Chroniques de Palestine et d'ailleurs- Resistances, human rights and photography: May 2007

Lundi 21 mai.

Retour à Artas afin de constater les dégâts sur le terrain.

Awwad avait prévenu la presse, mais nous n’étions pas beaucoup d’internationaux. Ce qui était censé être une simple visite sur le site s’est transformé en manifestation. Nous étions environ une quarantaine de personnes, dont de nombreux jeunes du village. Nous avons emprunté le chemin de la vallée, en chantant contre le Mur. Les soldats ont bloqué le chemin à deux endroits avec des monticules de terres et des pierres. Arrivée sur le site, mon cœur s’est serré en découvrant un trou béant à la place du champ rempli d’abricotiers. Ils n’ont pas perdu de temps pour marquer le paysage. Un bulldozer était au travail. Un homme du village, marhant vivement avec des béquilles, qui était en avant de la manifestation s’est dirigé vers le bulldozer avec une telle détermination que le bulldozer s’est éloigné.

Afin de filmer la scène ; les journalistes et photographes ont dépassé le bulldozer ce qui a déclenché la fureur des gardes privés du site. Ils se sont mis à courir, à hurler, à mettre en joue les journalistes et à tirer à quelques mètres de tout le monde.

Les journalistes ont hurlé à leur tour contre eux, avec les cameras comme seules armes de défense.

La plupart des manifestants se sont ensuite assis dans le champ. Les jeeps militaires n’ont bien sûr pas tardé à arriver. Certains soldats ont pointé de loin leurs armes sur nous, tandis qu’ils désignaient certaines personnes du doigt. Il était assez clair qu’ils voulaient arrêter des gens.

A ce stade la décision a été prise de retourner au village afin de revenir plus nombreux une autre fois. Alors que nous retournions pacifiquement au village en passant par les arbres, les soldats ont tout-à-coup dévalé la pente, suivi des gardes privés, et nous ont poursuivi. Ils ont alors arrêté un jeune Palestinien, puis provoqué un autre. Awwad, le leader, a essayé de s’interposer mais il a été mis violemment à terre. Les soldats ont emporté les deux jeunes, suivis de Awwad, des journalistes et photographes. Awwad a continué à essayer d’intercéder en faveur des jeunes. A la fin il a été appelé par les soldats et arrêté à son tour. Nous sommes restés sur le site, abasourdis par le niveau de violence utilisée par les soldats contre une manifestation pacifique et l’arrestation du leader Awwad qui nous disait encore la veille combien il avait en horreur toute arme. Nous l’avons encore aperçu les yeux bandés et les mains attachées avant qu’il ne soit amené par la jeep.

Nous avons commencé à appeler tous nos contacts et organisations. Aujourd’hui je viens d’apprendre qu’ils sont accusés d’avoir attaqué les soldats et que des pierres ont été lancées, ce qui constitue des mensonges éhontés. Les seules agressions ont été du côté des soldats et des gardes. Un avocat a été engagé. Je n’ose pas imaginer que Awwad va rester en prison et puisse être condamné, et pourtant c’est une éventualité, puisque résister est un crime.

Il est divorcé et a la charge de deux enfants. L’histoire de Artas n’est pas finie. Vendredi une manifestation est prévue.

ENGLISH

21/05/07

Non-Violent protest in Artas meets violent response and shooting at journalists from the Israeli army and security guards

(Report by direct witnessess)

Since last week, non-violent demonstrations against the confiscation of Palestinian lands and destruction of trees have been organized in Artas, a small village near Bethlehem.

For three nights people slept in the field to prevent the Israeli army to cut the trees and confiscate the land, allegedly to build a sewage system for the nearby settlement.

On Sunday morning, at 5.30 am, the army attacked the Israelis, internationals and Palestinian people staying in the field and violently kick them away. One bulldozer came and cut all the trees so that the sewage work can go ahead. During the afternoon, the villagers attempted to go back to the field to replant trees. The Palestinians, including information Minister Mustapha Bargouthi were severely beaten by the soldiers and removed from the field.

Today, people from Artas village, together with internationals and journalists went to the field to see the progress of the work and the damages caused by the bulldozers. The crowd sang against the wall and climbed on the top of a hearth hill to protest. The journalists were starting to film and to take pictures when some security guards shot at them several times.

The camera men shouted against the shootings, some of them putting their hands up. Meanwhile the protesters gathered in the field. Four Israeli military jeeps and the police arrived and some soldiers pointed their arms in direction of the people.

Then the leaders of the protest decided to go back to the village. While everybody was peacefully going back, the Israeli soldiers ran after the demonstrators, shouting and threatening them with their machine guns. They ordered some of the youth to come at them and arrested one.

Then one of the soldiers provoked one young Palestinian, pushing and shouting at him. The young man replied to the provocation by pushing back the soldier. The soldier then became very violent, beat him and arrested him.

Awad, the leader of the protest followed the soldiers when they were taken away the two young men but the soldiers beat him as well and put him on the floor to violently control him.

Then the soldiers went away with the two prisoners, still followed by Awad until the location where the Israelis built an electric generator. They closed the gate behind the prisoners. While Awad was going back to the village, the soldiers ordered him to come and then arrested him.

Then the three prisoners were taken inside the jeeps. Awad was seen blindfolded and hands tight before he was taken to a jeep that went away.

Then the bulldozers started to work again.

At no stage the violence was used by the protesters.

The names of the three Palestinians arrested are Mohammad Abu Sway (Ahmad), 38 years old, Ali Daoud Abusway (18 years old), Alhal Mohammad Rabaiah (20 years old).

Israeli Military fire on Palestinian and International journalists

IMEMC

In an unprovoked attack, the Israeli Military fired on a number of Palestinian and International journalists in the village of Ertas, near the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem, on Monday afternoon.

In an unprovoked attack, the Israeli Military on Monday afternoon fired on a number of Palestinian and International journalists in the village of Ertas, near the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem.

Troops took prisoner three Palestinian farmers, two of which are accused of allegedly assaulting security officers accompanying the bulldozers. The two were identified as Adham Rabiyaa 22, and Ali Abu Sway 18. Eyewitnesses told IMEMC that there was no violence or asault committed by the two young men.

Awad Abu Sway, the owner of the land, was also taken prisoner by the Israeli army.

Crowds of local Palestinians, international peace activists and Israeli peace activists had gathered in the village on Sunday morning to non-violently protest against the bulldozing of land and uprooting of trees in the area. After a scuffle in which the Palestinian Minister of Information Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi and a number of farmers were attacked and four Israelis were arrested, the military operation went ahead as planned.

On Monday afternoon, journalists and protestors gathered to cover the attempts of local residents to move back onto the land. In the ensuing events and in an unprovoked attack, the Israeli military opened fire on a number of Palestinian and International journalists, including correspondents from IMEMC, Ma’an news agency and Reuters.

Claiming that they had been fired on first, a statement contradicted by eyewitnesses and journalists at the scene, the Israeli army threatened those present with arrest and detainment.

No one was reported injured in the attack and the protest remains ongoing.