[Ppnews] Free Palestinian farmers and agricultural workers targeted for imprisonment
Political Prisoner News
ppnews at freedomarchives.org
Mon Aug 6 11:54:27 EDT 2012
Take Action: Free Palestinian farmers and agricultural workers
targeted for imprisonment
http://samidoun.ca/2012/08/take-action-palestinian-farmers-agricultural-workers-targeted-for-imprisonment-and-persecution/?print=1
As they organize to defend their land and Palestinian farming against
the onslaught of settlements and siege, Palestinian agricultural workers
and organizers have been subject to an intensified arrest campaign in
the occupied West Bank of Palestine. *Click here to sign our petition at
change.org*
<https://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/israeli-embassies-and-consulates-end-the-persecution-of-palestinian-farmers-and-agricultural-workers>*
or sign on below
<http://samidoun.ca/2012/08/take-action-palestinian-farmers-agricultural-workers-targeted-for-imprisonment-and-persecution/#petition>
to demand an immediate end to the targeting of the Union of Agricultural
Work Committees and all Palestinian farmers and agricultural workers,
and the freedom of the Palestinian organizers imprisoned for defending
their rights.*
A number of staff of the Union of Agricultural Work Committees
<http://uawc-pal.org> (Facebook) <https://www.facebook.com/uawcpal>, a
Palestinian grassroots organization that organizes Palestinian farmers
to defend their land and develop their products, have been targeted in
recent days for arrest by Israeli occupation forces.
On July 31, *Dr. Moayad Ahmad Bisharat*, the coordinator of UAWC's
Jericho office was abducted at dawn from his home. The UAWC office in
Jericho was then ransacked by Israeli forces, who confiscated the
computers, laptops, and files of the organization.
This is the most recent in a series of arrests of UAWC activists in
recent weeks, including the Director of Development and Operations, the
engineer *Fuad Abu Saif* on July 26 in an early morning raid on his home
in Hebron, in which his computer, mobile phone and other communication
devices were seized. The director of the UAWC Jericho office, *Mohammad
Nujoom* was abducted on July 16 as he re-entered Palestine from abroad.
Both were taken to the Moskobiya compound for interrogation.
In addition, UAWC Board Member *Ahmad Soufan*, held in administrative
detention for one year, was recently ordered into a third term of six
months in arbitrary administrative detention without charge or trial.
Two other UAWC leaders, Abdel Razzak Farraj, administrative and
financial director, and Board member Dr. Yousef Abdul Haq, were both
finally released from administrative detention after multiple renewals
of their imprisonment.
As the UAWC noted in its statement on the arrests, these arrests are
part and parcel of the ongoing attacks on Palestinians' right to the
land, including massive settlement building
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/31/israeli-spending-west-bank-settlements>,
land confiscation, <http://www.imemc.org/article/63946> home demolitions
<http://www.alternativenews.org/english/index.php/news/west-bank/4962-significant-increase-in-west-bank-forced-displacements-in-first-half-of-2012-.html>,
and the construction of the apartheid wall
<http://www.alternativenews.org/english/index.php/news/news/4948-israel-releases-latest-plan-for-wall-around-bethlehem-area-village-of-al-walaja.html>,
as well as the siege and firing on farmers and agricultural workers
<http://electronicintifada.net/content/gaza-farmers-rush-grow-wheat-under-fear-israeli-fire/11371>
in Gaza. The UAWC called on international organizers to defend
Palestinian national rights and demand the freedom of the UAWC detainees
and all Palestinian prisoners.
UAWC, which recently marked its 25th anniversity, has been struggling
with Palestinian farmers and agricultural workers to defend and develop
their land, support Palestinian agricultural projects, and support
farmers' steadfastness on the land in the face of Israeli occupation and
aggression.
The attack on the UAWC is part of the overall attack on Palestinian
farmers and agricultural workers, from olive farmers whose trees are set
ablaze by settlers, tthose whose land was stolen for settlements,
"military use," or "buffer zones", to the fishers of Gaza
<http://www.vancouver2gaza.org/2012/07/29/video-gazas-fishers-under-israeli-assault/>,
who daily brave military attack for seeking to fish in their sea. It
reflects the over 64 years of occupation, land theft, displacement and
dispossession of the occupation of Palestine. Farmers and agricultural
workers are on the front lines of resistance as they struggle to remain
on their land -- and are thus being targeted for arrest and imprisonment
in an attempt to undermine the steadfastness of the farmers.
Western governments, including those of the United States and Canada,
are not only silent in the face of these attacks, they are directly
complicit, as they pledge expanded military support
<http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel-u-s-formally-sign-new-defense-aid-agreement-1.227612>
and allegiance to Israel
<http://o.canada.com/2012/05/06/baird-declares-canada-to-be-israels-best-friend/>
as its occupation, apartheid and human rights violations continue and
escalate. It is urgent that people make their own voices heard to
challenge and break this complicity.
*TAKE ACTION!*
1. *Click here to sign our petition at change.org
<https://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/israeli-embassies-and-consulates-end-the-persecution-of-palestinian-farmers-and-agricultural-workers>,
or sign on below!
