ISM Activist Beaten Arrested While Helping Man

ISM Activist Beaten and Arrested While Attempting to Help Palestinian

15 Israeli Activists Arrested

Today, at 1:00PM, residents of Budrus, joined by internationals and at least 15 Israelis marched to protest the Wall and to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the second Intifada.

At approximately 3:00PM the ISM Media office received calls that a Palestinian non-violent protest organizer was badly beaten and arrested. A young woman from Germany, and ISM activist, attempted to come to his aid and was beaten and arrested by the Israeli soldiers.

In addition, at least 15 Israeli activists have been arrested. Unconfirmed reports claim several were also beaten while being arrested.

At the time of this report, eyewitness accounts have reported that the Israeli army is shooting live ammunition, rubber bullets and tear gas. A group of ISM activists have are attempting to reach the school. A detailed report will follow.

ISM Statement:

The International Solidarity Movement upholds the legitimate right of Palestinians to resist an illegal colonial occupation. This right is enshrined in international law and applies to all peoples under foreign occupation, including Palestinians.

In the last two weeks hundreds of Palestinians, and dozens of internationals, including Israelis, have protested non-violently the destruction and theft of Palestinian lands for the construction of the Israeli Apartheid Wall found illegal by the International Court of Justice.

The response to peaceful, non-violent resistance from the Israeli army and border police has been escalating violence in the form of beatings, arrests, tear gas, bullets and concussion grenades. Numerous injuries have resulted.

The Israeli government condemns violence and simultaneously brutally oppresses any form of non-violent resistance. In addition, the Israeli legal system criminalizes non-violent resistance and is targeting internationals, and especially Israelis who join Palestinians in their peaceful demonstrations to protest the Wall.

Please call or fax the officials below and demand the brutal repression of non-violent resistance and protest stop immediately and that all arrested Palestinians, Israelis and internationals be released without charges.

If you outside of occupied Palestine or Israel, please contact your local representatives and media channels.

For more information:

ISM Media Office: 972-2-277-4602 or 547-358-579 __________________________________________________________

Please contact one or more the following:

Ministry of Public Security, Gideon Ezra Kiryat Hamemshala P.O.B. 18182 Jerusalem 91181 Tel: 972-2-5309999 Fax: 972-2-5847872 Website: http://www.mops.gov.il/

Israel Police Website: http://www.police.gov.il

Israel Prison Service Hahistadrut 5 Jerusalem Tel: 972-2-6225222 Website: http://www.ips.gov.il

Ministry of the Interior, Avraham Poraz 2 Kaplan St. P.O.B. 6158 Kiryat Ben-Gurion Jerusalem 91061 Tel: 972-2-6701411 Fax: 972-2-6701628 Website: http://www.moin.gov.il/ (Hebrew) Ministry of Justice, Yosef Lapid 29 Salah A-din St. Jerusalem 91010 Tel: 972-2-6708511 Fax: 972-2-6288618 Website: http://www.justice.gov.il Ministry of Defense, Shaul Mofaz Kaplan St. Hakirya Tel-Aviv 61909 Tel: 972-3-5692010 Fax: 972-3-6916940 Website: http://www.mod.gov.il Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon 3 Kaplan St. P.O.B. 187 Kiryat Ben-Gurion Jerusalem 91919 Tel: 972-2-6705555 Fax: 972-2-6512631 Website: http://www.pmo.gov.il E-mail: pm_eng@pmo.gov.il

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