[GushShalom] 8 arrested, 3 to hospital after police disperses T-A Rafah protest

[Gush Shalom (Israeli Peace Bloc)]

8 arrested, 3 to hospital after police disperses T-A Rafah protest
Be at the court(s) Thursday morning, May 20 from 9am on.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We heard what happened in Rafah while preparing in the Gush office 
for the already announced Friday protest at the Gaza entrance. We 
couldn''t think of a more fitting reaction than sending out a call to come 
- once more - to the Defense Ministry for an immediate protest. On the 
way there, with our banners and shields, we felt rather futile compared 
with those on whose behalf we were going to protest: the  Rafah 
demonstrators in the middle of whom a helicopter gunship had sent a 
missile wounding dozens and among the ones killed several kids...

Still, the protest of some 250 - with besides Gush Shalom a very 
visible (and loud) presence of the dissident reservists  (Courage to 
Refuse) and the Anarchists - had more spirit than the mass rally some 
days earlier. People easily found each other in furious chanting and the 
blag flags were there again. Nobody was surprised when some of the 
young took the initiative of blocking the street. More and more left the 
sidewalk. Police who started coming, closed off the Kaplan road for 
traffic, but before they could isolate us we had started marching. 
Chanting while walking from the Defence ministry gate through the 
whole Kaplan street into Ibn Gvirol, and from there towards the Rabin 
Square. 

Reactions of passers-by were not unfriendly, and we nearly thought that the police for once decided not to show the usual behavior on this day of shame, but then suddenly they come from nowhere diving into the crowd and s
ingling some out for arrest. Gush Shalom spokesperson Adam Keller was the first -  seven polices dragged him, forcing him face-down on the street, and from seeing how they handled his arms and legs it seemed a miracle tha
t he afterwards was not among the three (out of eight arrested) who had to go to hospital. The others were treated no better:  Matan Cohen (wounded) , Yonathan Pollack (the "recidivist" anarchist), Elad Orian,  refusnik D
avid Zonscheine, Lezer Peled (wounded), Roni Avidov, Gal Chajad (wounded).

Some thirty demonstrators came to the police station, with two of them being able to function as lawyers (adv. Micheal Sfarad, himself a refuser, and activist advocate Yael Varda). After we had seen the wounded three hand
cuffed but on their feet coming out of the sstation to enter an ambulance, at 11pm the message came that the other arrestees would spend the night at Abu-Kabir (the Arabic name of this prison dating back to the pre-'48 pe
riod) after which the judge would decide what to do further.

Israelis who can, please come to the court(s) Thursday morning, May 20.  Six of the eight will appear before the Duty Judge in the Magistrate Court (Mishpat Hashalom) Weitzman Street where they can be expected to be heard
 from 9am on.
Matan  and Roni  will appear before a judge in the Juvenile Court (Shocken building), at about the same time. We hope that all will have the support of some friends and family.

NB:  later tomorrow - again opposite the Defense Ministry, Tel Aviv - at 6pm Peace Now intends to demonstrate for Get Out Of Gaza Now

GUSH SHALOM pob 3322 Tel-Aviv 61033
Phone:
Office: 03-5221732
Spokesperson Adam Keller 
03-5565804 / 050-6709603
www.gush-shalom.org - info at gush-shalom.org



--
http://www.gush-shalom.org/ (òáøéú/Hebrew)
http://www.gush-shalom.org/english/index.html (English)
http://www.gush-shalom.org/arabic/index.html (selected articles in Arabic)

with
\\photos of recent actions 
\\the weekly Gush Shalom ad 
\\the columns of Uri Avnery 
\\Gush Shalom's history & action chronicle  
\\position papers & analysis (in "documents")
\\and a lot more

N.B.: 
On the Gush Shalom website links for 
Articles and documents in German, French and Spanish

In order to receive Gush Shalom's Hebrew-language 
press releases mail to:
gush-shalom-heb-request at mailman.gush-shalom.org 
+ NB: write the word "subscribe" in the subject line.

If you want to support Gush Shalom's activities you can 
send a cheque or cash, wrapped well in an extra piece 
of paper to: 

Gush Shalom
pob 3322
Tel-Aviv 61033
Israel

or ask us for charities in your country which receive 
donations on behalf of Gush Shalom

Please, add your email address where to send our 
confirmation of receipt. More official receipts at 
request only.



--
http://www.gush-shalom.org/ (òáøéú/Hebrew)
http://www.gush-shalom.org/english/index.html (English)
http://www.gush-shalom.org/arabic/index.html (selected articles in Arabic)

with
\\photos of recent actions 
\\the weekly Gush Shalom ad 
\\the columns of Uri Avnery 
\\Gush Shalom's history & action chronicle  
\\position papers & analysis (in "documents")
\\and a lot more

N.B.: 
On the Gush Shalom website links for 
Articles and documents in German, French and Spanish

In order to receive Gush Shalom's Hebrew-language 
press releases mail to:
gush-shalom-heb-request at mailman.gush-shalom.org 
+ NB: write the word "subscribe" in the subject line.

If you want to support Gush Shalom's activities you can 
send a cheque or cash, wrapped well in an extra piece 
of paper to: 

Gush Shalom
pob 3322
Tel-Aviv 61033
Israel

or ask us for charities in your country which receive 
donations on behalf of Gush Shalom

Please, add your email address where to send our 
confirmation of receipt. More official receipts at 
request only.