(Fwd) Update + request for protest re detained Mas'ha activists

Tue Aug 5 20:52:53 IDT 2003

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

Very little was heard during the past hours from the group detained in 
the early morning. After we first still had intensive phone contact with 
Oren Medicks and a few of the others, it afterwards simply died out. 
During the day, quite a lot of Israelis went to the spot - to be barred 
by the army - only seeing the bulldozers work. Nine of them, including 
Neta Golan, got arrested themselves, but all but one were released soon 
after. What seems to take so long is that the police tries to select 
"ringleaders".

Meanwhile, there is video footage, Reuters (+972-2-5370502) and still 
photos from freelance photographer Eyal Ofer (+972-55-369365 /  
www.pbase.com/yalop/masha ). [Ofer got closer than other journalists, and 
was shortly arrested himself.]

Here follows the ISM update and alert.

------- Forwarded message follows -------
Organization:   	International Solidarity Movement
From:           	"Huwaida" <Huwaida at palsolidarity.org>
Date sent:      	Tue, 5 Aug 2003 18:59:24 +0300

** OVER 45 HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS DETAINED TODAY, 5/8/03 **
AT LEASTTWO ARRESTED

DETAINEES ARE FROM PALESTINE, ISRAEL, U.S., U.K., ITALY, SWEDEN, FRANCE, 
DENMARK, JAPAN, IRELAND, GERMANY AND CANADA 

[Occupied West Bank] At approximately 7am this morning, Palestinian, 
Israeli, and international human rights activists were detained while 
attempting to block the demolition of part of a Palestinian family's 
home, near the village of Mas'ha. The building had been slated for 
demolition by the Israeli Military because it lay in the path of the 
Apartheid Wall that Israel is building on occupied Palestinian land.

The peace activists were violently thrown on busses by Israeli soldiers and border 
police. Two internationals were beaten; one, a US citizen from Los Angeles, was 
repeatedly kicked in the stomach and may have sustained broken ribs. Immediately, a 
Caterpillar bulldozer moved in to demolish part of the family home (an animal shed 
attached to the home).

Though it’s difficult to communicate with the detainees and we are unsure of the final 
numbers, the detainees we know of are from the following countries:

11 US
1 Canada
1 Japan
6 UK
1 Ireland
4 Sweden
1 Denmark
8 Italian
2 France
5 Israel
3 Palestinians

Detainees are being held at Ariel Prison in the illegal settlement of Ariel in the occupied 
West Bank. One Palestinian and one Italian have been put under formal arrest. The 
others, the Israeli Ministry of Interior is currently deciding what they want to do with. 
One option is for them to deport the internationals. To our knowledge, the Ministry of 
Interior has not yet issued a decision.

Please flood the Ministry of Interior with phone calls from around the world, asking that 
ALL the detainees be released. Let them know that you are watching and protest the 
Israeli government’s attempts to deport peace activists witnessing and trying to prevent 
abuses against Palestinian human rights. 

You can phone the Ministry of Interior at:
+972 2 670 1648

You can also flood Ariel prison with calls demanding the immediate release of all 
detainees. The best numbers to call are the officers but if they are unreachable, please 
call the General Info line.

Ariel Prison General Info:
+972 3 906 5444

Ariel Prison Officer - Ami Baran and Haim Fadlan:
+972 3 906 5406 or +972 3 906 5416

For some photos, please see:
http://www.palsolidarity.org/pictures/PHOTOS_5Aug03_09_19_35Qalqiliaism.htm http://www.palsolidarity.org/pictures/PHOTOS_5Aug03_10_02_37Qalqiliamas`ha2.htm For further information, contact the ISM media office on 972 2 
277 4602,You can also email the ISM office at info at palsolidarity.org, but re
sponses to email
may be slower.

INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT www.palsolidarity.org 

------- End of forwarded message -------