INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
www.palsolidarity.org
August 11, 2002
***Update on deportees***

The nine international activists that were snatched by the Israeli military and police last Wednesday in the Palestinian village of Huwarra and have been sitting in prison, had a closed hearing this morning at the Ramle prison. They all contested their deportation and offered to leave "of their own free will." Israeli officials and the French, Irish and American embassies seem to be eager to get the activists out of here and the process of shipping them out began this afternoon. They will all be gone by

Wednesday, August 13.

The deportation orders for the international activists have already been issued. Our lawyer on this case, Ms. Gaby Laski, will appeal this order in court, even after the activists have departed. The Israeli government charged the internationals with 1) "blocking roads" and 2) "ignoring military orders". These activists were part of a Palestinian-organized non-violent direct-action protest against the siege and curfew imposed on their village and across the Occupied Palestinian Territories by Israeli forces. This is reason enough for the Israeli government to want the
activists out of here. This is not the first time they have imprisoned and deported foreigners for speaking out against grave violations of human rights and international law being committed by the Israeli government.

The Israeli government has been systematically denying entry into Israel, to human rights workers, pro-peace activists and fact-finding commissions. Most recently Israel denied entry into the country to a US congressional
staff delegation accompanied by Jews for Peace in Palestine and Israel and theAmerican Muslims for Jerusalem.

Those that have been calling and pressing government officials with regards to the specific case of these internationals, please demand that your government takes a stand on Israel's policy of abusing, detaining,
deporting and denying entry to human rights workers and observers into the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Since Israel controls all borders in and out of the Palestinian Territories and thus outside access to the Palestinian
people, such policies are dangerous and worthy of condemnation in the strongest terms. Our money and our silence goes into supporting the crimes being committed by the Israeli government against the Palestinian people
and into maintaining a violent occupation that has and continues to take many, many lives. Those that have not yet written a letter or made one phone call, please do.

Below I include a sample letter and contact information.Meanwhile, the international activists that are still here are desperately trying to get information out about what's happening here and trying to provide some sort of protection to the people by virtue of their presence. We will send a sample personal account in a separate email. Please keep up
your support!

In solidarity & struggle
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT

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Sample letter written by US citizen:

TO THE US CONSULATE IN JERUSALEM: Dear Ms. Dilworth and/or
others in American Citizen Services:
URGENT ATTENTION REQUESTED

I would like to know what the Consulate is doing on behalf of the three Americans who were rough-handled and arrested by theIDF while they were PEACEFULLY DEMONSTRATING in Huwwara on Aug. 7 and are now being readied for
deportation from Israel? The three Americans are: Adam Shapiro, Brooklyn, NY; Charles Williams, Central Vermont; Javier Cortez, Los Angeles, CA. As an American, I expect my country to stand for "liberty and justice for
all." Instead, I see it supporting to a brutal regime that's fixed on the oppression (35 years of it) and now destruction of the entire Palestinian people. Israel and the US keep urging non-violence, and yet when Palestinians andinternational volunteers resist non-violently, Israel attacks. The Occupied Palestinian Territories are not Israel's land, and yet
they have full control over them. Like Dwight D. Eisenhower said in 1957:

To
let an occupier determine the terms of occupation and how to end it is to
turn back the clock on international law (it's also ludicrous).
Enough is enough. Israel is clearly not fighting a war againstterrorism.
They are waging one. (Did you know that Huwwara has been under 24-hour
curfew for about TWO YEARS?)
These courageous American citizens -- and all internationals who've joined
the non-violent Palestinian resistance -- should be given every possible
support by the Consulate, the Embassy,the State Dept., Congress, and every
other steward of my taxpayer dollars.
I look forward to hearing from you how you are handling this matter.
Thank you, and sincerely, Name (contact info)
For US citizens:

United States Embassy in Israel
Tel: +972-3-519-7575
Fax: +972-3-517-3227

United States Consulate in Jerusalem
Tel: +972-2-622-7230/50
Fax: +972-2-624-9462
Ask for American Citizen Services -- Alison Dilworth
jerusalemacs@state.gov

US Department of State
Bureau of Near East Affairs
Office of Public Affairs
Tel: 202-647-5150
Tel: 202-736-4995 Kim Richter
secretary@state.gov
askpublicaffairs@state.gov

Your congressional representatives - www.congress.gov for contact
information.

For French citizens:
Embassy of France in Israel
Tel: +972-3-520-8300
Fax: +972-3-520-8340

French Consulate in Jerusalem
Tel: +972-2-625-9481
Fax: +972-2-625-9178

Israeli Ministry of Interior
Tel: +972-2-629-4701
Fax: +972-2-629-4750

Call/fax/write your Members of Parliament!

For Irish citizens:
Embassy of the United Kingdom
Tel: +972-3-725-1222
Fax: +972-3-527-8574

END