ISM Reports: Israel Refuses Bail To The Eight ISM Prisoners

1) Update / Appeal / ACTION ALERT
2) Press release: Eight peace activists threaten Israeli security
3) Letter from an Israeli prison cell
4) Notes from jail
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July 13, 2003
Friends,

No decision was reached today in the deportation hearing for the 8 imprisoned ISMers. The lawyer for the State asked for a postponement and according to our lawyers will push to make an issue about the ISM, seeking to have us declared "illegal". Therefore the deportation of the 8 peace activists will be on the basis that they are part of the ISM and less about the activity that they were arrested for. The next hearing date will likely be on Tuesday, July 15, but we were not given an exact time yet.

Also, the ISMers were NOT released on bail, the prosecution being adament about depicting them as "great dangers to state security." SEE THE PRESS RELEASE AT THE END

We're asking for your assistance in two areas:

1) If you can help us with some of the legal fees that we're incurring, please consider donating in one of the three following ways:

- Via paypal on our website

- Check or money order via our fiscal sponsors:
The Africa Fund
c/o Huwaida Arraf
1734 19th Street, NW #2
Washington DC 20009

- Bank transfer to the following account:
G & G & H & N (ISM)
Bank Hapoalim - Main Branch Tel Aviv 600
Account No. 360883
Swift HAPOALILIT
Palestine Investment Bank
76-411
Account No. 78266

PLease help us protest by writing to:

Mr. Abraham Poraz
Minister of Interior
By Facsimile: 972-2-5666376

SAMPLE LETTER:
Dear Sir,

Re: Imprisonment of 8 human rights activists

I have been informed that your office has ordered the arrest and
deportation of eight international human rights activists, who are now
incarcerated in Ariel Police Station, where they have been detained
since July 10 without any charges filed against them.

I kindly request you to release the eight human rights activists
from their prison cell .I kindly request you to cancel any deportation
proceedings being conducted against them. From the information we
have gathered from them and their lawyers, they were arrested solely
for doing humanitarian work in the West Bank, notwithstanding the
fact they were not involved in any violent action.

We are very much concerned about the imprisonment and deportation
of international humanitarian activists. It has been seen, time and
again, that the presence of an international observer subdues, if only
slightly, what is often the aggressive behavior of occupation soldiers
and settlers against Palestinian civilians.

Deporting non-violent human-rights activists can only give ammunition
to those who seek to ridicule and undermine the State of Israel.

I would kindly ask you to inform me of your decision, and will continue
to follow developments regarding this case.

Sincerely,

--------------------------
copies:
Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein, by Fax 972-2-6274481

Important:
After sending fax, confirm arrival of fax by the following numbers:
Ministry of Interior - 972-2-6701402
Attorney General - 972-2-6466521

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2)

INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
July 13, 2003

EIGHT PEACE ACTIVISTS THREATEN ISRAELI SECURITY
Trial postponed; Bail denied



[Tel Aviv] No decision was reached today in the case of the eight peace activists slated for deportation by the Israeli authorities. The prosecution asked for more time and the hearing was postponed until Tuesday July 15, though no specific time has been set yet. In addition, the 8 imprisoned ISMers were NOT released on bail - the prosecution, representing the state, being adamant on depicting them as "great dangers to state security." They were all transferred back to the Ariel settlement police station, where they will be held until the next hearing.


Israeli and international peace activists packed the Tel Aviv courtroom this afternoon, for a 1:30pm hearing, as the eight internationals were brought in. Lawyers for the 8 activists were: Shamai Leibowitz, Leah Tsemel, Gaby Lasky and Yoni Lehrnman. After approximately 5 minutes of proceedings, the prosecution asked for more time and the court was recessed. Advocate Shamai Leibowitz informs that the prosecution is looking to make this case more about the ISM and less about the individual activities of those arrested, seeking to deport the eight internationals based on their affiliation with the ISM.

Tobias Karlsson (SWEDEN)

Tarek Loubani (CANADA)
Fredrick Lind (DENMARK)
Bill Capowski (USA)
All arrested on Wednesday July 9 for sitting in a peace camp in Arrabony village near Jenin, to peacefully protest the confiscation of Palestinian land and the building of an apartheid wall, and:

Daniel Knutsson (SWEDEN)
Alex Perry (UK)
Saul Reid (UK)
Thomas Pellas (FRANCE)
All arrested on Thursday, July 10 for joining Palestinians in removing a roadblock that denies Palestinians the basic right of freedom of movement.