<http://samidoun.ca/2012/08/take-action-palestinian-farmers-agricultural-workers-targeted-for-imprisonment-and-persecution/#petition>
This petition will be presented to Israeli embassies in the US, Canada
and other countries on Wednesday, August 15, demanding the release of
these prisoners, justice for all prisoners, and an end to the attack on
Palestinian farmers and agricultural workers. *Individual and
organizational signatories are welcome -- we particularly urge groups
and organizations to sign on to and distribute the petition. If you
experience any difficulty signing on, please send your endorsement to
samidoun at samidoun.ca <mailto:samidoun at samidoun.ca>.
2. *Boycott Israeli goods and agricultural products!* The Palestinian
movement has called for boycott, divestment and sanctions
<http://bdsmovement.net> targeting Israeli goods and institutions until
it ends its violations of Palestinian rights. *Israeli oranges, organic
peppers, dates, and other agricultural products are the fruits of stolen
land.* Boycott those products and help to raise awareness in your community!
3. *Support Palestinian agricultural products*, including olive oil
<http://www.zatoun.com/>, spices <http://www.zatoun.com/>, and maftoul,
<https://www.canaanusa.com/shop/dried-foods/> farmed by Palestinian
farmers and not occupation settlements.
4. * **Join a protest or demonstration outside an Israeli consulate for
Palestinian prisoners. Many groups and organizations are holding events
-- join one or announce your own. *Organizing an event, action or forum
on Palestinian prisoners on your city or campus? *Use this form to
contact us
<http://samidoun.ca/2012/04/submit-your-palestinian-prisoner-solidarity-activities-here/>* and
we will post the event widely. /If you need suggestions, materials or
speakers for your event, please contact us
<http://samidoun.ca/contact-us/> at samidoun at samidoun.ca. /
5. *Help to support UAWC* -- here is information on how you can donate
<http://www.uawc-pal.org/article.aspx?ano=19> to support UAWC's much
needed work among Palestinian farmers and fishers.
Thank you for signing on! We will be in touch with you about April 17
organizing!
*Petition Text*
As they organize to defend their land and Palestinian farming against
the onslaught of settlements and siege, Palestinian agricultural workers
and organizers have been subject to an intensified arrest campaign in
the occupied West Bank of Palestine. We write to demand an immediate end
to the targeting of the Union of Agricultural Work Committees and all
Palestinian farmers and agricultural workers, and the freedom of the
Palestinian organizers imprisoned for defending their rights.
A number of staff of the Union of Agricultural Work Committees, a
Palestinian grassroots organization that organizes Palestinian farmers
to defend their land and develop their products, have been targeted in
recent days for arrest by Israeli occupation forces.
On July 31, Dr. Moayad Ahmad Bisharat, the coordinator of UAWC's Jericho
office was abducted at dawn from his home. The UAWC office in Jericho
was then ransacked by Israeli forces, who confiscated the computers,
laptops, and files of the organization. This is the most recent in a
series of arrests of UAWC activists in recent weeks, including the
Director of Development and Operations, the engineer Fouad Abu Saif on
July 26 in an early morning raid on his home in Hebron, in which his
computer, mobile phone and other communication devices were seized. The
director of the UAWC Jericho office, Mohammad Nujoom was abducted on
July 16 as he re-entered Palestine from abroad. Both were taken to the
Moskobiya compound for interrogation.
In addition, UAWC Board Member Ahmad Soufan, held in administrative
detention for one year, was recently ordered into a third term of six
months in arbitrary administrative detention without charge or trial.
Two other UAWC leaders, Abdel Razzak Farraj, administrative and
financial director, and Board member Dr. Yousef Abdul Haq, were both
finally released from administrative detention after multiple renewals
of their imprisonment.
As the UAWC noted in its statement on the arrests, these arrests are
part and parcel of the ongoing attacks on Palestinians' right to the
land, including massive settlement building, land confiscation, home
demolitions, and the construction of the apartheid wall, as well as the
siege and firing on farmers and agricultural workers in Gaza. The UAWC
called on international organizers to defend Palestinian national rights
and demand the freedom of the UAWC detainees and all Palestinian prisoners.
UAWC, which recently marked its 25th anniversity, has been struggling
with Palestinian farmers and agricultural workers to defend and develop
their land, support Palestinian agricultural projects, and support
farmers' steadfastness on the land in the face of Israeli occupation and
aggression.
The attack on the UAWC is part of the overall attack on Palestinian
farmers and agricultural workers, from olive farmers whose trees are set
ablaze by settlers, tthose whose land was stolen for settlements,
"military use," or "buffer zones", to the fishers of Gaza, who daily
brave military attack for seeking to fish in their sea. It reflects the
over 64 years of occupation, land theft, displacement and dispossession
of the occupation of Palestine. Farmers and agricultural workers are on
the front lines of resistance as they struggle to remain on their land
-- and are thes being targeted for arrest and imprisonment in an attempt
to undermine the steadfastness of the farmers.
We demand that the Israeli government immediately free Bisharat, Abu
Seif, Nujoom and Seifan and end this targeted attack on Palestinian
agricultural workers.
Furthermore, we demand an end to the policy of settlement construction,
land confiscation and home demolitions targeting Palestinian farmers and
villages in the West Bank, and an end to the targeting of Palestinian
farmers in Gaza in the "buffer zones" and fishers at sea.
Finally, we demand an end to the mass imprisonment of Palestinians and
freedom for all Palestinian political prisoners.
--
Freedom Archives 522 Valencia Street San Francisco, CA 94110 415
863-9977 www.freedomarchives.org
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