Tag: Israeli PM Benyamin Netanyahu

Then, at 4 am, the Israeli Police moved in… evacuated everybody [ + may or may not have torn down tents]

As we reported in our previous post, Abir Kopty had reported hearing police move in on the Bab Al-Shams tent village in E-1, on foot, just before midnight…

After that, it was a long night.

Nobody really knows what happened to the tents, because the site is still a closed military zone [at least until 00h30 on Monday] … but it was peculiar that the Israeli Army interpreted so… well, literally, the Supreme Court’s injunction against evicting and/or destroying the 21 or so tents that were put up on Friday morning at Bab al-Shams.

But, the people were certainly removed.

Irene Nasser picked up the story at 2 am, Abir Kopty was also Tweeting, and Fadi Quran joined in at 4 am, sending out these Tweets :

2 am
Irene Nasser @Irene_Nasser — Bulldozers are moving closer towards us along with a large police force after the court gave permission to evict #BabAlShams. Freezing cold

3 am
Abir Kopty @AbirKopty — We are gathered, they are approaching us #BabAlShams
Aljazeera will go live now from here #BabAlShams
They have a strong flash to disturb the cameras of the press #BabAlShams

3 am
Irene Nasser @Irene_Nasser — Dozens of military buses are at the bottom of the hill. Soldiers are moving closer by foot
lights of police cars popping up across the hills around us. press has stuck out the cold and is still here to document #BabAlShams
Military jeeps are almost at the first tent #BabAlShams
They’re here #BabAlShams
We’re surrounded. #BabAlShams
There’s no where to go, it’s dark and can barely see anything. #BabAlShams
They’re closing on the group violently #BabAlShams
First arrest. Not sure who hard to see #BabAlShams
They’re attacking press and moving them out #BabAlShams
More arrested without any of us seeing who #BabAlShams

4 am
Irene Nasser @Irene_Nasser — We’re ALL detained #BabAlShams
We’re on a police bus being moved. Not sure where to #BabAlShams

4 am Fadi Quran @fadiquran —
Just arrested, in arrest bus #BabAlShams staying strong
Truth, crushed to earth, shall rise again #BabAlshams

5 am
Irene Nasser @Irene_Nasser — The bus is taking us through #Jerusalem. We seem to be heading either to atarot police station or qalandia checkpoint #BabAlShams
Some detained have either not been to #Jerusalem 10+ yrs or some even never seeing it now for 1st time on an arrest vehicle #BabAlShams
2 full buses of those arrested at #BabAlShams have been release at qalandia checkpoint. I’m on the 3rd bus with others #BabAlShams

5 am Fadi Quran @fadiquran
They just released all of us at Qalandia #BabAlShams

6 am
Irene Nasser @Irene_Nasser — 3 were taken to hospitals. 1 in ramallah and 2 in #Jerusalem who may be arrested. #BabAlShams
Going to the hospital in ramallah to find the 2 injured transferred from the israeli ambulance. #BabAlShams
All those injured (4) have been released. They suffered bad wounds to the face from police punching and violence #BabAlShams
Sun will soon rise on our village. Empty tents, blankets thrown everywhere. They may have evicted us but we’ll always remain. #BabAlShams

6 am
Abir Kopty @AbirKopty — 6 injuries in total during the attack on #BabAlShams, we are here at the hospital with them

7 am
Irene Nasser @Irene_Nasser — Correction: 6 injuries in total. 2 minor

==============================================================

Here is a photo of Hafez Omar, taken after the Israeli Policy + Army evacuated Bab Al-Shams tent village in the E-1 area, east of Jerusalem:

Hafez Omar after the evacuation of Bab Al-Shams
Hafez Omar after the evacuation of Bab Al-Shams

==============================================================

Reactions + Comments:
Ori Nir @OriNir_APN — Isr’ gov’ proves it can quickly and efficiently remove a Palestinian WB illegal outpost. So, how about the ~ 100 illegal Jewish outposts?

Daniel Seidemann @DanielSeidemann — Message of today’s E1 eviction: what is allowed to hilltop West Bank settlers, social protesters in Tel Aviv, is forbidden to Palestinians.

