31/05/14: SFP states – We are returning

At approximately 11:00am on Saturday 31 May refugees from across the northern West Bank, supported by SFP, attempted to return to their villages and land in 1948 Palestine. SFP led the march of return, which activists stated is the beginning of the end of the Nakba. Activists surprised the Army at a checkpoint to the north of Tulkarem, but the Army attacked with a barrage of tear gas, rubber coated steel bullets and live ammunition. Dozens of activists were treated for suffocation and several were transferred to hospital. But their determination remained strong, that they would continue to return home.

The action comes shortly after Palestinians around the world marked 66 years of the Nakba (known as “the catastrophe” in English), when Palestinians were forcible expelled from their homes by Zionist militia. A policy of ethnic cleansing that continues to this day as Apartheid Israel continues to expel native Palestinians from their land.

Activists stated:
Today marks the end of the Nakba. The refugees are coming home. We have waited 66 years and the implementation of the numerous UN Resolutions by the World to return to our land. No Government or militia can stop us taking our rights. We will return the way we came, on foot with our possessions on our backs.

Activists also went on to say:
We invite Palestinians everywhere, and those that believe in freedom and justice, to join us and head to the Apartheid Wall. It is time to tear down Apartheid.

Approximately 250 Palestinians, accompanied by international supporters, attempted to reach their lands. They came from refugee camps across the Northern West Bank, and varied in gender, age and backgrounds. United in one message “we are returning”.

For more photos and video footage please click here.

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29/05/14: Settler terrorists attack Burin

On Thursday 29 May Jewish terrorists from the illegal settlement of Bracha attacked the village of Burin injuring Abu Morsi, a elderly member of the village council. Abu Morsi required hospital treatment for injuries including suffocation from tear gas inhalation.

As is the norm for the citizens of Burin as the illegal settlers attacked they were accompanied by Israeli Army who fired a barrage of tear gas and stun grenades at villagers who bravely tried to defend against the terrorists.

Burin is surrounded by the illegal settlements of Yitzhar and Bracha, home to some of the most extreme Jewish terrorists. They regularly attack villagers, Palestinian property and burn precious village olive trees. SFP supports the village of Burin in their resistance against this terrorism. However, we ask all people around the world to abide by the Palestinians call for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Apartheid Israel. To find out how to boycott please click here.

هاجم عدد من مستوطنين من مستوطنة براخا قرية بورين جنوب نابلس حيث دارت اشتباكات بين المواطنين و المستوطنين قبل ان يتدخل الجيش و يبدا باطلاق وابل من الغاز المسيل لدموع و قنابل الصوت حيث استمرت الاشتباكات لما يقارب الساعتين اصيب خلالها عضو مجلس قروي بورين وليد عيد (أبو مرسي ) بحالة اختناق جر اء استنشاقه للغاز نقل على اثرها الى مستشفى رفيديا بمدينة نابلس

والجدير بالذكر ان قرية بورين تعاني من اعتداءات مستمرة من قبل المستوطنين و الجيش حيث يحط قرية بورين اسوء المستوطنات في الضفة الغربية مستوطنتين براخا و يتسهار

حركة التضامن من اجل فلسطين حرة تدعم قرية بورين و جميع القرى التي تتعرض لاعتداءات من قبل الاحتلال الاسرائيلي و تدعو المواطنين في فلسطين و خارج فلسطين مقاطعة هذا الاحتلال الغاشم

 

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33 days on hunger strike – families of detainees share their pain

As Palestinian detainees complete their 33rd day on hunger strike, Basel Farraj, son of one of the detainees shares with us his families pain:

My father has entered his 26th day on hunger strike with only water in his body, along with other Palestinian prisoners of freedom (most of whom have entered their 33rd day), in protest against the use of administrative detention by the Israeli occupation. This unlawful use of administrative detention allows the Israeli occupation to hold Palestinian prisoners indefinitely based on “secret information”, without charge and without trial.

