Remembering ISM Volunteer Vittorio Arrigoni, 1975–2011
Israel’s Lack of Interest in a Peace Process
Palestinian Olive Oil: Raising Money and Awareness
Tell Me, Who is the Terrorist?!
Remembering ISM Volunteer Vittorio Arrigoni, 1975-2011
By Paul Larudee, April 2011
The most vivid memory I have of Vik is of him with a big grin on his face as he clung to the bow of a Gaza fishing boat, bouncing precariously across the waves and waving a Palestinian flag while he bid farewell to those of us returning from a victorious effort to break the siege of Gaza in 2008. Vik chose to stay, along with nine others who re-constituted the ISM presence in the Gaza Strip, which had been closed to volunteers since 2003.
We tend to use the term “hero” liberally, but if we don’t use it in Vik’s case, the word has no meaning.
Vik was among the ISM volunteers who were in Gaza during the Israeli invasion of 2008-2009, in which around 1400 Palestinians (mostly civilians) and 13 Israelis (mostly soldiers) lost their lives. He was an independent journalist with a loyal following in Italy, so his voice carried far, and was important in mobilizing Italian support for Palestinian rights.
Like everyone who knew Vik, I was shaken to the core when I learned of his brutal killing, the first of an ISM volunteer at the hands of Palestinians. It made no sense. His captors supposedly wanted to trade him for one of their own who was in Hamas custody. Of what use was he to them dead?
It’s not that his death was not foreseeable. His kidnappers had to threaten to kill him in order to use leverage to get their man released. However, they allowed hardly any time for negotiation, and lost their only bargaining chip.
One explanation is that they never intended to exchange him and their real purpose was to rid Gaza of all foreigners. They were part of a xenophobic fringe that wants remove even the staunchest of solidarity supporters. Or perhaps they were Israeli tools – a black flag operation to make Palestinians look like savages and to decrease sympathy for them. But why kill him so soon? There was no advantage.
For those of us who know Vik, there is another explanation. He was a very kind and caring man, but powerfully built and totally disrespectful of both authority and his own safety. He does not make a good prisoner. This would explain the bruises on his face, along with the look of defiance in the final video created by his captors. It also explains why it included no spoken statement. Vik would not have cooperated, regardless of the consequences.
photo credit: Palestinalibre.org
It is possible that the kidnappers asked Vik to do something that he would not do, and that they went too far in trying to persuade him. Or that Vik simply fought back too much or tried to escape. This would not surprise me. We may never know what happened, but it seems likely to me that Vik’s own resistance changed him from an asset to a liability for his captors.
I know a lot of very brave people, but Vik was among the bravest. We tend to use the term “hero” liberally, but if we don’t use it in Vik’s case, the word has no meaning. Vik was proof that we always have a choice in our actions, even when strapped to a waterboard. I believe that Vik chose to die rather than cooperate, and that his noncooperation was as active as he could make it, under the circumstances. He defeated his captors, and that is why they had to kill him.
Paul Larudee is co-founder of the movement that took Vik and 43 others to Gaza by sea in 2008, and of the Free Palestine Movement, which will participate in the next Gaza Freedom Flotilla. The ISM has been flooded with applications following Vik’s death.
Israel’s Lack of Interest in Advancing a Peace Process
By Deppen Webber December 2010
To understand what is happening today in Israel/Palestine, one must know that all the land between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea, including occupied Palestinian territory, is ultimately controlled by Israel. All internal travel and travel to and from the country, including the occupied West Bank, is controlled by Israel, and the exit from Gaza to Egypt is extremely limited due to Israeli and American pressure. All trade is controlled by the Israelis. And Israel maintains this control with the fifth most powerful military in the world.
The Green Line, marking the borders between Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, is widely recognized by the international community as a starting point for any two-state peace agreement. Yet Israel continues to expand beyond the Green Line, making peace impossible.
Deppen with a member of the al-Kurd family in Sheikh Jarrah
Photo credit: Alex Matzke
The expansion is achieved by Israel in several ways. One method is the construction of large housing developments, or settlements, and the infrastructure associated with them. These are Jewish settlements within Palestinian territory. Only Jews can live in these homes.
Many members of the Israeli Knesset make no apology for such discrimination. In fact, one group of far-right ministers embraced the segregation in a recent letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu: “We, Likud ministers and Knesset faction members,” it stated, “express our opposition to the building freeze in the Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria.”
But religion not only determines which homes are available to a family; it also limits access to roads connecting them. A Palestinian behind the Green Line in Palestinian territory, whose community may have farmed this land for centuries, is forbidden to drive on the new roads. Any Jew from around the world, however, is encouraged to emigrate there, and often is paid by the Israeli government to do so.
