I was at the demo on Friday and at the funeral on Saturday -- along with Jen Marlowe. Also Dorothy Zellner came with me on Saturday.
Hundreds of Palestinians from the border area villages, internationals, and Israelis gathered in Bil'in for the Friday demonstration. Notables like Salam Fayyad showed up to make speeches, but I did not see them join the march. The IOF commenced firing heavy tear gas before demonstrators were within five hundred yards of them. A small number of people managed to penetrate the gas and get to within 15 feet of the soldiers. Obviously, this was a non-violent demonstration because they simply remained there, talking to the soldiers for at least an hour.
The gas, according to several people I was with, was much more debilitating than they had experienced before. I can say, in addition to burning the eyes and nose, it caused significant chest pain. It also remained effective even when it was no longer visible in the air. You would think you had moved away from it and suddenly you couldn't breathe. While I was never closer to the IOF than 300 yards, a young boy only six feet away from collapsed from the gas effects and was taken to the hospital.
I can say that Isabel Kershner's comment in the New York Times, that these demonstrations "inevitably end in clashes, with young Palestinians hurling stones and the Israeli security forces firing tear gas, stun grenades and rubber bullets" completely reverses the course of events. The IOF commenced firing tear gas long before any demonstrators neared them. There was little stone throwing during the demonstration and it did not commence until long after the tear gas.
For a group of demonstrators that got closer than I did (maybe 100 yards or so from the IOF), the soldiers fired a tear gas barrage in front of them, then behind them -- trapping them. Then numerous tear gas canisters were fired into the center of the group -- clearly a punitive, not defensive, action.
In addition, the IDF spokeman is claiming that Jawaher Abu Rahme was released from the Ramallah hospital and died at home. This is just an effort to complicate the chain of evidence that she was asphyxiated by tear gas. She died at 9 am in the morning at the hospital and many people, including Andrew el Kadi, waited there until her body was brought out to be taken to Bil'in for burial.
New York Times -- all the news that's fit to print!
How many members of the Abu Rahme family will be killed, shot, jailed as they fight for their rights and their land?
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Scenes from Jawaher Abu Rahmah’s funeral
All photos by Hamde Abu Rahmah:
>via: http://mondoweiss.net/2011/01/scenes-from-jawaher-abu-rahmahs-funeral.html
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Lisa Goldman made this photo of a teargas canister fired in Silwan, in East Jerusalem, last September. Also made in the U.S. In Silwan, a Jewish colony is grabbing Palestinian land just below the Zion gate of the Old City.
>via: http://mondoweiss.net/2011/01/american-made-teargas-was-also-fired-in-occupie...
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Some of the Arrested in a Tel Aviv Courthouse. Picture Credit: Oren Ziv/activestills.org
Israeli activists protesting the killing of Bil’in’s Jawaher Abu Rahmah ‘returned’ spent tear gas canisters to the residence of the American ambassador to Israel late Saturday evening. Jawaher Abu Rahmah, 36, was evacuated to the Ramallah hospital on Friday after inhaling massive amounts of tear-gas during the weekly protest in Bil’in, and died of poisoning Saturday morning. The tear gas used by the Israeli forces in Bil’in is manufactured by Combined Systems Inc.; a United States company based in Jamestown, Pennsylvania. This is the first protest where empty tear gas canisters have been returned to an ambassador’s home.
Arrested Activists in a Tel Aviv Courtroom 2.1.10 Picture Credit: Oren Ziv/Activestills.org
Approximately 25 five Israeli protesters gathered in front of the residence of U.S. Ambassador to Israel, James B. Cunningham, around 1am local time. The protesters ‘returned’ loads of spent tear gas canisters collected in the West Bank village of Bil’in. The demonstrators also made noise throughout the ambassador’s neighborhood, informing residents of how American military aid to Israel is being used to kill unarmed and nonviolent demonstrators in the West Bank. They chanted, “one, two, three, four stop the occupation stop the war. Five, six, seven, eight end the funding (US) end the hate.” This action is one of the first by Israeli activists demanding accountability of a foreign government. Instead of targeting the Israeli public, activists did a symbolic act aimed at the United States. This could signal the future of targeted BDS-style actions (Boycott, Divestment and Sanction) actions by Israelis who witness the destruction of US military aid in the West Bank.
Arrested Activists in a Tel Aviv Courtroom 2.1.10 Picture Credit: Oren Ziv/Activestills.org
Five demonstrators were arrested in the action and are currently being held in detention. It is unclear when they will be released and on what charges. The action in front of the ambassador’s residence completed a day of protest throughout Israel and the West Bank stemming from Abu Rahmah’s death. On Saturday evening,hundreds demonstrated opposite the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv. Protesters manged to block Kaplan street, a main artery, for over one hour. Eight people were arrested, including a former Knesset member from the left wing Meretz Party, Mossi Raz.
Arrested Activists in a Tel Aviv Courtroom 2.1.10 Picture Credit: Oren Ziv/Activestills.org
UPDATE 10:47: The arrest of the demonstrators has been extended for 48 hours (until Tuesday). They have been charged with illegal demonstration, resisting arrest (because they locked up arms in order to be arrested together) and tossing spent tear gas canisters over the fence of the US ambassador’s house. The court will convene again on Tuesday in order to see if any more charges will be filed.
UPDATE 11:40: The police now claim that some of the tear gas canisters were still ‘live’ and thus, the activists are being charged with attacking the US Ambassador’s home. Among the demonstrators arrested are those who were simply in the area and not involved in any protest. There is an appeal being filed right now.
For more coverage of the death of Jahawer Abu Rahmah:
Female protestor killed by Israeli forces in Bil’in
Images: Funeral of Jawaher Abu Rahmah
Ynet reporter slurs non-violent movement
In saying ‘I didn’t know,’ Israelis enable army’s killing of Palestinians