Palestine Freedom March Begins Friday!

Palestine Freedom March Begins Friday!

2. Roadblock Removal Ends in Violence: Three ISM Volunteers Injured

3. Israeli Army Invades Tulkarem Refugee Camp

4. Update on detained activist and ISM volunteer, Angelo Lazos

1.PALESTINE FREEDOM WALK July 30-August 19, 2004

The March Begins Friday!

Palestinians, internationals and Israelis will march along the path of the Apartheid Wall, beginning in the Jenin area, through cities, towns and villages affected by the Wall all the way to Jerusalem. The march will begin Friday, July 30 from the village of Zububa in the Jenin District and travel along the path of the Wall and will reach Jerusalem August 19.

On Friday the marchers will travel from Zubaba to Anin. They will be covering about ten kilometers. Saturday they will begin in Anin, they will walk about 9.5km from to Tura Ash Sharqiya on Saturday. The trip for the second day will be about 9.5km. On Sunday the march will begin in Tur Ash Sharqiya and travel 13km to Qaffin.

The march is being organized with villages along the route from Jenin to Jerusalem in order to highlight the serious problems the Wall is creating for Palestinian communities. Thousands of Palestinians have been impacted by the construction of the Wall recently ruled as illegal by the International Court in The Hague. The construction of the Wall has resulted in the confiscation of Palestinian land and water sources. Thousands of men, women and children have been separated from their families, place of work and schools and farmers have been unable to reach their farms. .

The marchers plan to cover 10-12 kilometers per day (6.2 – 7.5 miles per day). Occasionally, due to distances and terrain, some of the Wall will be covered by car or bus.

2. Roadblock Removal Turns Violent-Three ISM Internationals Injured

On Wednesday, July 28 at 6:00pm, Palestinians and Internationals attempted to remove a roadblock at the entrance to the village of Jabad, west of Jenin. When they arrived the Israeli Army was already at the roadblock and had set up razor wire in front of the entrance to Jabad. They began throwing sound bombs and firing tear gas canisters directly at the over 500 demonstrators in an attempt to disperse them. The demonstrators refused to leave.

The Palestinians and Internationals remained at the roadblock for two hours, negotiating with the Israeli soldiers in Hebrew, Arabic and English. The soldiers responded by aiming tear gas canisters at the demonstrators resulting in the injury of three ISM internationals.

A United States ISM volunteer was injured in the face when a tear gas canister exploded in front of him. He received multiple cuts and suffered tear gas inhalation. A Swedish volunteer was hit in the head and was also overwhelmed by tear gas. The third international, an Irish citizen, was hit in the ankle with a tear canister. All three were taken to the hospital and later released. A baby was also hospitalized for tear gas inhalation and then released.

It is clear that the Israeli Army was firing the tear gas canisters directly at the demonstrators which caused the injuries. The Army imposed a curfew on the village of Jabad last night and lifted Thursday morning, July 29.

3. Israeli Army Invades Tulkarem Refugee Camp-Forces Families From Homes

On Wednesday, July 28 at 3:00AM the Israeli Army invaded the Tulkarem refugee camp. They have been conducting house to house searches and destroying property as they search each home. Last night the Israeli Army ordered families to leave their homes and walk to the United Nations School at the edge of the camp. ISM volunteers report they are emptying the camp. There are no reports of arrests.

Latest report is that the Army pulled out of the camp Thursday morning.

4. Update on Detained Activist and ISM Volunteer, Angelo Lazos

Peace activist Angelo Lazos, a thirty-eight year-old lawyer from Italy was detained Sunday, July 25 at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport. He was returning to Israel/Palestine to join the International Solidarity Movement Freedom Summer Campaign which is focusing on the Apartheid Wall. Angelo has volunteered for ISM twice before and was told by the security forces when stopped at the airport that he would be deported.

Angelo resisted physical attempts to deport him on Sunday and Monday through non-violent, non-cooperation. He was able to receive phone calls on Sunday and participated in a press conference in East Jerusalem attended in person and via speakerphone by three other previously detained and/or deported activists. However, after Sunday's calls he was no longer able to speak with anyone except legal counsel.

Tuesday morning at 5:00am Angelo was put on a plane and deported back to Italy.

An increasing number of human rights activists, and especially those affiliated with the International Solidarity Movement, are being detained and barred from entering Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

© Scoop Media