Save Sheikh Jarrah: Shut Elbit Down (Tuesday May 11, 1pm)

[hitmouse]

If anyone in London is free on Tuesday afternoon and fancies doing something a bit more direct than the usual standing around outside a town hall listening to speeches:

Save Sheikh Jarrah: Shut Elbit Down

We have all seen the horrifying and disgusting images coming out of Jerusalem. The atrocious acts committed by settlers and Israeli forces are despicable: tear gassing worshippers in the Al-Aqsa […]

palestineaction.org

We have all seen the horrifying and disgusting images coming out of Jerusalem. The atrocious acts committed by settlers and Israeli forces are despicable: tear gassing worshippers in the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the forceful appropriation of homes, the use of rubber bullets and physical assault causing hundreds of casualties – among them children and journalists.

But these acts are not simply horrifying crimes committed in isolation. This project of ethnic cleansing and the brutalisation of the civilian Palestinian population has been going on for decades – and it draws much of its strength from the complicity of western governments.

The UK government is completely acquiescent to this ethnic cleansing – and indeed has given millions of pounds to one of the chief architects of this brutality: Elbit Systems.

Elbit manufacture the surveillance technologies and “intrusion detection systems” which fortify Jerusalem’s illegal border walls, dividing the Palestinian population of Jerusalem into walled-in ghettos. Their drones are used to spy on and monitor the civilian population, while also enabling the IDF to drop tear gas over vast numbers of people.

Many in the UK are watching in horror at the war crimes being committed in Jerusalem, unaware of what they can do about it.

Here is your opportunity to take a stand:
We are calling on all conscientious people in the UK to turn up at Elbit’s HQ, at 77 Kingsway, Holborn, London on Tuesday 11th May at 1PM. We will be taking direct action in solidarity with the Palestinian people of Jerusalem, demanding the UK government to end their complicity in ethnic cleansing, and fighting to #ShutElbitDown!

 

[Jay Park]

Today is Jerusulem day, never did my mind ever contemplate that Israelis would parade around, gloating at their taking of their bit of the city. Mental.

 

[Gramsci]

Couple of my photos of the protest.

 

[hitmouse]

Unfortunate choice of location for that Leon. Brief write-up from the organisers here, 3 arrests apparently: Hundreds Turn Out To Shut Elbit Down - Arrests Made as Police Move To Silence Protestors
Next one is Friday 28th: Drown The Business of Bloodshed

 

[RileyOBlimey]

Today is Jerusulem day, never did my mind ever contemplate that Israelis would parade around, gloating at their taking of their bit of the city. Mental.

They do similar parades in Hebron too that often turns violent.

 

[hitmouse]

Arrestee support required at Holborn police station:

 

[Gramsci]

Good demo. Important now Israeli government /state is trying to evict Palestinian families from their homes to be given to Jewish settlers. Heard spokesperson from Israeli government this morning arguing this was all legal. That Israeli courts and judiciary were independent of the government. It would all be decided fairly if the Palestinian families had right to live on this land. Which is bollocks.

 

[AmateurAgitator]

Today is Jerusulem day, never did my mind ever contemplate that Israelis would parade around, gloating at their taking of their bit of the city. Mental.

Just like the Orange Order do. Crazy.

 

[two sheds]

...

 

[Jay Park]

Just like the Orange Order do. Crazy.

there are similarities of course, but this Jeruselum day is above and beyond. As was once mentioned on here, all the prods with a bit of nous gtfo of Belfast (to use that city as an example) and what's left is idiots being allowed by the state to be overly antagonist for a day or week or whatever. Israeli's are storming mosques during Ramadan and murdering.

 

[MickiQ]

Good demo. Important now Israeli government /state is trying to evict Palestinian families from their homes to be given to Jewish settlers. Heard spokesperson from Israeli government this morning arguing this was all legal. That Israeli courts and judiciary were independent of the government. It would all be decided fairly if the Palestinian families had right to live on this land. Which is bollocks.

From what I understand of the case, the Palestinians living there had the right to do so granted to them by the Jordanian government when it controlled Jerusalem and have documentation to prove it. The Jewish settlers who want to evict them also have documents granting them historical title to the same land that dates back to the Ottoman Empire (a state that has been gone for a hundred years). The Israeli court has decided that the Jewish one has precedence. It probably is legal in the strict sense of the word though and the Israeli judiciary is no doubt independent of the government. Doubt many Palestinians are convinced that an Israeli court is neutral though.

 

[Gramsci]

From what I understand of the case, the Palestinians living there had the right to do so granted to them by the Jordanian government when it controlled Jerusalem and have documentation to prove it. The Jewish settlers who want to evict them also have documents granting them historical title to the same land that dates back to the Ottoman Empire (a state that has been gone for a hundred years). The Israeli court has decided that the Jewish one has precedence. It probably is legal in the strict sense of the word though and the Israeli judiciary is no doubt independent of the government. Doubt many Palestinians are convinced that an Israeli court is neutral though.

