More harassment of non-violent resisters at Bil’in
Support the call for the release of Mohammad Khatib, a leader of non-violent resistance at Bil’in
This call comes from Faculty and Students for Israeli-Palestinian Peace-USA, FFIPP-USA
Building a stronger peace and social justice movement at home and in Palestine/Israel
[PS: Since FFIPP put out this call Mohammad Khatib has been released on stringent bail conditions, forbidden from participating in or even being in Bil’in on Fridays…]
Dear Friend of FFIPP,
We urge you to join FFIPP in calling for the immediate release of Mohammad Khatib, a leader of the non-violent resistance to the confiscation of land and the construction of the Separation Wall in the village of Bil’in. We ask the Israeli army to stop the harassment of Mohammad Khatib’s family and call for the release of all the innocent persons from Bil’in who were arrested by the Israeli army. See more information below from the Bil’in popular committee.
Mr. Mohammad Khatib is a friend of FFIPP who has met with a number of FFIPP faculty delegations to Palestine/Israel and students from the FFIPP Internship for Human Rights and Just Peace who visited Bil’in. We know Mohammad as a principled man who is committed to non-violence and joint international, Israeli and Palestinian struggle for just peace.
Please send email to His Excellency Shimon Peres, President of Israel, president@president.gov.il and CC Rafael Harpaz – Minister-Counselor Director of Public Affairs at the Israeli Embassy in Washington DC, info@washington.mfa.gov.il
In the UK send to David Miliband Foreign Secretary, and Ron Prosor Israeli Ambassador
lPlease send a copy of your email to His Excellency Barack Obama, President of the United States of America, http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
You are also encouraged to publish a copy of your email as a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.
Thank you.
Statement from the the Bil’in popular committee:
Bil’in village will hold a mass demonstration against the ongoing Israeli arrest and intimidation campaign on Friday, 14 August 2009 at one PM. Bil’in residents along with Israeli and international supporters will attempt to march to the village land beyond the Apartheid barrier.
At 2 AM on the 10 August 2009, Israeli forces raided the home of jailed member of the Bil’in popular committee, Mohammad Khatib. The heavily armed solders, their faces daubed with black paint, entered and “searched” the home now occupied by Mohammad’s wife, Lamya, and their small children. The soldiers then ordered Lamya to take them to the house of Khatib’s elderly father, Abdel Karim. Lamya repeatedly refused to cooperate. The soldiers proceeded to raid Mohammad’s father’s home and summoned him to appear for interrogation with the Israeli secret service (Shabak). While Abdel Karim was being interrogated by the Shabk the next day, an officer called his wife in front of him and threatened her with the arrest of her entire family.
The latest wave of arrests and Israeli night raids on the West Bank village of Bil’in began on 23 June 2009, To date, Israeli forces have arrested 25 people (most are under 18). Eighteen of the 25 remain in detention. Through Israel’s interrogation and intimidation tactics, two of the arrested youth have ‘confessed’ that the Bil’in Popular Committee urges the demonstrators to throw stones. With such ‘confessions’, Israeli forces then proceed to arrest leaders in the community, including Adeeb Abu Rahme and Mohammad Khatib.
Abdullah Abu Rahme, coordinator of the Bil’in popular committee, states that “While the Bil’in committee does encourage residents, Israeli and international supporters to take part in demonstrations, we call for non-violent participation. The occupation forces in addition to using excessive and sometimes lethal violence against us have planted undercover agents to throw stones from the demonstrations on several occasions. Mohammad Khatib and Adeeb Abu Rahme, along with other leaders of the Palestinian popular struggle, are being targeted because they mobilize Palestinians to resist non- violently. Israel is stealing our land from us and then prosecuting us as criminals because we struggle non-violently for justice.”
Mohammad Khatib will be taken in front of a military court this Thursday,13th August when the military prosecution will ask to prolong his detention for the duration of his trial. A similar request to hold popular leader Adeeb abu Rahme was granted by a military judge on July 21st. Adeeb has been in detention since his arrest during a non violent demonstration on July 10th. Both leaders are being charged with “incitement to damage the security of the area.”
Lamya Khatib, whose husband and younger brother, Abdullah, are both currently imprisoned at Ofer military base, states: ” It is obvious that the Israeli authorities will do all that they can to prevent Palestinians and Israelis from working together towards a just peace, but I know that Mohammed, Abdullah and I, and everyone in Bil’in, will continue our struggle for justice.”
Peace,
Yoav Elinevsky
FFIPP-USA Co-Director
413-687-2632
yeffippusa@comcast.net
www.ffipp.org
P O Box 2091
Amherst, 01004
keyword: bilinsolidarity