EU 'concerned' by conviction of Palestinian anti-separation fence activist
An Israeli military court convicted Abdullah Abu Rahmeh for incitement and organizing illegal demonstrations against Israel's barrier in the West Bank.
By Natasha Mozgovaya, The Associated Press and Haaretz ServiceThe European Union's top diplomat criticized Israel on Wednesday over the conviction of a leader of Palestinian protests against Israel's West Bank separation barrier, calling the activist a human rights defender.
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Palestinian activists try to break down a section of Israel's separation fence in the West Bank town of Bil'in on February 19, 2010. |
| Photo by: AP |
In a strongly worded statement, Catherine Ashton said she was deeply concerned by the guilty verdict against Abdullah Abu Rahmeh, one of the organizers of weekly marches from the Palestinian village of Bil'in to the Israeli-built West Bank barrier nearby.
Israel started taking a harder line against demonstrations in the West Bank late last year, arresting activists and keeping protesters from reaching the barrier. Abu Rahmeh, a 39-year-old schoolteacher, is among the most prominent of those detained in a string of arrests.
Jailed since December, he was convicted in a military court Tuesday of inciting protesters to attack Israeli troops and for participating in protests without a legal permit. The case has drawn international attention, and foreign observers and reporters attended the hearing.
The EU sees the barrier's route as illegal and views Abu Rahmeh as a human rights defender committed to nonviolent protest, Ashton said.
Ashton suggested the conviction was intended to prevent him and other Palestinians from exercising their legitimate right to protest against the existence of the separation barriers in a nonviolent manner.
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European Union Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton speaking in Brussels on June 17, 2010 |
| Photo by: AP |
Ashton's statement drew a sharp rebuke from Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor, who said Israeli law guarantees freedom to protest and that the EU diplomat's interference with a transparent legal procedure is highly improper.
The General Delegation of the PLO to the United States also condemned Abu Rahmeh's conviction "in the strongest possible terms."
Abu Rahmeh's lawyer, Gaby Lasky, said the charges could carry a jail sentence of several years. Sentencing is scheduled for next month, after which Abu Rahmeh will appeal the conviction, she added.
Lasky noted that Israel's Supreme Court has ordered the barrier be moved at Bil'in. They try a person who organized protests against a fence that is itself illegal. "This is an unfitting use of legal measures," she said.
The barrier, which Israel began building in the midst of a wave of attacks by suicide bombers from the West Bank, runs through the village's farmland. Palestinians view it as an attempt by Israel to seize land in the West Bank.
The Bil'in protests, attended by villagers as well as Israeli and international activists, usually involve a mix of marching, chanting and throwing rocks at Israeli troops. A Bil'in man, and five in the nearby village of Na'alin, have been killed and hundreds wounded by soldiers since the protests began in 2005.
Dozens of Israeli troops and police also have been injured.
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A violent criminal must be prosecuted as any violent criminal should be . What is the problem ?
Israeli arrogance is its own enemy! who is buiding walls, denying people's right on their legitimate possession, blockading territory out of any right and using uncivilized methods against civilians. Unbelievable arrogance
Ashton should take his case with the HM Goverment and demand compensation for him ..
Where is the police force which can enfoce the law? Where is the police force which can prevent suicide bombers from reaching Tel Aviv and Kassam rockets from emenating from Tul Karem? The only way to make things good is make peace. A negotiated peace incluing compensation and resettlement of refugees and giving up on the so called "right of return" of descendants of refugees who have never seen Israel into Israel. A refugee who is resettled in Lebanon, Iraq Syria or Jordan cannot tell where he is when he wakes up in the morning. They are all parts of his land. It is time to start living and stop shouting slogans whose aim is to punish rather then solve problems so all can live
Perhaps the EU should focus on Europe and not Israels efforts to protect her herself...
Who is serving years in jail for that? No one. Justice is not justice unless it is applied evenly.
10 months in custody for the trial to conclude. Possibility of 10 years in jail for illegal demonstration. I wonder what the max sentence is for those who demostrated following presidential elections in the less democratic Iran.
If the EU wants some influence on Israel, there are two ways to do it: 1. Threaten some sanctions and be ready to impose them. 2. Pay Israel an annual sum (as the US does) and threaten to stop payments if Israel does not comply with your demands. The first way I mentioned is problematic because the EU requires unanimity for its decisions, and some countries (like Germany) will not dare to agree to sanctions. It is still doable if such countries agree to "abstain" from the vote. The second method is easier (but costlier, of course). In order not to run into the problem of "unanimity", it should be agreed by EU countries that the payments will stop automatically once certain conditions are met. CONCLUSION: Don't appear like a joker when you express "concern". Either get some visible teeth or don't waste everybody's time.
