YMCA Women Training Program (WTP) staff and volunteer harassment and obstruction
YMCA coordination and arrangement meeting canceled
By: Suzan Samaru - Staff - Nablus, 9th October 2008
On this date, there was a preset appointment with the women committee at Anabta village-Tulkarem - where a meeting was supposed to take place at the YMCA-WTP office, in the village in order to arrange for filled evaluation forms collections, distribution of trees to women clients at the village, and arranging for the program past six months modules' (training courses) graduation.
The meeting was canceled due to the hard restriction at all roads and paths from Nablus into Anabta.
I and other two staff of the WTP program were forbidden from passing any of those checkpoints, and after waiting for such a long time we had to call at the village and apologize from the women who gathered and have been waiting for us at the office.
The Israeli justification was that it's a Jewish holiday, hence checkpoints are closed!
Graduation delayed for a semester due to imposed curfew
By: Diana Salim - volunteer - Dar Salah, Bethlehem
14th, October 2008
I live in the village of Dar - Salah, east of Beit Sahour / Bethlehem, and I get strongly affected by the flying checkpoints the Israeli soldiers place between my village and the neighboring Beit Sahour town. This prevents and delays my arrival to the university I am studying in and the YMCA-WTP office I am volunteering at.
Curfews imposed on my village have made my life difficult. The night of one of my final exams at the university, the Israeli soldiers invaded my village at 2:00 AM, while I was awake studying. Those forces storm into various houses, some of which are close to mine, and arrested many young men! At around 4:30 AM a curfew was imposed on the village until 11:00 AM! Since my exam was at 8:30 AM, I could not attend and received an incomplete grade! Now I have to wait until January for the incomplete exams, after which I can get graduated.
WTP note: Diana was delayed a whole semester for her graduation while she is in need for it to get a job in order to help her poor family. | Remain daily updated
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JAI joins the planning of churches involvement in advocating for Peace and justice
In Oct 12th Nidal Abuzuluf the Project Manager participated in a 3-day planning workshop for the World Council of Churches Interchurch Action for Peace on Palestine and Israel ICAPPI. The workshop was attended by 15 representatives from different churches from the globe and developed a general plan for the 2009 activities that will be focused around June 6th to commemorate the 42nd anniversary of the Israeli occupation. The workshop was concluded by a meeting between ICAPPI members and the core group of the WCC Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum (PIEF) to share ideas and concerns relevant to the churches involvement in advocating for Peace and justice.
Farmers speak out their stories at the Dutch Peace Week
Two Palestinian farmers joined the JAI Olive Tree Campaign coordinator at the Dutch Peace Week.
They travelled around the country telling their stories, life under land confiscation threat and movement restrictions.
JAI joins the planning of Trocaire Palestine strategic objective
In 14 Sep the JAI Project Manager took part on the one-week Trocaire partners planning workshop held in Mynooth-Ireland. The Workshop which was attended by representatives of 9 partners from Palestine/Israel developed the Trocaire Palestine strategic objective for the coming years that is based on the protection of Human rights and access of basic needs.
Invest in Freedom ... Divest from Occupation
A newly released magazine by the JAI that discusses the Palestinian economy and Israeli resources control and the investment opportunities in Palestine.
Copies are to be sent to the various partners and are available at the Joint Advocacy Initiative office.
JAI receives church groups and discusses their advocacy involvement
The following groups were received by the JAI during September and October 2008:
Dan Church Aid group
Women Ministries of the Disciples of Christ Church in the United States
German church group
Advocacy Youth trained in international Cooperation
A workshop with the JAI Advocacy Youth on International Cooperation & Law and its failures and possibilities in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, given by an international volunteer.
It became more clear and agreed that transformation needs to come about through an advocacy effort. | YWCA Staff brutally attacked by Israelis while police officers do nothing!
Read the YWCA of Palestine condemnation letter
Majdi Ibrahim Al Husseini (28 years old) YWCA Jerusalem IT Coordinator and his cousin, Mr. Khaled Jamal Al Husseini, were attacked by a number of Israelis in Jerusalem, in the early hours of Sunday, the 19th of October.
The attack took place when one of the attackers asked Majdi what time it was, and he answered that he did not have a watch. When Majdi turned around, tens of Israelis attacked him and Khaled as they were shouting "Aravim, Aravim", meaning Arabs, Arabs! which led to more Israelis arriving to the scene and joining the attack. When Majdi and Khaled tried to seek help from the Police, none of the Policemen in the vicinity came to their assistance even though the attackers used gas and batons.
Eventually Khaled managed to break free from the attackers. He approached a number of Police officers who were stationed in the area and he informed them of the attack and of his cousin still being attacked, but none of the Police officers moved to their assistance.
After that, Majdi managed to escape the attackers and as a result of the strong beatings he passed out in front of the police.
One of the Police officers pulled Majdi to remove him from the street and to avoid any gathering around the scene. He remained unconscious on the floor for 15 minutes before an ambulance team arrived to the scene. The ambulance paramedic handled Majdi in a very rough manner, and when Khaled asked why he was treating his cousin that way, the paramedic answered; do not interfere with my job! Then he pulled Majdi into the ambulance, and Khaled climbed into the ambulance after him. However, instead of receiving medical help, the paramedic started interrogating Khaled. Then he brought a Police officer and requested that Khaled be removed from the ambulance. When Khaled asked; based on which law are you doing this, the Police officer answer; Based on OUR laws!
Majdi also stated that he was assaulted when he was in the ambulance, while on the way to the Hospital. Upon arrival to the hospital, the Police arrived to interrogate him and informed his family not to send anyone and not to invite any journalists.
Majdi spent the night at the hospital and left the following morning, but his face is still slightly malformed as a result of the constant beatings. |