I am certain that my father’s strong will and determination, his love for life and freedom, his longing for our small garden and its flowers, the memories he has of his family and the memories he wants to share with all of us are guiding him through this righteous fight. Justice will prevail.

This interview with my dad was recorded in 2011. Since then, he has been arrested twice under administrative detention and has participated in two hunger strikes.

 

 

 

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Qassam Najjar sings for prisoners – Water and Salt

Qassam Najjar accompanied by children from his village of Burin, has released a song in honour of detainees on hunger strike against their internment by Apartheid Israel without charge or trial. The song entitled ‘Water and salt’ represents all the detainees have had since starting their hunger strike on 24 April 2014.

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24/05/14: SFP Hebron demonstrates in support of prisoners in Fawwar

On Saturday 24 May activists from SFP joined the popular resistance in Hebron to demonstrate against the Occupation and the policy of administrative detention of Palestinians near Fawwar refugee camp. Activists were attacked by the Army with tear gas and rubber coated steel bullets. SFP member Imad Abu Shmssih was fired at and hit with a rubber coated steel bullet in his leg and transferred to hospital. We are pleased to say he has been discharged from hospital and is recovering at home.

Activists were facing the Occupation to demand the release of over 100 Palestinian political prisoners held without charge or trial. The detainees are now on their 31st day on hunger strike, launching the open ended strike one month ago. The use by Apartheid Israel of interning Palestinians without charge or trial is in direct violation of international law, which states the practice must only be used in limited circumstances and for limited periods. Some detainees have had their internment orders renewed several times (they are required under Israeli Military law to appear before a judge every 6 months), and have no hope of defending themselves as the ‘evidence’ presented against them is kept secret from them and their lawyers.

In 2012 an mass hunger strike was announced by Palestinian political prisoners peacefully protesting their internment and conditions. In an agreement with the Occupation to end the strike, Apartheid Israel agreed to limit the use of administrative detention. This was promptly renegaded upon by the Occupation, which began interning Palestinians again.

There are currently over 120 detainees on hunger strike, and they are determined to withstand the terrorism of Apartheid Israel. Detainees have stated their hunger strike will not end until Apartheid Israel agrees to end the use entirely of administrative detention in line with international law. SFP encourages people who believe in freedom and justice to abide by the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Apartheid Israel. To find out how to boycott please click here. In addition, we particularly ask that activists work towards actions related to the British/Dutch firm G4S, which supplies much of the prison infrastructure used by Apartheid Israel. For more details on G4S and the Stop G4S campaign in the UK please click here.

فلسطين -الخليل1-6-2014. شارك نشطاء حركة التضامن الدولية من اجل فلسطين حرة في فاعلية تضامن ودعم للاسرى المضربيعن عن الطعام في سجون الاحتلال, حيث

أصيب 5 بحالات اختناق وأغماء نتيجة لأطلاق الغاز بشكل مكثف ضد المتظاهرين سلميا وتم نقل عماد ابو شمسية من نشطاء حركة التضامن من اجل فلسطين حرة الى المستشفى نتجية تعرضة لأصابة مباشرة في القدم اليمنى.حيث قامت قوات الاحتلال الصهيوني بقمع مظاهرة سلمية بالقوة وذلك بعد استخدام قنابل المسيلة لدموع وقنابل الصوت بشكل مكثف حيث تم تنظيم المظاهرة في الشارع الالتفافي في منطقة مخيم الفوار شرق الخليل دعماً وتأيداً للاسرى المضربين عن الطعام في سجون الاحتلال الاسرائيلي لليوم 31 على التوالي, وخاصة الاسرى الادارين والذي يشكل اعتقالهم مخالفة للقانون الدولي.

وتأتي هذه المسيرات والاعتصامات ضمن سلسلة فعاليات تهدف الى الضغط على اسرائيل في من اجل اغلاق ملف الاعتقال الاداري والتعامل مع الاسرى الفلسطينين كأسرى حرب واحترام الاتفاقيات الدولية الموقعة بخصوص اسرى الحرب.

