Action Alert Update: Budrus Arrests and Peace Activists Beaten

ISM Media Office
September 28, 2004

Action Alert Update: Budrus Arrests and Peace Activists Beaten
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Please call the officials below and contact your own representatives
and media
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International Solidarity Movement Activists Beaten

Palestinian Non-Violent Activist and German National Arrested

Israelis Targeted by Israeli Army


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.

Palestinian Non-violent Activist, Mansour was arrested and beaten.

A German national, Areane was also arrested when she joined a group
of internationals that tried to keep Mansour from being beaten and
arrested.

ISM activists beaten; Israelis and Palestinian Targeted for Arrest

According to ISM activists, about 20 internationals, Israelis and
Palestinian activist Mansour were rounded up by Israeli soldiers as
they attempted to leave the demonstration. The Israeli soldiers
told them they were all under arrest.

When Dave, an ISM activist from the United States, asked why they
were arrested the soldiers began beating him on the back and neck.
They then began beating Erik from Sweden and Kevin from Scotland.
All three ISM activists sustained injuries to the back and neck.
Kevin was also hit in the eye.

After the activists were hit, they were sprawled out on the ground.
They were told to stand and one of the soldiers spoke to Dave in
Hebrew. When he responded that he spoke only English the soldier
told him, "then get the *** out of here." At that point the Israeli
soldiers released all the non-Israelis and arrested Mansour, a
Palestinian activist and the Israelis.

According to Dave, it was clear that they were after Mansour and the
Israeli activists.

Please contact the officials below and demand that Mansour be
released immediately!

Demand that all arrested be released without charges!

Peace activists and non-violent protests can not be criminalized!
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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
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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 [at] pmo.gov.il

END