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Sunday, August 7, 2011

VIDEO ESSAY ~~ PALESTINE : ‘THE LAND THAT NEVER WAS’ …. WILL BE AGAIN SOON!

The video contains pictures of different Palestinian cities during the 1920′s and 1930′s, before the creation of the state of Israel by the zionists in 1948.
 
 The old lie that Palestine was dry desert waiting for a people is just that–a lie. This clip for all people to see the Beauty of the Palestinian People before they were ethnically cleansed and murdered and made into refugees by the State of Israel.

Then came the Nakba

Over 60 years of Israeli terrorism caught on film
 
BUT…. PALESTINE WILL SOON BE FREE!


Support is growing daily
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http://desertpeace.wordpress.com/2011/08/07/video-essay-palestine-the-land-that-never-was-will-be-again-soon/


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Video report from inside Israeli Prison (Monday, 1 August 2011)


 
http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/08/video-report-from-inside-israeli-prison.html

BBC: Welsh Palestinian activists put on plane home

Wednesday, 13 July 2011

We are still trying to confirm this but the BBC believe they are on a plane coming to UK.

13 July 2011 Last updated at 20:54
Welsh Palestinian activists put on plane home

Four Welsh women among UK activists detained in Israel as part of a so-called "flytilla" protest have been put on a plane home. The four say they were held at Ramla's Givon Prison after landing at Tel Aviv in Israel last Friday.Other UK protesters were deported but the Welsh women refused, saying they had done nothing wrong.Shortly before their release, the Israeli embassy said authorities were looking after those being held.

The activists had planned to attend West Bank events in support of Palestinians but were detained at Ben Gurion Airport.Some of the protesters, including Fiona Williams, 46, and Dee Murphy, 56, both from the Swansea Palestine group, went on hunger strike after they say they were prevented from making phone calls.

They accepted food again after 48 hours when they were allowed to call home.
Pippa Bartolotti, 57, deputy leader of the Wales Green Party, and Joyce Giblin, a member of the Socialist Labour Party from Newport, were also detained on Friday.

Speaking from the plane at Ben Gurion airport, Ms Bartolotti said she had bruises and had been handcuffed "very roughly" shortly after her arrival.
She said the group had been treated badly and were asked to sign a statement that was written only in Hebrew.Earlier, Amir Ofek, spokesman for the Israeli embassy in the UK, said of the protest: "The Israeli authorities went beyond basic necessities in ensuring the comfort of those being held, providing regular contact with their families at home, and issuing passengers with any medication that they might need.

"Consular support from the British embassy was immediately requested, in the form of visits from British staff."He said Israel was a democratic country where heated debates occurred every hour of the day across a range of issues.

"They do not take place however in an airport, one of the most sensitive buildings in the country, where the security threat is real. No other state would tolerate this and neither will we," he added.

The timing of the action, as a flotilla of ships trying to break a blockade on the Gaza Strip was prevented from leaving Greece, led some to call it a "flytilla".
Organisers denied the protest was linked to the attempt to break the blockade.
BBC

http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/bbc-welsh-palestinian-activists-put-on.html

Swansea Woman Back Home! (Thursday, 14 July 2011)

Fiona Williams is home in Swansea and hasn't slept since 6pm yesterday. She is swamped with media interviews.She will be on ITV Wales tonight and is being photographed for Evening post now.
 
 
Photo:Israeli soldier filming the Swansea women at the airport

We expect D Murphy to be arriving Luton at 23.55 on EasyJet flight from Tel Aviv.
http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/swansea-woman-back-home.html











Secret camera captures life of Swansea women in Israeli prison(Friday, 15 July 2011)

The secret life of Swansea women behind bars in an Israeli prison. Using a hidden video camera, Swansea women recorded their 6 nights locked up in a high security prison in Israel. Stopped at Tel Aviv airport last Friday the 2 Swansea women alongside 122 other EU nationals were imprisoned despite breaking no laws.

Last year Israeli forces performed a raid on the hospital wing of Ramla prison 25 detainees residing in the hospital wing for treatment of chronic illnesses were searched for mobile phones and other communication devices.One of the patients testified for the ministry, and called the search "barbaric," explaining that most of the belongings of the detainees in the ward were broken.

So getting a hidden camera into the Prison was tough decision but one we felt was worth the risk.

Video footage and video stills are available for broadcast, Please contact paulo@undercurrents.org or 07973 298359




The video clips shows how Fiona Williams, a mum from Wales was forced to scrub the prison floors in exchange for food.

Life inside the hot cells, metal doors slamming and tense interactions with the Israeli guards were all captured. The images will form part of a documentary being produced about the attempt by Welsh women to challenge the Israeli blockade of the West Bank. The documentary will be released later this year.

http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/secret-camera-captures-life-of-swansea.html











Legal challenges start against Israel (Friday, 15 July 2011)

Both the women from Swansea are now back home safely. D Murphy arrived at lunchtime today, tired but still determined. She stayed behind in the prison to support a woman who was taking a legal action to challenge the deportation.