Some of the harsher penalties which Israel has awarded for similar or lesser "offenses" include a rubber bullet into the brain, a tear gas canister to the head, and being run over with a bulldozer. In the past we have seen a huge army of freelance photographers and journalists decend into war torn zones such as Bosnia, Rwanda, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, and Iraq. The places these foolhardy people will not go include North Korea, and Israel. Whether you are a peace activist, a fence protester, or a photographer, if you cross the path of Israel you have an excellent chance of being shot dead and Israel has an excellent chance of getting away with it cold. Being thrown in jail is almost like a kiss on the cheek from Israel.
ashton is the EU's foreign policy chief, so it is her job to focus on other countries.
Avoid jail by not inciting and throwing rocks. Rocks can kill as easy as a bullet. Thrpowing rocks evokes a response from IDf results in protesters getting killed and wounded. UNless they enjoy nbeing martyred dont throw the rocks. Try a peaceful demostration for once. It may get more attention than the usual failed rock throwing. Invite teh media to see a peaceful prtotest they will be shocked
You can check this yourself, go to youtube and look for Bi'lin protest videos. Rock-throwing is very rare at these protests, they are usually very peaceful until they are broken up by Israeli tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets. When this happens, the protesters retaliate by throwing back the tear gas, and yes by throwing rocks. You can also check out protests in "Sheikh Jarrah" in Jerusalem. Also peaceful.
Have the IDF relocate the separation wall from the 60% of land that has been confiscated from Bilin per the order of the Israeli Supreme Court. Then soldiers won't be pelted with rocks while operating on stolen land. Simple no?
it's time for actions. Let's suspend Israel's privileged relations with EU until the occupation is over. It would speed up the process for sure...
1. Lady Ashton should organize her diplomatic service in such a way that all convictions worldwide are systematically scrutinized and commented upon, especially in all countries in the region. All convictions without singling out Israel. 2. Lady Ashton should urgently discuss with Mr. Van Rompuy and Mr. Barosso the chain of show trials, show interviews for training or jobs, show brutalization at the workplace and show hire and fire, organised by NGO’s against Israel’s friends in order to sentence them to the destruction of their professional and private lives. Only shows about completely integer people. 3. We pray she may have then left share of attention and budget to assign to the dignity of foreign policy. Dignity in all and only in foreign affairs.
...about the blocking through the use of a fence situated in Africa of migrants to Europe in an inhumane fashion? Isn't it easier to re-focus attention of Europeans from the ills of Europe to the inner working of one of the finest judicial system of the world, that of the nation-state of the Jewish people, Israel...??
They should be more concerned about how her Jewish citizens are continously subjected to harrasment and worse by her facist and arab citizens.
.... perhaps I may care.
If an arab hiccups in Israel the EU will investigate .. the amount of time they spend monitoring Israel is simply beyond belief and is a form of anti Semitism and discrimination. Not one peep from these jokes on the inability of arabs to protest anything in Gaza or the West Bank or anywhere else in the Muslim middle east. But for Israel, the EU has 24 hour a day monitors to sit in a courtroom for a nobody. Why don't they work to free Shalit instead of criminal protestors? Because they are simply anti Semites and Israel is their favorite target. As Ashton evidences it is fashionable in Europe to be an anti Semite by saying you are anti Zionist but love Jews .. who do they think they are fooling? And just wait for the biased flotilla report coming from the HRC, that will be Ashton’s next device to go after Israel with. In the meantime has anyone heard of Ashton’s response to the nonexistent response by Hamas to goldstone .. for ashton, no response, no problem … How much of a fraud is this women’s objectivity … It is pathetic that Israel is treated this way,. the EU ministers lead by Ashton are morally corrupt and biased to the core. Ashton is particularly offensive as she sits on her high horse lecturing Israel on granting freedom of resistance to Arabs while she stays conspicuously silent about Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria and the other terrorists states whose idea of freedom is no freedom at all. By the way, did anyone hear Ashton comment when Israel took down a road barrier in Jerusalem … NO and for obvious reasons. Anti Semites never acknowledge good deeds, to do so would keep them up at night.
Europeans invaded not Israel, but two Muslim countries - Afghanistan and Iraq. Yet ou still call Europe anti-semitic and pro-Muslim. Goes to show: nothing will change a bigot's mind.
If non-violent protest are now illegal and they can not vote the what options are left?
since when anti semites are financing Israel? you are living with Us and Eu' taxpayers money, so you'd better think before ranting towards people supporting you
You are so hard done by aren't you!
is simple, you don't want to be monitored...stop the occupation and leave palestine free, and take all those settlers that are robbing the land of palestinians. You are the power in the region, you are the abuser not the abused. stop crying and behave like an adult.
And please drop using the "anti-semite" card; that ploy lost its effectiveness long ago. You are not the victims here or anywhere else; you have created victims in the Palestinians.
but fewer and fewer people are swayed by your crocodile tears. if the victim card is all you've got, israel's in deep trouble
You are so radical, it's beyond belief, you don't hold the candle for Ms. Ashton, also, stop using the anti Semitism lie, non of you are Semites, only Arabs and Jews from the twelve tribes are Semites, most of you are Khazar Jews, I guess the over 50 million Chinese, Russian Moslems, Malaysians etc... are Semites too, ridicules.
