article, published by Maan on the 18th August, click here

Jerusalem – Ma’an – A group of Palestinians successfully blocked Israeli settlers from occupying the home of Baha’ Addin Darwish in the town of Beit Safafa, south of Jerusalem, on Sunday evening.

Last week, the settlers attempted to occupy the house with furniture and religious books, but Palestinian residents sent them away.

Hatim Abdul-Qadir, the Palestinian prime minister’s advisor on Jerusalem affairs, visited the house and described the settlers’ actions “burglary and vandalism.”...

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Military court orders release of father of girl who documented IDF soldier firing rubber bullets at bound Palestinian in Naalin, accuses prosecution, police of being unprofessional. Father’s attorney: ‘Release proves arrest was out of vengeance’

By Ali Waked

To view original article, published by Ynet on the 18th August, click here

The Judea and Samaria Military Court of Appeals on Sunday ordered the release of Jamal Amira, the 53-year old father of Salaam Amira, the girl who documented the Naalin shooting incident in which an IDF soldier can be seen firing rubber...

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Every Friday at 1pm the villagers from Ni’lin meet in the fields outside the village to pray. This Friday, more than 50 soldiers and
some jeeps were in the surrounding area during the ceremony.

Photos courtesy of Activestills

Once it finished, the army without provocation shot 36 tear gas canisters in a very short time, using a multiple-shot machine carried in one of the jeeps. They kept shooting tear gas and rubber coated steel bullets for more than half an hour from less than a hundred meters distance...

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By Lauren Booth

Tuesday 12th August 2008

To view Free Gaza Movement Website click here

Well here on baking, blissfully breezy Crete it has been a day of high expectation and yes, again, disappointment.

I spent my first night on board last night, in water so calm it reminded me of Lake Geneva. Our group had enjoyed a late dinner with sympathetic locals in a communal dwelling in what was once Chania’s law court and prison. A touchingly run down setting of past grandeur, with a vegan feast thoughtfully...

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By Eva Bartlett

For previous article on the attempt to deliver medical supplies to Gaza click here

To view original update click here

After nearly one month of waiting at the Rafah crossing for Egyptian (Israeli) authorities to give permission to take the van full of medicine to Gaza, and after countless meetings and forms, today, Friday, at 12 noon, Khalil Al Niss arrived at the Rafah crossing to take the van...

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On Thursday, the 14th of August, peaceful protesters from the village of Ni’lin, who’s lands are being annexed by the construction of Israel’s apartheid wall, were met by extreme violence by the occupation forces.

Photos courtesy of Activestills

The army later came deep into the village of Ni’lin, bombarding streets and houses with teargas for several hours and injuring at least fifteen persons.

...

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