Expansion is also achieved when Jewish settlers use biased courts to evict Palestinians from their homes in established Arab neighborhoods in occupied East Jerusalem. Here again, any Jew is welcomed by Israel to engage in this kind of activity and can do so with the full protection of the Israeli military. Hundreds of soldiers will come to observe a handful of young Jewish fundamentalists evict Palestinians, remove their belongings and begin to occupy the residence.
I recently visited the al-Kurd family in the Arab neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem. The family had lived in their home there for over 50 years. They have a deed issued from Jordan proving ownership of the property. But Israeli courts would not recognize the deed, and months ago armed young American and Israeli fundamentalist civilians physically evicted the family, including the 87-year-old great grandmother and her young great grandchildren. Israel sent soldiers there to protect the settlers as they removed the family and the furniture from the home in the early morning hours. Unfortunately, this has been going on for decades and the story is not unique to Palestinians throughout the West Bank.
Israel must either allow all Palestinians to have equal rights and a vote in elections, or withdraw from the occupied territories in order to establish a viable Palestinian state.
I also recently spent time in Hebron, where the military keeps busy protecting approximately 1,100 settlers in a city of approximately 100,000. In Hebron’s Old City, the ancient streets house a shrinking number of Palestinian businesses. Many of them have been closed by the military, the doors welded shut. The upper stories of the streets have been taken over by settlers who taunt and insult their neighbors. Metal fencing has been installed overhead to protect pedestrians from trash and debris thrown by Jewish settlers onto the streets and pedestrians below. These settlers are armed and all the while vigorously protected by young Israeli soldiers.
When Israel speaks of security, it has an expansive viewpoint. It isn’t merely referring to protecting itself from attacks on Israel proper, but about protecting settlers who chose to live in Palestinian territory for the purpose of expanding Israel and driving Palestinians from their land. Many regard such ethnic cleansing as divinely ordained. This perverse outlook perpetuates the conflict.
A meaningful peace process would quickly require a halt to these cruel and illegal activities. Israel must either allow all Palestinians between the river and sea to have equal rights and a vote in elections, or withdraw from the occupied territories in order to establish a viable Palestinian state with control over its own seaport, airports and borders. Tragically, Israel is not willing to do either.
Deppen is a volunteer with Norcal ISM and Media Coordinator of Free Palestine Movement. He plans to sail on the 2011 Freedom Flotilla to Gaza in May.
Palestinian Olive Oil: Raising Money and Awareness
By The Editor May 2011
On March 27, 2011, NorCal ISM held one of its most popular community functions, the olive oil bottling party.
The tradition began in 2003 and it binds the Northern California community in ways reminiscent of the way local communities are bound in Palestine. In both places, olive cultivation, harvesting, pressing and use are communal projects, where people eat and socialize together and renew their ties.
In Palestine, the community often owns the land, while individual families may own individual trees for hundreds or even thousands of years. An olive branch is the symbol of peace because such an offering is an invitation to plant and own something that will make the receiver a permanent member of the community. Trees are often given individual names, and become like a member of the family, outliving all the others.
The horror of losing such a precious possession is poorly understood by those who do not have the same attachment or sense of permanence. It is said that the king of Persia once asked a farmer why he was planting a tree that would not produce much fruit until after his lifetime. The response of the farmer was, ?hey planted, we eat. We plant, they will eat.”
Sadly, millions of these and other fruit trees have been destroyed by Israeli forces, in their ongoing campaign to rid the land of Palestinians and their culture. Nevertheless, Palestinians continue to plant for future generations.
NorCal ISM participates in this tradition by purchasing bulk olive oil, zaatar (thyme) and soap from Palestine fair trade producers. Fair trade costs more, but assures that the proceeds are reinvested in the communities and that the farmers receive a fair price. The quality is also the best organic extra virgin that Palestine can produce, and Palestine has been renowned for thousands of years for the rich flavor of its olive oil. We also buy kufiyyas (scarves) in both traditional and newer designs from the last Palestinian factory still producing them.
Our products are a wonderful way to raise money for the ISM in Palestine and to subsidize our volunteers who travel there. They also raise awareness. Our labels pull no punches about what is happening to Palestinians and their trees. They make wonderful gifts to friends and a memorable alternative to a bottle of wine.
Our products are now available on line at https://www.ism-norcal.org/shop/, and we can ship them anywhere, thanks to a line of shipping materials that keeps them safe. Thanks to all of you who participate with your time and energy at our bottling parties and to those who buy our products. If you would like to receive a notice of our next party, please write to solidarity@ism-norcal.org
Tell Me, Who is the Terrorist?!
By Inge Neefs April 2011
Two days ago, on March 22nd 2011, the Israeli army attacked a populated area in the Al-Shejaija neighborhood, east of Gaza City. Four days after the murder of two children in Johr Al-Dik, the Israeli army once again killed civilians, amongst them two more children. The latest victims of Israel’s war crimes are Yasser A’hid Al-Helo (15), Mohamed Jalal Al-Helo (10), Mohammed Shaber Harara (18) and Yasser Hamid Al-Helo (55).