No reason or charges have been given for detaining 124 people for up to 6 days in prison. Now Israel is claiming that the people didn't actually enter Israel as they were all still classed as 'in transit'. The court case could take months to work it's way through the system but the women are determined to see it through.
Photo: In D's passport is stamped ENTRY DENIED. 
 
http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/legal-challenges-now-against-israel.html

What can we expect from the deportation process?

What can we expect from the deportation process?(Monday, 11 July 2011)

The Swansea women are refusing to co-operate with Israel so they will not accept being deported. So what can we expect Israel to do?

Last year Irish Nobel Laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire was deported from Israel on October 5th after spending more than a week in detention at Tel Aviv Airport as she attempted to fight the deportation order.4 Israeli security men tried to force her to board an airplane after she arrived in the country as part of the Nobel Womens' Initiative (NWI) delegation to Israel and Palestine.Maguire put up fierce resistance and stated she would fight the deportation through an Israeli court. She was supported by the captain of the airplane and he refused to allow any passengers to be forcefully boarded against their will. She was eventually deported, and warned they would not be able to enter Israel again for ten years.

Al Jazeera has a a report from the first people to be released from the prisons.

After being detained at Ben Gurion airport and placed in a bus where they were held for four hours, the bus carrying the activists finally moved and drove the group to a prison facility near Beer Sheva in the Negev desert, a two hour drive from the airport.

Submitting to their fatigue after skipping a night of sleep, the detainees disembarked the prison bus and were guided through one of the prisons narrow corridors filled with prison guards, some of whom were filming or taking pictures of the new arrivals.
Photo:Flytilla activists detained in a prison bus at Ben Gurion airport

Having been crammed into the bus for hours, many of the detainees fell asleep on the concrete floor of the cell after finally being able to lie down. Later, each person was again frisked and brought to the actual prisoners' area, where they met with a psychologist and a doctor.

The detainees were given breakfast and a bag containing slippers, clean prison outfits, soap, and toothpaste and a brush. Each one was allocated a bed bunk, four to a cell.

Later, the detainees were individually called in for a meeting with Israeli immigration officers who asked them to sign declarations in which they would promise not to go to the Palestinian territories in the future and refrain from causing trouble or taking part in protests. In some cases, the declarations were also deportation forms.


http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/what-can-we-expect-from-deportation.html

Some released..58 now left in Israeli Prisons(Monday, 11 July 2011)

UK Consular staff in Tel Aviv report that 2 UK nationals are due to be deported at 1820 UK time, and should arrive in London Luton at 2355. (Easy Jet flight: EZY 2086)
At 83, the oldest UK participant, John Lyons is due to travel with Mick Napier, the UK co-ordinator of the Welcome to Palestine initiate.

Jerusalem Post report:
Israel has deported some 23 "Flightilla" activists today, leaving only 58 in Israeli prison awaiting flights out of the country.Six French citizens left Israel on an easyJet flight bound for Switzerland. In addition, 15 Belgian citizens were sent on a Swiss Air flight to Zurich. Two German citizens were flown on Austrian Airlines to Austria. One activists from Belgium was released into Israel, after pledging not to violate any laws.

Although they refused to be deported, they were forced to board a Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt. The flight will reach Frankfurt at 20:00 (german time) and some passengers will transit to Berlin (arrival 22:50) and Hanover (arrival 22:10) according to the Israeli Airport Authority’s assurances while Lufthansa said the plane has a delay of at least one hour.

http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/58-now-left-in-israeli-prisons.html

First people back in UK share their experiences (Tuesday, 12 July 2011)

“There has been much misinformation suggesting that we came here to demonstrate in the airport and cause disorder wherever we went. The office of Prime Minister Netenyahu said, ‘This planned event is a continuation of the attempts to undermine Israel's right to exist’, and ordered a major police and security operation to prevent it.“In reality our protest was simply to refuse to conceal our intention to go to the West Bank town of Bethlehem. Our aim was to highlight that Israel routinely deports those who indicate any sympathy whatsoever with Palestine.

