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Jerusalem municipal inspectors harass peace vigil

Press release Nov. 4, 2014

Signs confiscated despite protesters having a permit
Inspector makes threats against organizer
Rally to go ahead at Prime Minister’s residence

Peace activists holding the “Red Alert” vigil in front of the Prime
Minister’s residence in Jersusalem have lodged a complaint to the police
regarding a severe illegal harassment by municipal inspectors.
At 10.25 am this morning, there arrived at the vigil (corner of Balfour and
Azza Steets) a Jerusalem municipal van. The inspectors, headed by Squad
Leader Rami Haim, started tearing up the protest signs placed on the wall of
the PM’s residence. Co-organizer Naftali Raz pointed out that the vigil had gotten a permit from both police and town hall, but was answered with jeering.

The inspectors went on with their work, confiscated the signs, loaded them on
the van and drove away. Before departing one of the inspectors, named Moshe
Nissim, called at Raz: ”We will come to settle accounts with you at Mevaseret
Tzion” (a Jerusalem suburb).

Naftali Raz says: ”This threat means that they know who I am and where I
live. It shows that this is not a municipal activity but a politically-
motivated harassment. At least, we got clear evidence that our presence
here is quite disturbing to somebody – which is a very good reason to go
on”.

After coming back from the police, the activists stand at the roadside,
holding up several surviving signs which were in an activist’s car. They
have ordered new signs to replace the confiscated ones, reading: “Bibi – an
existential danger to Israel”, “We have no surplus children” and “The Arab
Peace Initiative – a hope for the future. “If somebody hoped to intimidate
us, they are mistaken”.

At 4.00 pm there will be held on the spot, as scheduled, a rally addressed
by various public figures including:

-General (res.) Eyal Ben Reuben (signatory of the `Hundred Generals Letter,
calling for a new peace initiative, which was published last Friday)
-Professor Menachem Klein (representing dovish religious-Zionism)
-Ronit Kedar (of Netive Ha’asara Moshave, in the Gaza border region, member
of Other Voice in the South)
-Adv. Dr Ali Al Assad, of the Bedouin town Lakiya in the Negev
-Poet Eytan Kalinsky
-Yitzchak Frankenthal, founder of the Forum of Bereaved Families for Peace
-Moderator: Naftali Raz

The event will take place at all weather conditions. It will start with a
moment of silence to commemorate the assassination of Prime Minister Yitchak
Rabin nineteen years ago to the day, and also in memory of all victims of
violence and bloodshed in the prolonged conflict which protesters seek to
end.

The “Red Alert” vigils take place every day, at least until and including
Friday this week, from 10.00 am until nightfall. “We feel that the earth is
shaking under our feet. Netanyahu is crossing any conceivable red line, and
we feel the need to sound a Red Alert” say the organizers. “The Israeli
peace camp is stirring up. Last Friday we sent a letter signed by 550
Israeli citizens to Members of the Spanish Parliament, calling upon them to
support recognition of a Palestinian state side by side with Israel. On
Saturday night we took part in a mass peace rally in Tel Aviv. From next
week on we will every Monday place a “Dialogue Vigil” at various location in
Israel, from Kiryat Shmona in the north to Sderot in the south.

We are determined to go on with this struggle for this country’ future, which
is vital to all of us. Our byword is the Peace Song’s words: “Don’t say ‘A
day will come – bring the day!’“

Contact: Naftali Raz
972-(0)54-5494172
zar89@netvision.net.il

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