 

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23/05/14: Dignity is my freedom

A Palestinian Red Crescent volunteer shares with us a small glimpse of the everyday harassment Palestinians suffer. It is perhaps not an example that will be deemed newsworthy, but shows the endemic racism Palestinians suffer everyday. Far from being isolated acts of criminality, as Apartheid Israel likes to portray, Palestinians endure a degrading, dehumanizations at the hands of Apartheid Israel and it’s illegal settlers. Here is one story:

Something happened to me today and I wanted to share it with you as it really bothered me. I was going to Nablus with my father. We got out of the taxi at Za’tara checkpoint. I crossed the road to pass through the checkpoint and was walking normally. Some settlers were standing where we were walking last. It was myself, my father and another man.

One of the settlers started to talk to me in Hebrew. His voice sounded angry. I said “OK” and just ignored her. Then she followed me and stopped me as I was walking. Other settlers then came and surrounded me and started shouting at me because they didn’t want me to pass in front of them.

My father was scared for me and grabbed my hand and dragged me, telling me to “just ignore them”, and we crossed the road from the other side.

I couldn’t ignore them but also I couldn’t fight and tell them this is our land not yours. I felt helpless. I was so frustrated. Someone had come and told you, you’re not allowed to pass from here, this is mine.  But this is my land not there’s.

ﻣﺴﺘﻮﻃﻨﻴـــﻦ ﻭ ﻣﺎ ﺍﺩﺭﺍﻙ ﻣﺎ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺘﻮﻃﻨﻴـــﻦ

ﺣﺎﺩﺛﺔ ﺣﺼﻠﺖ ﻣﻌﻲ ﺍﻟﻴﻮﻡ .. ﻭ ﺍﺯﻋﺠﺘﻨﻲ ﺟﺪﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍ

ﻛﻨﺖ ﻣﺮﻭﺡ ﺍﻟﻴﻮﻡ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻧﺎﺑﻠﺲ ﻭ ﻧﺰﻟﻨﺎ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺴﻴﺎﺭﺓ

ﻋﻨﺪ ﻣﺨﺼﻮﻡ ﺯﻋﺘﺮﺓ

ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻢ ﻗﻄﻌﺖ ﺍﻟﺸﺎﺭﻉ ﻭ ﻣﺸﻴﺖ ﻋﺎﺩﻱ .. ﻛﺎﻥ ﻓﻲ

ﻣﺴﺘﻮﻃﻨﻴﻦ ﻭﺍﻗﻔﻴﻦ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﻤﻮﻗﻒ

ﻛﻨﺖ ﺍﻧﺎ ﻭ ﺍﺑﻮﻱ ﻭ ﻛﻤﺎﻥ ﺻﺎﺣﺐ.. ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻢ ﻭﻗﻔﺖ