“If anything has undermined ‘Israel's right to exist’, it is the very actions of the state itself.
Mick Napier shares his experience
Read more here

A BBC report on the first British prisoners to return to the UK
"Some of the men and women being detained started a hunger strike this morning because we were denied any information about any charges against us and were also denied a telephone call over the entire period we were in prison. But we are all in high spirits." Mick Napier
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-14116304
Photo: Inside the cramped metal van, shacked and handcuffed by Israel

First person to arrive back in UK shares his experience with The Independent newspaper
"We were chained, handcuffed and detained for no apparent reason - we had committed no crimes - no UK or Israeli law was breached.We were denied any information about any charges against us and were also denied a telephone call over the entire period we were in prison.It was a situation of lawlessness."
Mr Mick Napier
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/deported-israel-campaigners-return-to-the-uk-2312350.html



http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/first-people-back-in-uk-share-their.html


Interview with first UK deported man

Mick Napier was the first person deported back to UK. He tells his story about meeting D and Fiona in prison and how he was shackled.



http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/interview-with-first-uk-deported-man.html


Four Welsh activists remain in Israel as first captured campaigners return to UK (Tuesday, 12 July 2011)


Two British campaigners have arrived back in the UK after they were detained in Israel while trying to visit the West Bank town of Bethlehem.Mick Napier, 64, chairman of The Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and retired university lecturer John Lynes, 83, flew back into Luton Airport early this morning after being deported by officials.

They were amongst 13 British people, including four Welsh passengers, who were detained by soldiers at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport on Friday before being put in prison.The four Welsh passengers were: Pippa Bartolotti, 57, deputy leader of the Wales Green Party; Dee Murphy, 56, from Swansea, founder member of Swansea Palestine Community Link; Joyce Giblin and Fiona Williams.
Click here to find out more!

University lecturer Mr Napier said that all members of his group began a hunger strike after information on charges against them was not provided and they were denied a phone call.
Read More

http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/wales-onlinefour-welsh-activists-remain.html


Swansea people send letter to MP's calling on Government to act (Wednesday, 13 July 2011)

Dear Geraint Davies and Martin Caton AM

Detention of Swansea women by Israel
Constituents of yours are among those imprisoned in Israel after being unlawfully detained in transit through Tel Aviv Ben Gurion airport on the way to West Bank Palestine.We are referring to D Murphy, an Irish citizen resident in Mount Pleasant, and Fiona Williams of Mumbles.

Their detention is unlawful because the Israeli occupation and settlement of the West Bank is illegal under international law. It is in furtherance of this policy that Israel has closed all independent access routes to the occupied territories, leaving only Tel Aviv airport and the Israeli-controlled Allenby Bridge crossing from Jordan.

Although Israel cites security reasons for detaining the ‘fly-in’ passengers over the weekend, there was no risk to security at the airport or anywhere else in Israel or the occupied territories.Passengers are routinely searched anyway, and those on the weekend ‘fly-in’ were committed to non violence, as were their Palestinian hosts.

The detention of these passengers, among scores of others, is yet another assertion of the occupation in defiance of international law, as recognized by the British government among others.Consular help for the victims is not enough. What is now required is at very least a formal protest by the UK and other governments concerned, and a clear demand that this will not happen again. Visitors to Palestine should not be forced to lie about their destination or pose as pilgrims. The British government should not leave it to individual citizens to assert and act upon the international law to which it subscribes, and which it has a duty to enforce.

Please convey this message as urgently and forcefully as you can to the ministers concerned, and we would welcome any other help you can offer.


yours sincerely

Greg Wilkinson, 19 Trafalgar Place SA2 0BU
Ada Garton, 19 Trafalgar Place SA2 0BU
Clare Pilborough 34, Glen Road, West Cross SA3 5PR
Barbara Clark, 33 Brynmill Terrace, SA2 0BA
Maggie Tracey, 6 Pen-y-Bryn, Cwmllynfell SA9 2FL
Keith M Ross, 2 Francis Street, Brynmill SA1 4NH
Lisa Reese, 51 Linkside Drive, Southgate SA3 2BS
Brian and Jan Jones, 72 Heol Gwyn, Yr Alltwen, Pontardawe SA8 3AN
Deborah Fink (Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods), 51 Langley Drive, London E11 2LN.
Bob Cotterill, 8 Harries St,. Mt. Pleasant, Swansea, SA1 6HR.
Marilyn and Alan Thomas, 8 Western Close, Mumbles SA3 4HF


http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/swansea-people-send-letter-to-mps.html

Swansea MP requests the women are released to go to Palestin e(Wednesday, 13 July 2011)

Martin Caton MP

Today Martin Caton, MP for Gower, has contacted the Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office who has responsibility for the Middle East about the conditions Fiona and D are being kept in. He requested that the Under-Secretary of State make representations regarding their arrest and imprisonment.
Mr Caton said
'I also asked him to request that the Israeli authorities allow them to continue their peaceful journey to the West Bank.'

Evening Post reports:
Welsh women stand firm on Israeli protest

Read more here

http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/swansea-mp-requests-women-are-released.html

Prisoners begin Hunger strikes

Prisoners begin Hunger strikes (Monday, 11 July 2011)

The 2 Swansea women are being held in a prison in Ramle so we are unaware if they too have began a hunger strike.

