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Occupation magazine - Life under occupation

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90th International Peace Activist To Be Deported By Israel
Human Barrels protest - Reuters
International Solidarity Movement
May 16, 2005

Johan Persson is from Sweden and was arrested in Bili`n Sunday May
15, during a non violent demonstration against Israel`s Illegal
Barrier. He is the ninetieth solidarity activist to be deported
since April 2002. Hundreds of others have been denied access to the
occupied territories. ISM alone has documented 161 cases of denied
entry.

Johan was arrested in the last of a series of Non violent actions
organized by the residents of Bil`in and joined by Israeli and
International activists. Like the 89 people before him, Johan was
exploiting his status as an international to support Palestinian non
violent resistance to Israeli occupation. Violence against
Palestinians is lessened by the presence of Internationals including
Israelis. He was also carrying out his own personal responsibility
as dictated by the international court of justice which declared the
wall illegal and called for dismantling of it. According to the
ruling, all signatories to the Geneva Convention are obliged to
recognize the illegal situation caused by construction of the wall
and to cease aiding or assisting in maintaining the illegal
situation.

Because governments around the world refuse to fulfill their
obligations and enforce the ICJ ruling, human rights activists are
putting their lives at risk to do their part. Large churches such as
the Presbyterian Church have begun to discuss divestment from Israel
for its continued violations of human rights and its continued
building of the wall. The World Council of Churches has recommended
that all of its members consider divestment. If governments took
seriously their obligations under international law, such steps
would not be necessary.

Until governments begin to take their responsibilities seriously
then peace and human rights activists like johan will continue to
come to the West Bank in order support non violent resistance and
will most likely continue to be arrested and deported by the Israeli
occupation establishment.

For pictures of the protest event see:
https://israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/3137/index.php


See article about non-violent demonstration against the WALL:

http://www.kibush.co.il/show_file.asp?num=3012
Human `Barrels` block the wall



Human Barrels - Reuters
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