Israeli Occupation Forces have raided the ISM-Media Office in Ramallah and arrested 3 of our activists. Bridgette (Ausi) & Ari (Spain) were two of them, we are unsure of third. I worked with them both in December-January. Bridgette is one of my very best friends & one of the best activists I have met. She replaced Eva, who was deported from Ramallah in the beginning of January, as the media coordinator & has written many articles speaking against the occupation. Unfortunately the role of ISM-Media Coordinator is played out by being arrested, harassed, & finally deported. I remember after Eva was deported, Bridgette saying "I wonder when my time will come?"
Ramallah is Area A, which means the IOF can't enter without military coordination from the Palestinian Authority. This raid follows an extensive arrest wave targeting grassroots activists and oragnizers throughout the West Bank. Such raids have been conducted in the villages of Bil’in – where 32 residents have been arrested in the past six month, Ni’ilin – where 94 residents have been arrested in the past 18 months, the cities of Nablus and Ramallah and East Jerusalem. The past three weeks have seen raids on ex-ISM bases in both Bil’in and Ni’lin also.
Israel’s tactic of repressing nonviolent international Palestinian solidarity activists is a true detriment to the nonviolent movement. We recognize the targeting of international nonviolent activists as part of a greater campaign against all nonviolent activists in Palestine (e.g. Wa’el A- Faqeeh and Abdallah Abu Rahmah). We will not, however, let their force deter us from standing with the Palestinian people and continuing to support the nonviolent struggle for freedom.
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