However the Israeli authorities released two older German men from Bersheeva prison yesterday, but only on condition that they sign an Israeli legal document that was presented to them only in Hebrew and English, languages they do not understand. The Israeli authorities even refused to give them a copy of the paper they signed. Since their release, they have given insights into the prison conditions.

A number of Belgians being held in Bersheeva prison, began a hunger strike last night. The Belgians demand, on behalf of all the prisoners, to have contact with their families and with their attorneys. They demand an international investigation into the behavior of airline companies and Israeli officials. They also demand to be able to have contact with each other in the Israeli prison. For example, because the French and Belgian men and women are separated in the Bersheeva prison, the men do not know whether the women are also aware of the hunger strike. It is believed that the French men have joined the hunger strike. According to the Germans who were released from Bersheeva, the German men and women there are also participating in the hunger strike, but the men and women are not allowed to speak with each other. 
 

http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/prisoners-begin-hunger-strikes.html

Swansea women being talked about on Twitter (Monday, 11 July 2011)

The Swansea women are getting Tweeted now. Latest from the radio stations in Swansea
Link to their story here

http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/swansea-women-being-talked-about-on.html

 

Western Mail: Hunger Strike threat (Monday, 11 July 2011)

by Ciaran Jones, Western Mail
Four female activists from Wales detained as they entered Israel to visit the West Bank town of Bethlehem could be deported today.The women were detained as part of a so-called “flytilla” protest after they landed at the country’s Ben Gurion Airport along with eight other British nationals on Friday.

But they were last night refusing to comply with threats of deportation and one may even go on hunger strike in an attempt to break the stalemate, the Western Mail has learned.The women have been named as: Pippa Bartolotti, 57, the deputy leader of the Wales Green Party; Dee Murphy, 56, from Swansea, a founder member of Swansea Palestine Community Link; Fiona Williams, 46, from Mumbles; and Joyce Giblin from Newport.

The “flytilla” was organised in protest at a flotilla of ships being prevented by Greece from sailing to the Gaza Strip in a bid to break the Israeli blockade on the Palestinian territory.The women are among 124 activists – mostly European, though understood to include at least two American citizens – being held at Givon prison in Ramle.

Ms Williams’ partner, 47-year-old John McLean, said the Swansea council worker was being held alongside people in their 70s and 80s.“It’s pretty outrageous how [the Israeli authorities] can perceive those people as being a threat and justify it,” said Mr McLean. He added: “They are going to resist all attempts to be deported until they are forcibly removed. It’s a peaceful protest and at the moment no explanation has been given on the Israeli side as to why any of them are being held for questioning.”

The women were handcuffed and taken to a nearby prison after their easyJet flight from Luton touched down on Friday.Father of four Mr McLean said they were being held in cells of between six and eight people and had been singing protest songs.

“They are all in very good spirits and very determined,” he said.

Mother of one Ms Williams had been “extremely nervous” ahead of leaving for Israel, he added.Both Ms Williams and bookkeeper Ms Murphy are members of Swansea Action for Palestine. Group spokesman Paul O’Connor said one female Welsh traveller had managed to get through the airport and make it to the West Bank.

And frustrations at the deadlock faced by the detained travellers could lead Ms Murphy – who visited Gaza last year and has travelled to the West Bank before – to begin a hunger strike, he suggested.

He told the Western Mail: “It wouldn’t surprise me. Probably not Fiona, but I can suspect Dee – she does have very strong views on this.”

Sofiah Macleod – from the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, responsible for coordinating the activists from the UK – said the British detainees were being held in cells with campaigners from France, Belgium and Germany.He said they had flown in to the country intending to take part in a week-long cultural programme.

“They have been seen by lawyers and the consul but are still being denied entry to proceed to Bethlehem. There have been no charges and we are not aware of what the charges are or what legislation they are being held under.”

Jake Griffiths, leader of the Wales Green Party, said party MP Caroline Lucas was planning to raise the issue of the group’s treatment in Parliament this week.
He added: “Obviously we are supporting the campaign Pippa has been involved in to raise the plight of the Palestinians.”

He added: “There does not appear to be any grounds for her being detained, as travelling to the West Bank is meant to be permitted for British citizens.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had ordered authorities to “act with determination, while trying to avoid unnecessary friction” with anyone taking part in a provocation, a statement from his office said.

It is understood the busy holiday season is making it difficult to find flights back to the UK for the activists.A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We can confirm that a number of British nationals were detained on Friday at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv.

“All the British nationals currently detained pending deportation have been visited by consular staff from the embassy in Tel Aviv and we have been in contact with families in the UK.