ﻭﺣﺪﺓ ﻣﺴﺘﻮﻃﻨﺔ ﻗﺎﻝ ﻭ ﻫﻲ ﻣﻌﺼﺒﺔ ﺑﻠﺸﺖ ﺗﺨﺮﺑﺶ

ﺑﺎﻟﻌﺒﺮﻱ ﻭ ﻣﻦ ﻫﺎﻟﻜﻢ ﻛﻠﻤﺔ ﺍﻟﻲ ﺑﻌﺮﻓﻬﻢ ﻓﻬﻤﺖ ﺍﻧﻬﺎ

ﺑﺘﺤﻜﻲ ﺍﻧﺘﻮﺍ ﻟﻴﺶ ﻣﺎﺷﻴﻴﻦ ﻣﻦ ﻫﻮﻥ ﻫﺎﻱ ﻃﺮﻳﻖ

ﻟﻠﻴﻬﻮﺩ ﻭ ﺑﺲ

ﺍﻧﺎ ﻗﻠﺘﻠﻬﺎ ﻃﻴﺐ ﻭ ﻣﺎ ﺍﻋﻄﻴﺘﻬﺎ ﺍﻫﻤﻴﺔ ﻭ ﺿﻠﻴﺖ

ﻣﺎﺷﻲ … ﺍﻻ ﻫﻲ ﺑﻨﺖ ﺍﻟﻜﻠﺐ ﻟﺤﻘﺘﻨﻲ ﻭﻗﻔﺘﻨﻲ ﻭ

ﺍﺟﺎ ﻛﻤﺎﻥ ﻣﺴﺘﻮﻃﻨﻴﻦ

ﺻﺎﺭﻭﺍ ﻳﺼﺮﺧﻮﺍ ﻭ ﻣﺎ ﺑﺪﻫﻢ ﻳﺨﻠﻮﻧﻲ ﺍﻗﻄﻊ 10 ﻣﺘﺮ

ﺑﺲ ﻣﻦ ﺟﻨﺒﻬﻢ

ﺍﻧﺎ ﻣﺎ ﻋﺮﻓﺖ ﺍﻃﻨﺶ ﻭ ﺍﺗﻘﺎﺗﻞ ﻣﻌﻬﻢ ﻭ ﻻ ﺍﻗﻮﻟﻬﻢ ﻻ

ﻫﺎﻱ ﻟﻠﻔﻠﺴﻄﻴﻨﻴﺔ ﻣﺶ ﺍﻟﻜﻢ

ﺍﺑﻮﻱ ﺧﺎﻑ ﻋﻠﻲ ﺳﺤﺒﻨﻲ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻳﺪﻱ ﻭ ﻗﻠﻲ ﺍﺧﺘﺼﺮ

ﺷﺮ ﻳﺎﺑﺎ ﻭ ﺍﻗﻄﻊ ﺍﻟﺸﺎﺭﻉ ﻭ ﺭﺩﻳﺖ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ

ﺷﻌﻮﻭﻭﺭ ﻣﺰﻋﺞ ﺟﺪﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍ ﻟﻤﺎ ﺗﻜﻮﻥ ﻓﻲ ﺑﻠﺪﻙ ﻭ ﻳﻴﺠﻲ

ﺣﺪ ﻳﻘﻮﻟﻚ ﻣﻤﻨﻮﻉ ﺗﻤﺮ ﻣﻦ ﻫﻮﻥ ﻫﺎﻱ ﺍﻟﻨﺎ

ﺍﻱ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻳﻠﻌﻦ ﺍﺑﻮﻫﻢ ﻛﻼﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺏ

 

This is just one of so many examples of the everyday racism and harassment Palestinians suffer. SFP asks everyone around the world to join the Palestinians request for boycott, divestment and sanctions of Apartheid Israel. To find out how to boycott please click here.

Dignity is our freedom

 

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22/05/14: Singing for freedom

On Thursday evening SFP Nablus and children from Burin village joined singer Qassam Najjar in singing for freedom for Palestinian detainees, now on their 29th day on hunger strike. The children handed out water and salt to passersby to raise awareness of the suffering of the detainees.

Qassam Najjar, I well known Palestinian political singer, joined the children in leading a song to raise awareness of the plight of Palestinian detainees, which is due to be released shortly.

More than 100 Palestinian detainees are on hunger strike, protesting against their illegal internment without evidence or trail by Apartheid Israel. Many of the detainees have now been transferred to hospital and Yasser Badrasawi, from Balata refugee camp in Nablus, is said to be vomiting blood.

On Wednesday, Palestinian political prisoners and leaders Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Saadat joined the detainees in a solidarity hunger strike.

SFP encourages people who believe in freedom and justice to abide by the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Apartheid Israel. To find out how to boycott please click here. In addition, we particularly ask that activists work towards actions related to the British/Dutch firm G4S, which supplies much of the prison infrastructure used by Apartheid Israel. For more details on G4S and the Stop G4S campaign in the UK please click here.

