This morning British Airways announced the removal of its advertising billboard placed at the entrance to the settlement of Ariel. These billboards had been at the focus of a short but intensive campaign. Gush Shalom (the Israeli Peace Bloc) had been alerted to the placing of the billboards by activists monitoring settlement activity. Thereupon, Gush Shalom sent a letter to the British Airways administration, asking for the billboards removal, and informing its network of international contacts of the addresses where they could add their voice. Read more about British Airways removes billboards from settlements, following international campaign
Tom Hurndall, the British Photographer shot in Gaza while shepherding young children out of the line of fire, died last night at 7.45pm. His death came nine months after an incident in which he was shot in the head by an IDF soldier which left him in a vegetative state. The traumatic nature of his injuries has meant that at any time Tom has been vulnerable to serious infection and his death came after his body was unsuccessful in overcoming an episode of Pneumonia. At a hearing on Monday, a soldier arrested last week in connection with the shooting of Tom Hurndall, has finally been indicted on six charges. Read more about Tom Hurndall dies as family receive news of the indictment of his killer
A British peace activist shot in the head while observing the Israeli army in Gaza last year has died in hospital. Tom Hurndall, 22, of north London, had been in a coma since being shot in a Palestinian refugee camp. An Israeli soldier has already been indicted on six charges, including one of aggravated assault. Mr Hurndall was with the International Solidarity Movement, a Palestinian-led group which campaigns against Israeli occupation using non-violence. Mr Hurndall’s family now want a murder charge to be brought. BBC News reports. Read more about Shot British peace activist dies
A few days ago, an Israeli peace activist monitoring the situation on the West Bank noticed two large billboards placed at the entrance to the West Bank settlement of Ariel, with a conspicuous British Airways logo. The ads bear mock London road signs with such place names as “Buckingham Palace”, “Hyde Park” etc. and underneath them an ad offering cheap flights to London. Gush Shalom’s Adam Keller wrote the following letter to the management of British Airways. Read more about Gush Shalom protests British Airways advertising at Ariel settlement
Nablus has been under siege for the last 10 days while Balata refugee camp has been under siege for the last 18 consecutive days. We have just heard that every single entrance/exit to Balata has been sealed off completely. No food or medicine is allowed in. Medical relief teams are being obstructed and at times completely prevented from passing through. Activists from ISM (the International Solidarity Movement) were attacked while carrying out their missions to observe and bear witness on what the Israeli occupation authorities are brutalizing the Palestinian population. Read more about Act immediately to lift the siege off Nablus, Balata and Beit Foreek
We just come back from a fiery demonstration — in protest at yesterday’s shooting at peace activists. The story of the seriously-wounded Gil Na’amati continues to make headlines. The 22-year-old kibbutznik had to be raced to hospital after he lost consciousness because of his heavy bleeding. Bothlegs were operated on to remove bullets. Two weeks ago Gil finished his three years of military service. His father reported on TV that what he had seen and had to participate in at the roadblocks in the West Bank had led him to protest. A Gush Shalom press release. Read more about The day after the shooting of peace activists: A lot of fury, a lot of attention
In the early afternoon today, in the middle of a direct, nonviolent action against the Apartheid system of walls and fences in the occupied West Bank, an Israeli citizen was shot in his leg by soldiers of the Israeli army. Gil Na’amati, whom I hadn’t met until today, was on the front line of Israeli activists who went to the fence to cut it or break it down. I was a few meters behind him, watching the soldiers and helping to take care of the barrier of the road just behind the fence. Israeli student peace activist Dan Shohet recounts what happened. Photos by IWPS. Read more about An account of the shooting of Israeli protestor Gil Na'amati
Within a minute of the beginning of the action, IDF forces took up positions and began firing live ammunition in the general direction of the nonviolent protestors. Ignoring the Israeli aggression, the activists held their ground and continued dismantling the gate. During this time one Israeli activist, Gil Na’amati, was seriously wounded by Israeli gunfire. One American activist was also lightly wounded by shrapnel. Despite continued Israeli firing, protestors dismantled the gate’s locking mechanism and opened the gate. Read more about Israel shoots unarmed Israeli peace activist with live ammunition
A protest camp in Dir-Balut village is a joint Palestinian, Israeli, and international action against the Apartheid Wall. The protest camp was created on Friday the 19th, and will stay there till next Friday, January 2nd. The camp is located in the yard of the newly built primary school of the village of Dir Balut. The works on the new school were stoped by the occupation authorities, as the building stands on the path of the Wall, and is now due to distruction. Dan Shohet offers some details about the camp. Read more about Protest camp in Deir Balut village, Salfit district
Today 13 Israeli reservists from the Israeli army’s top commando unit, “Sayeret Matkal” announced they would no longer serve in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, reflecting growing unease with Israel’s occupation of Palestine. The reservists, including three officers, made their announcement in a letter to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. “Sayeret Matkal” is the top commando unit in the Israeli army. In September, Israeli pilots wrote a similar letter, refusing to take part in air strikes on Palestinians living in the occupied territories. Read more about 13 Israeli reservists from elite unit refuse to serve the occupation