“We understand they will be deported in the next few days.”
Read More

http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/western-mail-hunger-strike-threat.html


Irish media reports about D Murphys arrest in Israel (Monday, 11 July 2011)

Irish woman faces deportation from Israel
Irish Times
Dozens of comments are being made on Irish blog about D's participation:
Irish woman held in Israel over ‘flytilla’ protest
TheJournal.ie

Latest news on those expelled yesterday were 22 Belgians, 13 Germans and a man from Spain. 35 had left on a Lufthansa flight and one person on an Alitalia flight.
Israeli officials have cautioned that they are not technically deporting the activists, but, rather, repatriating them, while saying they will not be punished. However, some activists claim Israeli authorities have banned them from returning for a decade. Once we hear more, we will report here.


http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/irish-media-report-about-d-murphys.html


South Wales Evening Post: Pair held by Israeli police (Monday, 11 July 2011)

Swansea's local newspaper reported today:

Two Swansea women who have travelled to Israel to protest against the blockade of Palestine have been held by police for questioning.Council worker Fiona Williams, from Mumbles, and book- keeper Dee Murphy, from Mount Pleasant, are part of a group of 16 people from the UK, who flew to Ben Guirion airport in Tel Aviv last week.Ms Williams said: "We intend to express solidarity with the Palestinians in the West Bank and draw attention to life under Israeli occupation."
Dee Murphy added: "We are resolved."

Scores of people have been refused permission to fly to Tel Aviv, according to the pair, following demands from Israel.In Paris, more than one hundred people have been refused permission, as well as two journalists in Amsterdam.
The Parisian campaigners claim they will be deported once they arrive in Tel Aviv.
Read more
 

http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/south-wales-evening-post-pair-held-by.html

Some of the people imprisoned in Israel with the Swansea women

Sunday, 10 July 2011

Some of the UK citizens imprisoned in Israel

D Murphy lives and works as a book-keeper in Swansea but was born and raised in Cork, Ireland. In early July she held a community auction of donated items to raise the funds to travel to Palestine. The Ambassador of Ireland Breifne O'Reilly has visited her in the Givon prison Israel. He can be contacted via +972-3-6964166 for interviews etc or via www.embassyofireland.co.il


Fiona Williams works in the Swansea council, lives in Mumbles Swansea and is a single mother.She has never been to Palestine before

Les Levidow has been opposing the Israeli Occupation through various campaign groups since the 1980s. These include: the British Committee for the Universities of Palestine (BRICUP), Jews for Boycotting Israel Goods (J-BIG)
John Lynes, retired university lecturer in architecture.
“Between 2002 and 2009 I worked with the Christian Peacemaker Team (www.cpt.org) in the West Bank and in Northern Iraq, but had to retire due to failing health (I'm 83). I am a Quaker and a member of Jews for Justice for Palestinians, Architects and Planners for Justice in Palestine, Christian CND, World Development Movement, and a Life Member of the University and College Union.”
Audrey Gray is a 77 year-old from West Chiltington, a retired nurse, social worker, and current Methodist Local Preacher. She went “to stand alongside Palestinians and Israelis whose lives are severely restricted by the 43 year Israeli Occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem.”
Audrey said “I was determined to go again, I want to make a difference in some small way. In the past 20years I have made 7 pilgrimages to the region and lived on the West Bank for 4 ½ months in 2008 and seen for myself the difficulties, conditions and constraints under which people live.” Prime Minister Netanhayu declares Israel as a democracy, I am being undemocratically held against my will.
Joy Cherkaoui has a community work background and now works for Dumfries and Galloway Council in Integrated Children’s Services. She has one grown up son, who lives in Edinburgh.
Joy has chosen to accept the invitation to visit Palestine during this week of action as she feels that “to be silent – to turn away and act as if she is unaware of the atrocities being committed by the Israeli state on a daily basis against Palestinian citizens - is to be complicit in that oppression.”

For the full list of the 12 British people click here
 


http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/some-of-other-people-imprisoned-in.html

TV report from Israeli prison (Monday, 11 July 2011)


http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/tv-report-from-israeli-prison.html

Video from protests at Israeli checkpoint (Monday,11 July 2011)

A video report of what happened when some of the international people who got through Tel Aviv airport and tried to go to Bethlehem in Palestine.Israeli soldiers responded to waving flags with tear gas and violence

Israeli soldiers prevented the bus-loads of passengers and local Palestinians and Israeli supporters from holding a peaceful demonstration. The Israeli forces shot stun grenades and at least two kinds of tear gas canisters at them. The nearby agricultural fields were set ablaze by these tear-gas canisters. The Israeli forces illegally detained — kidnapped — four peace activists, including three Israeli citizens and one Brazilian. Several participants were injured.

http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/video-from-protests-at-israeli.html


The Wave Radio: Swansea women in Israeli prison (Monday, 11 July 2011)


http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/wave-radio-swansea-women-in-israeli.html




Flytilla

Protest marks the historic decision by Swansea Council (Saturday, 9 July 2011)

This 'Flytilla' protest marks the 1st anniversary of the historic decision taken by Swansea City Council last year to bar future contracts with Veolia on the grounds of its illegal activities in the West Bank.


