Rotem writes:

Dear Friends,  I have just completed an article (in Hebrew and English) calling for the release of imprisoned peace and justice activists Orr Ben David and Mohammad Othman. I have sent it to the three major Israeli newspapers as well as to you and other friends. Please distribute far and wide in hopes that it helps to bring about the speedy release of all activists for peace and justice in Israel/Palestine.

(Hebrew version is at:  http://bit.ly/5BJNSZ)

23/12/2009

For a Future without Prisoners

By: Rotem Dan Mor

Every week, as I return from lessons in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Rehavia I pass by the tent erected by activists in support of Gilead Shalit, the captive Israeli soldier. Each time I pass by and wish them good luck I am struck by the steadfast commitment to their cause while I am also, sadly, reminded of my own inactivity in the cause of my imprisoned friends.  For as the leaders of Israel and of Hamas (along with the press) are busy discussing the release of their combatants there are a few important prisoners whom have been neglected from the debate. These prisoners are those who have been imprisoned for taking a stand for peace and justice in Israel/Palestine. Amongst them are my friends Orr Ben David and Mohammad Othman both young, but experienced, activists for peace.

I have known Mohammad Othman* for many years due to our mutual engagement in the fight to bring down the racist barriers separating our peoples and our struggle for a joint future for Israelis and Palestinians. Mohammad is from Jayous, a beautiful agricultural village located in the Northern part of the occupied West Bank. The village has lost much of its land to the separation barrier built by Israel. Muhammad was arrested on the 22^nd of September at the Allenby Bridge as he was returning from a speaking tour of Scandinavia. He has spent the first 60 days of his arrest in isolation while enduring intensive and often humiliating interrogations and for the last 30 days has been under administrative detention without a trial or formal charges. In recent days two more Palestinian anti-wall activists Jamal Juma’ and Abdallah Abu Rahmeh have been arrested and held, like Muhammad, without formal charges. Alongside them in Israeli prisons are thousands of Palestinian prisoners many of whom have been sentenced for petty offences, if they can be called that, such as working in Israel to support their families, organizing civil protests, and taking part in Palestinian institutes and political parties.

I met Orr Ben David** when she was a 15 year old teenager while she attended an alternative summer camp dealing with social and environmental issues which I co-founded. Orr is now a 20 year old woman whom recently completed a year of voluntary service in which she taught arts to children. Orr has been imprisoned for refusing to serve in an army which oppresses another people as well as its own soldiers. She is presently serving out a 34 day sentence after already having spent 46 days in military prison. During her long prison stay Orr has been joined by other military refusers such as Wala Kasem and Idan Barir whom have also spent time in prison for their refusal to serve. In addition to the imprisoned objectors there are hundreds of other young soldiers imprisoned for such “crimes” as standing up to their abusive commanders, deserting in order to support their families, and refusing to cooperate with the military system whilst it is harming their physical and/or mental health.

As we live out day our daily life it is easy to forget about all those imprisoned in prisons far away from our eyes and hearts. This is true sometimes for our imprisoned friends and even more so when those prisoners are defined by our rulers as “enemies” or “terrorists” and never as human beings. This is why those dedicated people whom remind us daily that Gilead Shalit has been imprisoned far too long, at a great cost to his mental and physical health, are so important. Nevertheless, as we remember Gilead and work for his speedy release, and while our Palestinian counterparts work for the release of their combatants, we should not forget those whom are imprisoned not in the name of past and present wars but for a future free of them. These young people like Or and Muhammad, who have committed their bodies and souls to non-violent action for peace, justice and equality are the foundations on which we shall one day build a joint society for all of this land’s peoples. A society which will provide a worthwhile future for our children far away from the  armies, prisons and cemeteries of today and close to their friends and families, fruit trees and vegetable gardens, sports and recreation clubs, learning centers and nature.

The writer is a long time Israeli Peace activist, a student of Mid-East classical music (musicenter.co.il) and a guide for educational tours and encounters (jerusalemtours.blogspot.com).

* Mohammad Othman is a staff member for the Palestinian grassroots organization Stop the Wall (Stopthewall.org). For more info about his imprisonment: freemohammadothman.wordpress.com

**Orr Ben David is a conscientious objector and a member of the Shministim movement: www.shministim.com

In an article appearing on  Peace X Peace: Connecting Women for Peace, our American-Israeli friend Deb Reich talks about her friendship with Maha in Gaza, which appeared on the mailing list of two American peace workers Libby & Len Traubman (ltraubman@igc.org).  Deb writes to me:  “I hope someone will donate from this round of publicity via the Traubmans’ list; Maha’s second nephew, Yousif, is about to start with the bone marrow transplant thing followed by many months of expensive meds not covered by the PA or anyone else…”

(Note that it’s also possible to donate from the Peace X Peace site.)

Latest News, Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign, December 24th, 2009

Source: http://stopthewall.org/latestnews/2143.shtml

Today, 24 December, Jamal Jum`a underwent a hearing before a military judge at Moskobiyya Detention Center, in Jerusalem. Although Jamal’s interrogation over eight days apparently has finished, the judge granted the Israeli police and intelligence agency’s request to extend his detention for 12 more days of “investigation” before a scheduled second hearing.

This morning, the judge upheld the false premise of Jamal’s arrest as a West Bank resident, insisting that he is alien to his actual Jerusalem residence, because of his work in a Ramallah (West Bank) office. That makes Jamal the subject of Israeli military law.

The Israeli occupation authorities in Jerusalem are holding Jamal incommunicado, without access to his lawyer. Even the judge ordered the lawyer out of the courtroom while Jamal came before the judge. The Israeli jailers blindfolded Jamal in his only meeting briefly with his lawyer several days ago. They likewise blindfolded him when his brother entered the courtroom to see him briefly at this morning’s hearing. The judge refused to allow observes from European Consulates and the Habitat International Coalition from entering the court.

Jamal’s file remains “secret” and under no known charges.

In Counterpunch, Neve Gordon answers once and for all the daft question, “why haven’t the Palestinians established a peace movement like the Israeli Peace Now?”

Here’s an article on the same theme, by Amira Hass of Haaretz: Danger: Popular struggle. Hass also mentions the repressive tactics being used against Israeli demonstrators against Jewish settlement in Sheikh Jarrah (Jerusalem).

Also “Cracking Down on Peace”, a blog post on Palestine Note by Nadia Hijab

And: Israeli repression wave targets activists

And Jamal Juma’, coordinator of the Stop the Wall Campaign, in Israeli jail

And Haaretz editorial.