Nil'in supporters plan fact-finding visit

An urgent fact-finding mission to Ni'lin has been launched after the Israeli military began what activists termed an escalation of repression against human rights defenders in the village.

Nil'in representatives will welcome delegations of political leaders and journalists to the Ramallah-area village on Tuesday.

The visit aims to raise awareness about "the gravity of the attack on the village and the people's fundamental rights of freedom of expression, assembly and association" and, in turn, to extend protection to Ni'lin.

Arrests of human rights defenders in Ni'lin have lead to the detention of 11 people in less than one week, residents reported, and during night raids by the Israeli military in the village inhabitants are subjected to harassment, intimidation and destruction of property. In at least one case, the army arrested the father of a targeted human rights defender to press him to hand himself over.

Palestinian political leaders and eleven European diplomats have responded to the invitation to learn more about the ongoing arrests of human rights defenders active against the wall.

"I myself have been arrested for a month as part of this repressive campaign to stop mobilization against the illegal wall. I know that it was the international support from civil society and governments that achieved my release," said Jamal Juma', coordinator of the Stop the Wall campaign.

He added: "The day I was released, Israel changed tactics and targets now the grassroots. I am happy to see that pressure continues and the diplomatic representation of the European governments look for ways to effecitvely protect Palestinian human rights defenders. International pressure stopped the attack on the internationally known figures, now we need to stop the mass arrests of grassroots activists against the wall and ensure that the decision of the International Court of Justice to tear down the wall is implemented."

Ni'lin, located west of Ramallah in the West Bank, has lost over the last 60 years 48,000 of its original 58,000 dunum of land. The wall on the western side, and a military base on the southern side, will strip Ni'lin of a further 2,500 dunums of land.