[GushShalom] Eight international peace activists to be deported

[Gush Shalom (Israeli Peace Bloc)]

GUSH SHALOM  pob 3322, Tel-Aviv 61033 www.gush-shalom.org

Tobias, Tarek, Fredrick, Bill, Daniel, Alex, Saul and Thomas - eight  peace activists of nearly as many countries will be deported from Israel/Palestine as "dangerous to state security". The efforts invested by their four lawyers, Leah Tsemel, Gabi 
Laski, Shammai Leibowitz and Yoni Lerman - all in vain. We didn't stop this - even with several US diplomats present in the courtroom. It is clear that there has been a high-up decision to get rid of the ISM. The fact that this actually proves the 
effectiveness of their method of non-violent action is meagre consolation.
 
The trial itself was truly a farce.  From the outset the attitude of the judge was evident.  He was aggressive, particularly with Leah Tsemel.The state insisted that the ISM endangers soldiers' lives by interfering with their activities.  But no proof was 
given of this occurring for any of today’s defendants.  Yet both the state and the judge reiterated the broad powers given to the Minister of
Interior to grant or deny visas, and to deport--all without having to furnish a reason.  And indeed, the judge omitted furnishing any reason for his verdict, as though he were a clerk sent by the Ministry of the Interior rather than an impartial observer 
carefully weighing on the
scales of justice the arguments of both sides.  

[in the above was made use of the report of Dorothy Naor <dor_naor at netvision.net.il> of New Profile]

Below find the ISM report.

Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2003 18:16:42 +0000
From: Rapprochement Centre <ism-alerts at palsolidarity.org>
Subject: [palsolidarity] Israel to Deport Eight International Peace Activists

International Solidarity Movement 
July 17, 2003 
For Immediate Release 

Israel to Deport Eight International Peace Activists

Today Tel Aviv District Court Judge Nissim Yeshaya upheld the deportation orders of eight Internati
onal Peace activists who were 
working with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM).  Of the eight activists, Tobias Karlsson 
(SWEDEN), Tarek Loubani (CANADA), 
Fredrick Lind (DENMARK), Bill Capowski (USA), Daniel Knutsson (SWEDEN), Alex Perry (UK), Saul Reid 
(UK) and Thomas Pellas (FRANCE) 

Four were arrested on July 9 while at a camp on Palestinian land in the village of Arrabony near Je
nin slated to be confiscated by Israel for the building of the separation wall, and four on July 10
 while helping to remove roadblocks near the city of 
Nablus calling attention to the restrictions on Palestinian freedom of movement under the
occupation.  

They were subsequently issued deportation orders by the Ministry of the Interior.  

The Israeli military has claimed that the ISM and all peace activists are a security threat and the
 lawyer for the state used this as the argument for why the activists should be deported.  No evide
nce as to the illegality of the defendants' actions 
was presented. 
Signed affidavits that the presence and work of ISM is important were submitted by prominent Israel
i organizations and individuals such as Bat Shalom, MK Yossi Sarid and several Israeli professors. 
 The judge sided with the state lawyers saying 
that under Israeli law the Ministry of the Interior has unlimited power to deport and revoke visas 
of
internationals.

The policy of punishing international peace activists without any evidence other than labeling them
 a security threat is an expansion of Israel's policy of using administrative detention to punish P
alestinians the military labels a security threat.  
Currently there are over 1,000 Palestinians being held in administrative detention after having sec
ret
evidence used against them.  Administrative detention is an indefinitely renewable six months of ca
ptivity.  Many Palestinians have now been held in detention for years without any charge or knowled
ge of when they might be released.

After the ruling, a lawyer for the eight defendants requested a one-week stay on the deportations t
o allow time to file an appeal.  The request was denied.  

Two Israeli citizens were also arrested with one of the groups of activists.  Both were released wi
thout charge.  Some of the activists reported being kicked and otherwise abused while interrogated 
after the arrests and at least one was severely 
beaten after they stopped eating in protest two days ago.

For a picture of the eight in court please see our website: www.palsolidarity.org

For more information please contact: 
Huwaida: +972-67-473308 
ISM Media Office: +972-2-2774602


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http://www.gush-shalom.org/thewall/hebrew.html (òáøéú)
http://www.gush-shalom.org/thewall/index.html (English)

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