Tear gas, babies, Palestine, video activism

Some people may be offended by how I express myself in the following e-mail,
but I am speaking as I have found it.

The dramatic title of this e-mail would make Palestinians and those
Internationals who have been here before LAUGH, because what I witnessed
last night was NOTHING to what goes on here on a regular basis, but to me it
was and is an outrage.

The village of Ya'bad is deep into the West Bank, east of Jenin, and
unfortunatley for the 1000 plus residents, is also situated along a Settler
road. To 'protect' the illegal Israeli settlers, the Israeli military has
put a road block at the entrance of the village, forcing the people to find
an alternative road through olive groves, farmers' fields and farmyards to
reach the town of Jenin, where many work, go to school and Uninversity, and
of course to hospitals.

After almost a year of this situation, the villagers decided to try and
dismantle this road-block and asked for Internationals to be present to as
Observers. About 30 ISMers arrived from around the region.

Two of the Internationals were delegated to approach the soldiers to
negotiate. (Soldiers and jeeps had arrived almost as soon as the villagers
had gathered). The soldiers only responded by saying 'GO BACK TO THE
VILLAGE'. The people were already in the village.

Without any further warning, and with ABSOLUTELY NO PROVACATION (not a stone
was thrown) the soldiers then responded with tear-gas, A LOT of tear-gas.
One exloded at the feet of a young man from the US and he inhaled so much
gas he collapsed, he has internal bleeding and his face is badly scrathed.
Another Irish woman was badly bruised in the leg where a canister hit her,
and a yound Swedish woman was also hit on the head by one and was rushed by
the village ambulnace to the local Medical centre. Later there I filmed a
little baby of about 8 months, who was very badly affected by the gas, it
had landed in her back garden.

The soldiers continued firing tear gas and later sound bombs which are
terrifyingly loud, but the very brave Palestinian villagers stood there
ground, they were more concerned for the safety of the Internationals, while
also appreciating that our presence was the only reason the Army wasn't
using live ammunition.

As the Army jeeps and soldiers entered the village, everybody retreated, it
was dark by now and more dangerous. The attempt to disamantle the roadblock
had failed, but the villagers felt good that they had showed the might of
the Israeli Army that it would not be cowed, they would continue to show
their resistince to Occupation.

Now I want ask you who are reading this e-mail 'WHO ARE THE TERRORISTS?'
The longer I am here the clearer it becomes to me. THE ISRAELI MILITARY
STATE IS THE TERRORIST. They are inflicted terror where ever they go, but
the Palesinian people are only made stronger by every degrading humiliation
they suffer.

I stooos in line at a checkpoint for two hours yesterday, in order to get
out of Nablus and up to Jenin. Neither of these towns are anyway near the
Israeli border. I saw young students laughing and joking, old men and women
looking weary and resigne, mothers cradling babies who cried and fretted
under the scorching sun.

I too fretted and complained, I was hot, thirsty and tired, my feet were
killing me. PALESINIANS FACE THIS TWICE A DAY, EVERY DAY IN TOWNS AND
VILLAGES ACROSS WEST BANK. I saw many young men turned back.

Many of us were outraged at the torture and humilitation being carried out
by US and British soldiers in Iraqi jails. Why were we not outraged at
Israelis when they have been doing the same but worse, for years and years
and years in their jails and detention centres?

I try not to absorb the propaganda of the Western media but when you hear
the same story again and again, year in year out, Hamas, al Aqsa Brigade
equated with Terrorism........ But hasn't a nation a right to repel
invaders, to fight to have their country back?

Israel INVADED Palestine in 1967 and they are still here, an OCCUPYING
MILITARY POWER.
Look what happened when Sadaam Hussein invaded Kuwait. Why is it different
for ISRAEL?

This is what Palestinians ask me - why do your Governments support Israel
when they are breaking the many Geneva Convention and UN Resolutions over
and over.

I have no answer.

I am ashamed.