Actually no. Its occupied territory under International law an occupying power should not be doing this

See here:

Stop evictions in East Jerusalem neighbourhood immediately, UN rights office urges Israel

The UN’s human rights office (OHCHR), on Friday, called on Israel to immediately halt all forced evictions, including those in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of East Jerusalem, as well as to exercise maximum restraint in the use of force while ensuring safety and security there.

news.un.org

Plus the laws that state of Israel are using are being implemented in a discriminatory way.

 

[Shechemite]

Legalities aside. It is about rich fir the Israeli state to be evicting people on the basis that they weren’t living there pre 1948.

 

[MickiQ]

Actually no. Its occupied territory under International law an occupying power should not be doing this

See here:

Stop evictions in East Jerusalem neighbourhood immediately, UN rights office urges Israel

The UN’s human rights office (OHCHR), on Friday, called on Israel to immediately halt all forced evictions, including those in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of East Jerusalem, as well as to exercise maximum restraint in the use of force while ensuring safety and security there.

news.un.org

Plus the laws that state of Israel are using are being implemented in a discriminatory way.

Does Israel recognise international law? Nothing in international law is biding on a state unless it has signed the relevant treaty (or a more powerful state decides to enforce it the hard way). I suspect that Israel hasn't signed up to many such treaties and its courts probably don't recognise them as valid.
No-one is arguing the point that the Israeli government is being discriminatory, oppressive and downright brutal even but I suspect that as far as Israeli courts are concerned then i's are properly dotted and t's crossed. None of which are much consolation to the poor sods being dragged out at gun point of course.

 

[MickiQ]

Legalities aside. It is about rich fir the Israeli state to be evicting people on the basis that they weren’t living there pre 1948.

Well Yes given the settlers claim is based on a document from 1885 from a nation that no longer exists

 

[Gramsci]

Does Israel recognise international law? Nothing in international law is biding on a state unless it has signed the relevant treaty (or a more powerful state decides to enforce it the hard way). I suspect that Israel hasn't signed up to many such treaties and its courts probably don't recognise them as valid.
No-one is arguing the point that the Israeli government is being discriminatory, oppressive and downright brutal even but I suspect that as far as Israeli courts are concerned then i's are properly dotted and t's crossed. None of which are much consolation to the poor sods being dragged out at gun point of course.

Yes the State of Israel does recognise International law. It did so shortly after it was founded.

 

[Gramsci]

Been reading up a little bit more about israel state legal system.

Found this post which also links to authors other post on Palestinian family evicted from home in Jerusalem.

Why we need to speak about the Absentee Property Law

From the blog of Anna Roiser at Jewish News

blogs.timesofisrael.com

The APL was brought in the early days of the Israeli state to on surface deal with land and property empty due to Palestinians having fled.

Its still used now to gradually get rid of Palestinians and give their homes to Jewish settlers in Jerusalem.

In theory it applies to both Jewish Israeli and Palestinians. But in practice its only applied to Palestinians.

Reminds me of reading Israeli historian Pappe. He said Zionism is land and demographics.

In case of West Bank Israeli State had several options. Annex it. Problem with that is that Palestinians would be Israeli citizens. So demographics would be wrong.

Second option expell them. This option would cause international outcry.

Third option which is the one used is to grind the Palestinians down . Set up the supposedly neutral legal system to gradually kick them out to be replaced by Jewish settlers. Argue that Israel is a democratic state with rule of law.

When this is questioned the person doing it is subject to abuse.

 

[hitmouse]

Palestine Action saying Elbit Oldham occupied today, saying several arrested on burglary charges (two of them apparently Israeli, fwiw).

 

[hitmouse]

Oh, seems like there was also a demo against the Elbit Oldham site yesterday as well.



Looking through stuff, there's a few upcoming court dates:
Five people facing court in Stafford for a previous Elbit occupation, May 17th
Six people due at Highbury Magistrates, May 26th

 

[Shechemite]

Strength to them

 

[hitmouse]

Tomorrow afternoon in Oldham:

 

[teqniq]

According to the somewhat flaky search function on Urban this would appear to be the only relevant thread to Elbit and it's an out of date one, alas. Nevertheless this is great news and needs to be shared far and wide:

Elbit's contract losses prove that economic sabotage works

Palestine Action's relentless campaign to shut Elbit down has now cost the Israeli arms firm two lucrative government contracts and done immeasurable reputational damage, proving the power of direct action, writes Huda Ammori.

www.newarab.com

 

[hitmouse]

According to the somewhat flaky search function on Urban this would appear to be the only relevant thread to Elbit and it's an out of date one, alas. Nevertheless this is great news and needs to be shared far and wide:

Elbit's contract losses prove that economic sabotage works

Palestine Action's relentless campaign to shut Elbit down has now cost the Israeli arms firm two lucrative government contracts and done immeasurable reputational damage, proving the power of direct action, writes Huda Ammori.

www.newarab.com

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Yeah, it's been a fantastic campaign - fwiw, I've tried to keep posting relevant updates over on this thread: Palestine solidarity demos in the UK

 

[teqniq]

Time for a new post:

The ‘other’ Palestine protesters quietly shutting down arms factories