The State of Israel is grasping at straws in its attempt to brandish the ISM illegal. This strategy follows a list of efforts aimed at breaking the phenomena of international solidarity – from slander, denial of entry and deportations (approximately 60 in the last 15 months),to intimidation, physical threats, injury and even death. The Israeli government calls us a “threat to the security of the state”; Our most dangerous weapons are our eyes, ears, mouths and the truth.

For more information, please call:
Huwaida: +972-67-473-308;
Neta: +972-64-405-783
ISM Office: +972-2-277-4602

END

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3) Letter from an Israeli prison cell


The following are notes written by Canadian human-rights activist Tarek
Lubani, hand-written notes smuggled out of his Israeli prison cell, after
having been arrested by Israeli Army for doing humanitarian work with
Palestinians in a camp near Jenin:

July 10 2003 - 4 months 11 days for the man with ten kids who was charged
with driving a stolen car. Day 2 for me. It's easy to remain positive when I
know that friends and lawyers and perfect strangers all care about me being
released. The longest I'll stay is a few days or weeks. Palestinian
prisoners are some of the most easily forgotten victims of the illegal
Israeli occupation - out of sight, out of mind.

The man of 4 months and 11 days is forgotten by all but his family. What
does he share with them anymore? Nothing but memories.

10 July 2003 - Today, we woke up to the harsh flourescent 24-hour lights in
our prison cell. The light did not invite any of us to life. Nor did the
cold damp surroundings. We were not resting in our sleep but we were too
tired to be awake. The guards shrill screaming woke us finally, having to
bury through unconsciousness and lethargy in turn.

We were greeted with handcuffs and leg shackles before we got into a 1mX1.5m
compartment of a transporter. The four of us tried to be comfortable on
the tiny bench, but met only limited success. The time was 9:30 AM. Eight
and a half hours later, I barely remembered what movement without shackles
and handcuffs was like. We requested food for 2 hours before we finally got
some pastries, coca-cola and water. We requested our attornies no less than
a hundred times each. We refused to sign at least 2 Hebrew-only documents
and one English document.

Just before 6 PM we finally saw a lawyer. 30 hours had passed since our
original arrest. The lawyers were a breath of fresh air. They documented the
abuses against us and told us what would happen next. Their patience was
amazing. As predicted, the judge declared that she had no jurisdiction but
would grant an injuction against our immediate deportation. Lots of good
that will do! The government has constantly broken these injuctions and
illegally deported internationals. Still, it was a victory of sorts. Now we
sit back in Ariel, awaiting what comes next.

10 July 2003 - "A whole lotta of love!" He finally found a radio station he
liked and returned his hand from the dial while screaming along at the top
of his lungs. Now this was driving music. Zeppelin at their best. The van
barreled along at 150 km/h accelerating with the tempo of the Zeppelin. Oh
God. The part where the music screams, and he's screaming and going even
faster. In most other countries in the world, it would be a problem that he
had 4 shackled prisoners in the back seat and his police lights flashing. "A
whole lotta of love" Yoki (Jacob) could do this because he had three stars
on his shoulder. That made him the big man. Three stars allows you a lot of
privilege. When Tobias wouldn't hand over his passport, it was Yoki who
started beating him and nealy broke his arm. When I wouldn't sign
Hebrew-only papers without my lawyer, it was Yoki who said "When you mess
with me, you lose". As he drove like a madman, Yoki had our lives in his
hands, and we couldn't say a word. To say anything would have meant
punishment - no food, no blankets, no paper. Any one of these things. Maybe
all of them. And yet, Yoki remains completely unaccountable. He is part of a
system that promoted him, because of his childishness and instability, not
despite it. Nobody here talks about the man with three stars. To do so is to
subject oneself to a new world of pain. I can't help but wonder: If Yoki
beat us like this, what does he do to Palestinians who have virtually no
recourse to the brutality?
===================================

4) Notes from jail
(The following notes were passed to us during the hearing)



Behind these walls, I am finally free, for it is the just fight, and I am at peace. – Tarek Loubani

I’ll do my best to see ya all soon. Keep up the good work. All is well with me. No worries. – Tobias Karlsson

I know that whatever happens I will have justice on my side. Maybe the laws of this state are not with me, but they are shadowed by human morality. – Fredrick Lind

Hello all –
Free Palestine!
See you all soon!
- Bill Capowski




INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
www.palsolidarity.org