اطفال من بورين يزورون خيمة التضامن مع الاسرى وينشدون اغاني الحريه للاسرى المضربين عن الطعام …قام اطفال من قريه بورين بزياره خيمة التضامن مع الاسرى في نابلس وفي مقدمتهم الفنان المغني قاسم نجار من بورين  حيث نشد وا الاطفال اغاني للاسرى وللحريه  وبعد ذلك توجه الاطفال  لتوزيع مي وملح وهو ما ييتناوله الاسرى المضربين عن الطعام  وقد قال الفنان قاسم النجار انهم بصدد اطلاق اغنيه للتضامن مع الاسرى  بمشاركه الاطفال

Water and Salt – please tweet using this hashtag to show your support

Children from Burin showing their support for detainees in Nablus

Children rallying for hunger strikers

Children in the prisoner solidarity tent set up in the centre of Nablus

Children and SFP showing their support for prisoners

Handing out salted water to raise awareness #waterandsalt

#waterandsalt

Singer Qassam Najjar with the children

Qassam Najjar, singing for prisoners

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22/05/14: Burin under siege

On Thursday morning, at around 10am, several jeeps invaded the village of Burin, just south of Nablus, firing a barrage of tear gas and sound bombs. The Army harassed residents, preventing movement on a working day, also invading several homes searching and questioning residents. At the time of writing there are still checkpoints surrounding the village limiting movement.

Due to the unity of the village against such attacks by the Army and settlers, the Army target the village for daily harassment. Over the past few days alone several young people’s homes have been targeted for invasions by the Army, in an attempt by the Occupation to intimidate and quell their human rights defending work.

Burin is surrounded by the illegal settlements of Yitzhar and Bracha, home to some of the most violent Jewish terrorists. SFP encourages people to abide by the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Apartheid Israel, holding it to account for its crimes committed against Burin and all of Palestine. To find out how to boycott please click here.

اقتحمت قوات الاحتلال الاسرائيلي قرية بورين جنوب مدينة نابلس حيث دارت اشتباكات بين الجنود و المواطنين حيث استمرت ما يقارب الساعة حيث قام الجنود باطلاق وابل من قنابل الغاز و الصوتيه على المواطنين والجدير بالذكر ان بورين تعاني من اعتداءات مستمرة من قبل المستوطنين و الجيش حيث يحط قرية بورين اسوء المستوطنات في الضفة الغربية مستوطنين براخا و يتسهار حركة التضامن من اجل فلسطين حرة تدعم قرية بورين و جميع القرى التي تتعرض لاعتداءات من قبل الاحتلال الاسرائيلي و تدعو المواطنين في فلسطين و خارج فلسطين مقاطعة هذا الاحتلال الغاشم

 

22/05/14: Illegal settlers and Army storm Balata refugee camp

In the early hours of Thursday morning a large force of Israeli Army invaded the eastern area of Nablus near Balata refugee camp. The Army accompanied hundreds of illegal Jewish settlers who came to perform religious rites at Joseph’s Tomb, just outside Balata camp. As the youth of the camp tried to defend against the invasion the Army fired dozens of rounds of tear gas, stun grenades and rubber coated steel bullets. A young man was injured in the head and foot with the bullets and dozens suffered suffocation as a result of the tear gas fired at their homes. Mohammad Mizher was also arrested by the Army during the invasion.

Illegal settlers, supported by the Israeli Army, regularly invade the area around Balata refugee camp to pray at Joseph’s tomb. This is at the same time that the refugees of Balata, now numbering some 30,000, have been denied their legal right to return since they were forcibly expelled from their homes in 1948. In addition, despite facilitating the illegal invasion to religious sites by illegal settlers, the Israeli Army regularly deny access to Al Aqsa Mosque to Palestinians in Palestine’s occupied capital, East Jerusalem.

Despite the constant harassment the refugees of Balata suffer, they are strong in their message that while they are unable to return to their homes and freely worship at their holy sites, they will not tolerate the violent invasions from the Occupation.