The passing of the resolution was very important in its own right, but we have since discovered that this is the first resolution of its kind to have been passed by any UK authority, in that it makes explicit its reasons for ruling out any future contracts with Veolia. Other authorities have discontinued contracts with Veolia, but have not specified this reason. Swansea City Council is therefore leading the way with what is now seen as a landmark decision.

Veolia had contracts with the authority for local bus, park & ride to the tune of £699k per annum and home school to the tune of £238k per annum.

Swansea City Council approved the following resolution unamended on Thursday June 17th 2010: "The UN not only does not recognise Israel’s annexation and occupation of East Jerusalem, but has repeatedly stated its view that the Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank contravene international law, and it has demanded that Israeli settlement activities and occupation should not be supported. The international trading company, Veolia, is a leading partner in a consortium seeking to build a light railway system linking Israel to illegal settlements in occupied East Jerusalem, a project that clearly not only contravenes UN demands but is in contravention of international law. 
 

http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/protest-marks-historic-decision-by.html

Wales on Sunday: 4 Welsh women were “handcuffed and shackled”(Saturday, 9 July 2011)


FOUR Welsh women were “handcuffed and shackled” before being loaded into the back of a van by Israeli security forces yesterday who arrested them as they headed for the West Bank town of Bethlehem.The women were detained as part of a so-called “flytilla” protest in Israel as they landed at the country’s Ben Gurion Airport along with eight other British nationals.

They have been named as Pippa Bartolotti, 57, the deputy leader of the Wales Green Party, Dee Murphy, 56, from Swansea, a founder member of Swansea Palestine Community Link, Fiona Williams, 46, from Mumbles, and Joyce Giblin from Newport.
Read More

http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/4-welsh-women-were-handcuffed-and.html

Inside the prison in Israel (Sunday, 10 July 2011)

A report from inside the prison by an Israeli reporter
The foreign activists did not resort to any provocations in prison, maintained orderly behavior and met with consulate officials from their respective embassies.Upon their arrival in prison, the activists met with social workers, a doctor and a paramedic. In line with jail procedures, the foreigners also received toiletries, clothes and bed sheets.

In prison, the activists were separated to male and female wards and held in cells containing six to eight beds. They ate their meals in their cells and were also given some free time to roam in the prison's yard.
Meanwhile, immigration officials will be embarking on talks with foreign airlines – including Easy Jet, Swissair, Alitalia and Lufthansa - in order to expel activists back to their countries of origin.Most detainees will be expelled from Israel, officials estimated, but a few activists may eventually be allowed into Israel.


http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/inside-prison-in-israel.html

BBC radio report on the Swansea women (Sunday, 10 July 2011)

 

http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/bbc-radio-report-on-swansea-women.html

Will the detained resist being deported? (Sunday, 10 July 2011)

The question now being discussed in the prisons is whether the detained campaigners will accept being deported quietly or will they refuse to co-operate with Israel?

The foreign airlines operating in Israel told Israeli newspaper Haaretz they they will have a hard time flying large groups of pro-Palestinian activists who were refused entry into the country back to their destinations of origin.

A senior official for one of the large European carriers told Haaretz on Saturday that "The airlines will have a hard time dealing all at once with large groups of pro-Palestinian activists that Israel wants to deport.
"We're talking about the peak of summer traveling season and the flights are full. We'll have to act accordingly and make different preparations, but first of all, we'll have to receive instructions from the head of the aviation authority in Israel for the deportation of the activists," he said.

"At present, we are unprepared to deal with this, in terms of human resources and in terms of amount of planes," the official added.

The airline official estimated that the massive deportation will begin on Sunday, continuing into the week, and will occur in small groups. 
 

http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/will-detained-resist-being-deported.html


Swansea women facing third night in Israeli Prison (Sunday, 10 July 2011)

As the 2 Swansea women face their third night in an Israeli prison, other campaigners did get past the Israeli barriers. Today Palestinians and international activists tried to force their way through an Israeli checkpoint into the Palestinian town of Bethlehem.

The Ma'an News Agency based in the Palestinian territories reported as follows
Among the protesters were activists who were passengers as part of the "flytilla" that arrived Friday at Ben Gurion International Airport.Israeli soldiers prevented protesters from accessing the area and threatening to shoot anyone who approached the checkpoint, one of the main terminals connecting the occupied West Bank with Jerusalem.

Lawmaker Mustafa Barghouthi demanded the release of the more than 100 activists still held by Israel over their involvement in the "flytilla."