Calling her an anti-Semite because she objects to Israel's injustices is an injustice to humanity. It is also an injustice to the Jewish victims of the genocide.
Well, knock me over with a feather, such magnanimity by the colonial rulers! Perhaps the UN should have a (non-binding) resolution praising Israel for this gallant and far-reaching step towrds peace and normalisation. Actually, they've got another 60 such barrierssuch barriers supporting the illegal settlement enterprise and making life hell for the local Palestinians.
in which world? in which century?
Maybe you should examine the statistics and see how many Arabs migrated to Israel when they realized the yishouv provided for work. Then examine how they have always been shamelessly exploited by their own leaders to become "victims"!
I seems you can't even pull off an indignant condemnation of what you see as unjust criticism of Israel without letting your obvious racism slip out. Oh, that "road barrier in Jerusalem", you wouldn't be talking about the Gilo wall removal that was all over the press in recent days by any chance? If so just a note, the Gilo wall was a precursor to the main West Bank wall and the reports fail to mention that portion near Gilo is actively being consructed as the older wall is being removed. So you see it's not really much of a gesture on Israel's part at all, but it did generate a lot of positive press all the same.
ISRAEL HAS NO RIGHT TO CONVICT ANYBODY OVER THE SEPARATION FENCE AS THE FENCE ITSELF IS NOT LEGAL ,LIKE THE WALL OF BERLIN.
The Berlin wall was constructed to keep people in... The Israeli fence was constructed to keep suicide bombers and other terrorists out.
The wall was legal. It kept german or any other forces from going thru Berlin and poland into Russia. Since Germans sent 12 million people including 6 millionJews to death camps it is kind of hard to have any sorrow for those behind the wall.
The world is not so stupid to believe these lies
Bravo Lady Ashton and the E.U. We in America, are waiting to hear from the White house, State Department, or any other official institution in our contry condemning this action against Abu Rahmeh. Of corse, congress will support this indictement. Time has come for the American administration to reflect the wishes of the majority of its people enough sucking in to the few.
you think we're there yet? does the majority of americans favor condemnation of israel? i would that it were so, but i doubt it
I resent her interference and feel very sorry for the policemen who get hurt by the incitement. If the Palestinians wanted peace they could have made it many years ago. I am relieved that we don't have suicide bombers because of that fence.
...and not on Palestinian farms and then you can justify building a wall. If walls are built as a land grab annexing other people's livelihoods and separating families just to provide space for settlement expansion, then the security argument is not good enough. Palestinians should be encouraged when they demonstrate peacefully. Instead their land is taken, they are killed or imprisoned - small wonder then why some feel hopeless and tempted to react angrily!
The land has never been exclusively Arab land except for 1948-67. The Palestinians rejected a peace offer in which they would have achieved their own state, and resorted to a widespread and bloody terror campaign. The barrier is saving lives on BOTH sides by reducing terror attacks and the subsequent need for military intervention.
why are americans and europeans so afraid to judge israel
Talk is cheep, but imposing trade restrictions or travel restrictions on Israel is the only way to change their behavior.
Yes because Israel has "conditioned" those who would criticize. Mind you the old chestnut of "the whole world is against us so its OK to be excused from the inexcusable", is wearing off on those who either sympathize with or bankroll the State.
One human being has taken away the liberty of another human being, because the first human being did not appreciate the second human being objecting to the curtailment of liberty of the second human being by the first. What do you think? I'm just curious.
Is rock-throwing a liberty nowadays?
When one human being has such a hatred for another human being that they they do not acknowledge your right to exist, they call for your death, they have to be fenced out because when they were allowed in they did suicide bombings to kill those they hate. Israel has offered some sweet heart deals to the palistinines.. They could have had there own nation, with help in it`s development. Instead they turned it down. It is easy to have an extreme liberal agenda when your neighbors are at peace with youbut you need to grow up and join the realitys of the world.
Hit israel economically and you will find israel will buckle..
Palestinians are told to avoid violence. Now see what the Israelis do to non-violent protesters against their internationally illegal wall.
Like in this case, it exposes the brutality/inhumanity of the oppressor. Mandela did spend not a few years in prison, after all.
Club and knife wielding, rock throwing demonstrators are non-violent. Anti-Israelis are morons.
If their protests were non-violent yes, but rock throwing is violence and soldiers were injured. Just look to Martin Luther King not the Weather Underground.
Where are your teeth, Ms "EU foreign policy chief"? Less concern and empty statements and more downgrading the relations with this rogue state. That's the only language they understand.
While I applaud the EU for at least exposing Israel's draconian laws applied only to Palestinians (never enough evidence to convict a Jew ya know), lets see the EU apply some form of economic sanctions Mrs. Ashton.....put some teeth behind your concerns.