At approximately 3 pm, Israeli tanks, positioned along the border, hit Al-Nazzaz street, 2 km from the border with four consecutive artillery shells. The first one hit Samer Walid Mushtaha’s house, destroying the upper floor. His wife, who was preparing dinner, had just gone downstairs and missed the attack by chance. The second shell hit vacant land nearby belonging to the Al-Helo family. The third one hit a group of children and older boys who were playing football near their houses, as they do every single day. 10 year old Mohamed Jalal Al-Helo and 19 year old Mohamed Saber Harara were immediately killed and their bodies brutally dismembered. Ten more children and an adult were also injured by shrapnel. Three year old Yasser A’mer Al-Helo and six year old Ahmad Talal Al-Helo are currently in the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital with severe injuries.Yasser Hamed Al-Helo and his 15 year old grandson Yaser Ahed Al-Helo were opening the garage door to take out the car and rescue the wounded when they were hit by the fourth shell. They were killed on the spot.
Gaza homes, shelled by Israel
photo credit: Inge Neefs
This was the third attack on Al-Shejaija that day. At 10 am artillery fire injured one person and later in the morning another was reported to have been critically wounded by a drone strike.
Yesterday morning, Israeli military sources were quoted on Israeli radio as stating that one of the shells veered off and caused casualties. However, these four shells targeted a civilian area therefore civilian casualties were to be expected. According to witnesses, not one, but two different shells caused the deaths of these four civilians.
On Tuesday afternoon, the bodies of the four killed were brought to Shifa hospital in Gaza City in horrific conditions from the attacks. Ten year old Mohammed had been struck in the head by shrapnel, causing his skull to crack. Yesterday morning, an outraged and grief stricken crowd of people gathered at the morgue to carry the bodies to the mosque.
Today, the families set up mourning tents to allow friends and relatives to give their condolences. The outside of the houses are tattered with holes from the attack, while emotions boil over on the inside.
They play football there every single afternoon.. What are they who kill children!?
“Tell me, who’s the terrorist!? Who is killing innocent children? Who!? My little nephew’s head exploded! And many others are injured! Are you telling the world who the real terrorist is, are you?” Um Tarreq yells at me, infuriated by grief, anger, fear and sadness. Her cries blow me away and I answer her rage with tears that are rolling down her cheeks also. She was the first one to lay eyes on the horrible scene of dead and injured children and is the mother of one of the nine children that has been injured. Her son is still hospitalized awaiting surgery on his arm. They play football there every single afternoon, from 3 to 5, after school! What are they who kill children!?”
photo credit: Inge Neefs
Next to her sits another family member, she yells and then cries when she starts talking about what is happening. “I have all young girls at home and they are so afraid. They already killed children, in broad daylight! Yesterday during the day and at night drones and Apaches were out. And now there is this big drone hoovering over the neighborhood, you saw it? How can I protect my daughters?”
Since the 2nd Intifada, seven people of the Al-Helo family have been killed by Israeli attacks. During Operation Cast Lead, tanks shelled a house, killing Foa’d (55), his son Mohammed (25) and Mohammed’s two year old daughter Farrah. The bodies could only be evacuated after three days.
“I just wish you would tell the world we’re not terrorists. We’re just unlucky that we don’t have oil, otherwise the US would support the Palestinian cause for sure” says Ra’id Al-Helo, one of the family members.
Inge Neefs is a Belgian peace activist who was on board the Freedom Flotilla which tried to break the siege on Gaza. Inge has been living in the Gaza Strip for the past 5 months, working as a volunteer for the ISM (International Solidarity Movement)
The presence of activists reduces the risk of violence by extremist settlers and the Israeli army, and supports Palestinians’ right to protest the occupation, the apartheid wall, and illegal settlements. International solidarity activists engage in non-violent intervention and documentation, which is support that enables villages and individual activists to maintain their continued resistance.
For this year’s olive harvest we had a third of the volunteers that we had last year: no more than 20 at one time. This made it impossible to support the families in Nablus with their harvest to the extent we had promised.
Now that the harvest is over, our numbers have decreased significantly to an average of 10 total, with only 5 long term residents. It is so difficult with these numbers to maintain a basic presence in key the areas al-Khalil, Silwan, Sheikh Jarrah, and Jiftlik in the Jordan Valley, that it is an incredible strain to expend anyone for special projects, such as to live with families in need of a continuous international presence.
With increasing numbers of night-raids in Bil’in, Beit Ommar, and Silwan, and the regular violent destruction of Palestinian property by settlers, setting fires to fields or flooding villages with raw sewage, the International Solidarity Movement in Palestine is greatly in need of new volunteers present on the ground to support the Palestinian popular resistance.
Please join us!
London Beirut,
ISM Media Coordinator, al-Khalil
for more information: http://palsolidarity.org/join/