"Israel has widened its circle of repression to include not only the Palestinians but [their] international supporters" as well, Barghouthi said.

Read more




Life within the Israeli prison (Sunday, 10 July 2011)

Fiona Williams and D Murphy from Swansea are amongst the 85 people being detained in the Givon immigration detention center in Ramle.

In 2010 another Palestinian supporter and American politician Cynthia McKinney was imprisoned and she described her ordeal as prisoner number 88794. The prison is known as one of Israel's harshest - a former British police station, overcrowded, stinking, many inside with no bed, everyone confined to tiny areas, some in isolation with no sunlight.

At the time the Israeli government tried to convince McKinney to sign deportation papers, however, McKinney at least initially refused to sign, arguing that she could not be sure of what the papers stated as they were written in Hebrew.We can probably expect the same thing to happen to the Swansea women. Meanwhile today the first group of 36 Europeans have been deported on a Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt. Another group of activists is expected to be deported on Monday on a Geneva -bound flight.

The airlines were upset with Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon's comments made to the media to the effect that Israel's diplomatic efforts led to the airlines' cooperation in preventing the entrance of the activists.
"We are a commercial business. The fact that we prevented the activists from boarding the planes is no evidence of our supporting the State of Israel against the activists, or the opposite. Our actions are bereft of any political statement for one side or another," said the manager of a European airline in Israel.

"It's a shame that there are government officials that are exploiting this incident for political points on the backs of the airlines," he added. 
 
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http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/what-is-life-like-within-prison.html




BBC report about the Swansea women

Saturday, 9 July 2011
Read the full story online here

Full BBC story below
Four Welsh Palestine activists 'detained' in Israel
Four protesters from Wales are among a dozen UK activists detained as part of a so-called "flytilla" protest in Israel, according to organisers.
Fiona Williams, 46, from Mumbles, flew from Luton on Friday with a fellow member of the Swansea Palestine group.
Ms Williams' partner John McLean said the women were detained on leaving the flight at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel.
News agencies report that Israel is set to expel 124 activists, mostly European, who were part of the protest.
The "flytilla" - in which protesters say they were planning to make a peaceful visit to families in the West Bank - was taking place as a flotilla of ships was prevented by Greece from sailing to the Gaza Strip in a bid to break the Israeli blockade on the Palestinian territory.
Mr McLean said this was the first time that Ms Williams, who works for Swansea council, had taken part in such a protest, but added she was a determined supporter of the Palestinian cause.
"Fiona has never been there before so we were all quite surprised she was picked out," he said.

"At 11 o'clock last night we got this news, and they were probably being detained for the weekend and deported at the earliest opportunity.
"They refused to be deported, that's their stance at the moment, because there's no grounds for it."
Mr McLean said Ms Williams had travelled with a fellow member of the Swansea group, who was originally from Ireland, and he had been getting updates from the Irish Embassy.
He said he had not spoken to her directly but understood she was fine.
Paul O'Connor, of the Swansea Palestine group, said he had spoken to the Swansea women on Friday and they were in good spirits.
Ben Gurion Airport Some Israeli protesters gathered to welcome the activists who had flown into Ben Gurion Airport

"The latest we have heard from the [Irish] embassy is that they're being held at the airport," he said."There's about 30-odd others with them.
"They're going to be held and deported on Sunday night and Monday."

Palestinian civil society organisations who make up Welcome to Palestine expected 600 to 1,000 foreign activists to take up their invitation to head to the West Bank for a week.
They say they have planned a full itinerary of peaceful activities, starting with events in Bethlehem and Ramallah on Saturday for those able to make it there.
Palestinians have no airport of their own and Israel controls the borders of the occupied West Bank.
Israeli officials said on Friday airlines blocked some 200 blacklisted travellers from flying to Tel Aviv.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had ordered authorities to "act with determination, while trying to avoid unnecessary friction" with anyone taking part in a provocation, a statement from his office said.
The Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, which is coordinating the British part of the protest, said there 12 detainees from the UK.
'Watching developments'

These included three others from Wales, who it named as Ms Williams's Swansea colleague Dee Murphy, 56, founder member of Swansea Palestine Community Link; Pippa Bartolotti, 57, deputy leader of the Wales Green Party, and Joyce Giblin, from Newport.A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We have received reports of a number of British nationals being detained today at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv.

"We have a consular team at the airport and are seeking consular access to them to ensure that we can provide appropriate assistance."
The spokeswoman said travel advice had been updated and it continued to make clear that travellers to Israel should ensure they are aware of relevant immigration requirements.

