[GushShalom] Instant protest caught TV camera / 2 of the ISMers free on bail

[Gush Shalom (Israeli Peace Bloc)]

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     Gush Shalom  
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[] Instant protest caught TV camera / 2 of the ISMers free on bail
[] Uri Avnery: Visit Arafat? For God's Sake, Why?

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[] Instant protest caught TV camera / 2 of the ISMers free on bail

We have just gotten back from the protest outside the Defense Ministry in Tel-Aviv. 
The vigil was decided upon yesterday night, in phone consultations between activists of Gush Shalom,
Ta'ayush and the Women's Peace Coalition and later joined by the young anarchists of "Maavak Ehad."
Many activists found the message on their screens or their answering machines only after coming
back from work - mostly Tel-Avivians, but there were also several who spontaneously came over for
the occasion from Haifa and Jerusalem. 
The near two hundred who came were motivated by a strong need to express support for the International Solidarity Movement; for the activists who stand with
nothing than their bodies and without using any violence between the IDF and the unprotected Palestinians.
That this is a strong approach already Mahatma Gandhi knew, and for who needs new proof: it was given by the effort which the Israeli army takes to get rid of the ISM. 
One of the especially prepared signs read "ISM is saving lives". Other popular signs: Occupation Deports Eye Witnesses / What does the army have to hide? /  Rachel Corrie Killed - Her Friends Deported?! / An unaffiliated
activist improvised on the spot: "You can cheat most of the people, and deport the rest." 
Soon the chanting started: Peace Yes - Deportation No / The witnesses are silenced; the crimes cove
red up! / We are all ISM! 
The coverage on the first Channel TV news was not unfriendly, explaining that "the Israeli peace or
ganizations" protested the harsh measures against the internationals.

Although difficult days lay ahead, the struggle to keep the ISMers here went not bad today also in

the court. Adv. Shamai Leibowitz succeeded to obtain postponement of the hearing (to which many
activists had come) and release on bail for the two women internationals arrested yesterday. (It
took quite an effort, since there was demanded the deposit of 15000 NIS in cash - which is more
than $3000. Leibowitz himself came up with 5000, and a check for the remainder was provided by the

anti-militarist organization New Profile. But as the banks are closed on Sunday afternoons, the che
ck
could be cashed only thanks to a friendly money-changer found in the Arab town of Qafr Qasem.

Leibowitz also achieved that the Ministry of Interior will hold the next hearing, of which the date
 is not
yet defined. This he considers to be positive, as the new Shinuy Party Minister may be more sensiti
ve to
the argument of not being in accordance with his liberal image. 
And, Christine Razowsky ("Flo"), arrested on Friday and feared to be already deported, was found ou
t by Adv. Leah
Tzemel to be still here, and may also be released on bail.

It's right now only a question of winning time and the deportation orders are still hovering over t
he ISM arrestees. But it was
reason for Ghassan Andoni of Rapprochement, the organization which hosted the ISM in its offices, t
o
send out a more upbeat message, which follows. Meanwhile the Palestinian ISM organizer Osama Qashoo
,
who suffered an epileptic fit upon arrest, was transfered to a hospital.

------- Forwarded message follows Sun, 11 May 2003 -------
From:           	"ghassan_andoni" <rapprochement at palsolidarity.org>
Date sent:      	Sun, 11 May 2003 13:34:29 -0000
Subject:        	[rapprochement] we can not be deafeted

Dear Members,
after all, we are still here and will continue our work. this attack 
against ISM peace activists will fail. already all the work of the 
army, all the raids at our places, all the arrests, could not stand a 
court. Flo will be released. and hope the other arrested ISM people 
will be released soon. the army have no bases for all of its 
alligations. we can defeat the ones who want to continue the war. we 
need to have a louder voice, a more coordinated work. let us keep the 
pressure up on them. we will never lose because we stand for peace, 
for justice, and for life.

to fight for the detained activists we need your help. I hereby 
appeal for an emergency legal fund. If you can help, this is the time 
when it is most needed. 

ISM dared to challenge the system, which was  carefuly built to keep the 
occupation alive. highly dedicated activists from all over the globe, 
started the few steps in the way for peace in the middle east. let us 
not let them down. because they were doing a great job, they are 
being prosecuted. together we can force them to retreat.

regards
Ghassan Andoni 

[] Uri Avnery: Visit Arafat? For God's Sake, Why?
Hebrew
http://www.gush-shalom.org/archives/article249_heb.html

English
http://www.gush-shalom.org/archives/article249.html


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