اقتحمت قوات الاحتلال صباح اليوم المنطقة الشرقية من مدينة نابلس بهدف اقامة شعائر دينية للمستوطنين في منطقة مقام سيدنا يوسف , وقامت قوات الإحتلال بإقتحام مخيم بلاطة ومنطقة بلاطة البلد في المدينة لحماية المستوطنين , حيث قام الشبان برشقهم بالحجارة والزجاجات الفارغة ورد الاحتلال بإطلاق قنابل الصوت وقنابل الغاز والرصاص المطاطي مما ادى الى اصابة شاب في رأسه وقدمه بالرصاص المطاطي وعشرات حالات الاختناق نتيجة استنشاق الغاز المسيل للدموع .

 اعتقال شاب اسمو محمد مزهر اثناء المواجهات

21/05/14: Nablus demands justice for Rachel Corrie

On Wednesday 21 May activists from SFP gathered in the centre of Nablus to demand justice for Rachel Corrie, murdered by the Israeli Army in 2003. Rachel’s family were back in an Israeli Apartheid Court on Wednesday, appealing against last years decision to dismiss their civil suit against the State of Israel for death. Activists also added their voices to the growing chorus of people around the world demanding the UN investigate the cold blooded killing of two Palestinian children at Ofer military court on 15 May by the Israeli Army, after CCTV footage was released of the murders.

Cindy and Craig Corrie have been fighting for justice for their daughter since she was murdered by an Israeli Army bulldozer while trying to protect a Palestinian doctors home in Rafah, the Gaza Strip in 2003. Nine years after filing a civil suit against the State of Israel for the wrongful death of Rachel, her family had their appeal heard before the Israeli Supreme Court today. The appeal challenges the Haifa District Court’s August 2012 ruling which concluded that the Israeli military was not responsible for Rachel’s death and that it conducted a credible investigation. This was despite photographic and witness testimonies showing Rachel was clearly visible to the bulldozer driver.

Nadeem Siam Nawara (17 years old) and Mohammad Mahmoud Odeh (16 years old) were murdered while participating in a Nakba commemoration demonstration at Ofer Military Court on Thursday 15 May 2014. CCTV footage, released by the NGO DCI-Palestine, clearly shows the two children posed no immediate threat to the Army and were murdered in cold blood. Since the release of the footage even the US State Department, usually staunchly behind Israel, has demanded that Apartheid Israel undertakes a credible investigation into the murders.

However, as Rachel’s family have discovered with their relative privelege of USA passports, a credible investigation and justice is unlikely based on Apartheid Israel’s record. Even less likely if the person is Palestinian. SFP supports the call by numerous Palestinian associations that the Palestinian Authority seeks the jurisdiction the the International Criminal Court, in order to pursue Apartheid Israel for its war crimes and provide justice for Palestine and the families of martyrs.

 تضامنا مع شهداء الحريه شهداء الانسانيه فقد اعتصم اليوم الاربعاء نشطاء المقاومه الشعبيه من حركة تضامن (sfp) امام خيمة التضامن مع الاسرى المضربين عن الطعام حيث ستنظر اليوم الأربعاء ، في الاستئناف الذي قدمته عائلة ناشطة السلام الأميركية راشيل كوري، على قرار المحكمة المركزية الذي برأ الجيش الإسرائيلي من المسؤولية عن مقتل الناشطة. – ووجه النشطاء رساله الى العالم والى كافة الملؤسسات الدوليه والحقوقيه بضروره محاكمه قتله راشيل وتوم هندورال والقتل اليومي للاطفال الفلسطينيين دون مبرر وطالبوأ بتصعيد حملة المقاطعه الشامله للاحتلال الاسرائيلي (BDS ) ورحب النشطاء بموقف المتضامنين الدوليين في بريطانيا الذين شاركوا في التظاهره ضد زياره وزيره الخارجيه تسيفي لفنني

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