"We are watching developments closely," she added.
"We have put in place contingency plans and will deploy consular staff as required to ensure that we can provide appropriate support to British nationals." 
 

http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/bbc-report-about-swansea-women.html

Latest report about the arrests (Satuday, 9 July 2011)

Press Association report

Twelve British people have been detained in Israel while making an attempt to visit the West Bank town of Bethlehem, according to campaigners.The Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, which was co-ordinating the British arm of the visit, said its chairman Mick Napier, 64, a university teacher, was amongst four Scots arrested at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport.

The flight also included five English and three Welsh people.The campaign said the specific charges against them is still unclear. Sofiah Macleod, the UK-based contact for the campaign, said:
"I spoke to consular staff this morning who told me that the arrest was quite rough. They were all handcuffed and shackled and put into vans after standing around for quite a long time, and you can see from their ages that a lot of them are retired. Otherwise they`re all fine."

She said that travel to the West Bank is theoretically open to British passport holders, unlike Gaza which is currently under Israeli blockade.

Frank Thomas, 66, a retired statistician from Edinburgh; Ian Stewart-Hargreaves, who lives on Isle of Lewis; and Joy Cherkaoui, a community worker from Dumfries and Galloway, were also amongst the Scots.

The English passengers were John Lynes, 83, a retired university lecturer from East Sussex; Audrey Gray, 77, a retired nurse from West Chiltington; Val Kitchen, 68, from Tonbridge; Anne Gray, 66, a retired academic from London; and Les Levidow, 61, an Open University research fellow who works in Milton Keynes.

The three Welsh passengers were Pippa Bartolotti, 57, deputy leader of the Wales Green Party; D Murphy, 56, from Swansea, founder member of Swansea Palestine Community Link; and Joyce Giblin. The twelfth passenger Fiona Williams has also been identified as British, although her exact nationality is unknown. (Note: We now all know that Fiona is from Swansea)

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We have received reports of a number of British nationals being detained at the airport in Tel Aviv. We have a consular team at the airport who are seeking access to them to ensure that we can provide the appropriate assistance."


http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/latest-report-about-arrests.html

Western Mail: Welsh campaigners detained (Saturday, 9 July 2011)


Full article below:
Three people from Wales are among a group which has been detained in Israel while making an attempt to visit the West Bank town of Bethlehem, according to campaigners.
Pippa Bartolotti, 57, deputy leader of the Wales Green Party; Dee Murphy, 56, from Swansea, founder member of Swansea Palestine Community Link; and Joyce Giblin, were part of a group of 12 people from the UK who were arrested at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport.

The flight also included five English and four Scots, the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, which was co-ordinating the British arm of the visit, said.

The campaign said the specific charges against them is still unclear.
Around 700 people from around the world had intended to visit Bethlehem on the invitation of families there.

Sofiah Macleod, the UK-based contact for the campaign, said: “I spoke to consular staff this morning who told me that the arrest was quite rough.
“They were all handcuffed and shackled and put into vans after standing around for quite a long time, and you can see from their ages that a lot of them are retired.
“Otherwise they‘re all fine.”

She said that travel to the West Bank is theoretically open to British passport holders, unlike Gaza which is currently under Israeli blockade.
“This was never about demonstrations at airports. We are on a fact-finding mission. We want to understand what’s going on,” said Pippa Bartolotti.

She said she was the only member of a 40-member group on a flight from Britain who managed to enter Israel. “Unfortunately everybody else is in a holding bay and expected to be deported,” she said. “There are people from Belgium, France and the U.K.”

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “We have received reports of a number of British nationals being detained at the airport in Tel Aviv.
“We have a consular team at the airport who are seeking access to them to ensure that we can provide the appropriate assistance.”
Read More

http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/western-mail-welsh-campaigners-detained.html

Foreign and Commonwealth Office responds about Fiona (Saturday, 9 July 2011)

We have just received word from Gail Johnson the Duty Officer at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. She said


Fiona Williams was arrested yesterday upon arrival at Tel Aviv airport. She has been transferred to Prison Givon in Ramle where my colleagues from the Embassy visited her today. Fiona is fine and well and it is likely that she will be deported in the next day or two.
 

http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/foreign-and-commonwealth-office.html

Facebook used by Israel to detain people (Saturday, 9 July 2011)

USA Today gave an insight into how Israel chose which people to arrest and deport.
The newspaper wrote
'Israeli authorities, using information gathered on Facebook, Twitter and other websites, compiled a blacklist with more than 300 names and asked foreign airlines to block those on the list from boarding Tel Aviv-bound flights.'

In New York Times Yigal Palmor, the spokesman for Israel’s Foreign Ministry, said that the Israeli authorities had followed the activists’ plans and compiled the list of undesirables by tracking the Web sites and social networking of the organizations involved.
“We did not need the Mossad,” Mr. Palmor said, referring to Israel’s intelligence agency. “It was all out there in the open.” 
 

http://www.swanseapalestine.org/2011/07/social-media-used-by-israel-to-detain.html