Daniel Seidemann @DanielSeidemann — The message of today’s E1 eviction to WB Palestinians: you may not protest non-violently. That leaves submission or… ahem. Dumb. Just dumb.

Daniel Seidemann @DanielSeidemann — The State claimed that a non-violent E1/Bab Alshams protest in isolated area created “urgent security danger and threat to public safety”

Brent E. Sasley @besasley — @DanielSeidemann So Bibi *did* flagrantly ignore the Supreme Court. Very surprising, and a terrible precedent.

Daniel Seidemann @DanielSeidemann — @besasley The injunction forbids destruction/removal of the E1 protest tents for 6 days, unless there is an urgent security concern. 1/2

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu orders immediate evacuation of "Palestinians who have gathered in the area between Maale Adumim + Jerusalem". That's a lot of people…

Haaretz reporter Barak Ravid Tweeted at 6pm on Saturday, just after the end of the Jewish Shabat:

Barak Ravid @BarakRavid — Breaking: PM Netnayahu ordered security forces to evict the Palestinian Bab El-Shams outpost in E1 area between Maale-Edomim and Jerusalem

Barak Ravid @BarakRavid — PM Netanyahu gives order to evict #BabAlShams Palestinian outpost. The state will ask the supreme court to cancel the restraining order

Within a few minutes, this statement from the Prime Minister’s Media Adviser was issued via the Government Press Office:

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered security forces to evacuate forthwith the Palestinians who have gathered in the area between Maale Adumim and Jerusalem. To this end, the State will, this evening (Saturday, 11 January 2013), request that the High Court of Justice rescind the injunction that it had issued and which is delaying the evacuation. Until the High Court responds to the State’s motion, the Prime Minister has ordered the closure of access roads to the area in order to prevent gatherings. At this stage, the area has been declared a closed military zone”.

The statement doesn’t actually say that Bab Al-Shams is to be evacuated… It specifies that security forces should “evacuate forthwith the Palestinians who have gathered in the area between Maale Adumim and Jerusalem”…

Actually, that’s a lot of people.

But, in any case, what will happen if Israel’s Supreme Court does not agree?

There are private Palestinian owners of the land on which the Bab Al-Shams tent city has been erected, and they have given their permission for this presence:

The owners of the land on which Bab Al-Shams is located show their ownership deeds or papers — via a Tweet from @Tweet_Palestine posted here:

#BabAlshams land owner shows his ownership papers or deeds
#BabAlshams land owner shows his ownership papers or deeds

Daniel Seidemann, Israeli Attorney and founder of Ir Amim, now of Terrestrial Jerusalem, said, however, on Twitter that “From the Israeli legal perspective, the land ownership is NOT any issue. This is “state” land. There is really one issue.  Do the occupied have the right to protest, and is it legal for the PM, or the Military (the real sovereign) to prevent protest?

Daniel Seidemann @DanielSeidemann — Netanyahu’s hyping Bab Alshams/E1 as an electoral prop There’s no violence or danger to public order. Just stifling dissent, scoring points.

Marian Houk @Marianhouk — And, what if the Supreme Court just doesn’t agree to go along with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Executive request to thrown out their injunction?

@DanielSeidemann — @Marianhouk Bibi actually might like being held back by Supreme Court. He will look like Giuliani to his base, and not have to do anything

Marian Houk @Marianhouk — If Netanyahu is playing to the electorate, it probably won’t be very good for vote if [– IF– ] Israel’s Supreme Court snubs his request.  Could Supreme Court really be willing to back a PM trying to stifle dissent?

@DanielSeidemann — @Marianhouk My guess? The Court to likely avoid rendering a judgment, sending parties to settle out of court. Technical, temporary decisions

Marian Houk @Marianhouk — @DanielSeidemann – Then what? Esp. if military + police are upset about “provocation”, PM wants to suppress dissent? Tense stand-off till ?

Daniel Seidemann @DanielSeidemann — @Marianhouk Life will look different for everyone after the elections

Marian Houk @Marianhouk — @DanielSeidemann – and Supreme Court injunction will expire on Wednesday if the Court doesn’t agree to void it earlier…