Dear friends and fellow activists,
ISM is hard at work in the West Bank and Gaza, and needs your help!
The ISM media office was raided two times in the span of four nights in February, when Bridget Chappell and Ariadna Jove Marti were arrested. In the raids, the Israeli military stole all of our computers (three laptops, one desktop) as well as several video cameras. Just a few weeks ago, the Hebron office was broken into while activists were away. We believe the military is also to blame because neighbors reported soldiers coming to look through the windows multiple times when the apartment was empty, and in the raid two laptops, multiple cameras, photo memory cards and USB memory devices were stolen, while other valuables were left in plain sight.
ISM needs to replace this equipment in order to continue the important work we’re doing. Documenting ongoing settler violence and harassment in Tel Rumeida (Hebron) and Sheikh Jarrah (East Jerusalem) are two of our most important activities. The residents of these communities demonstrate remarkable resilience by refusing to be deterred by settler violence. In order for the communities to have a chance of telling their story to the global community (one of ISM’s primary roles), and to prove the innocence of our Palestinian friends when they are falsely accused (a frequent occurrence), we need to capture high-quality footage.
We need: at least two small hand-held video cameras (roughly $150-200 each).
ISM Gaza activists risk extreme danger to document some of the worst human rights violations in the world. One primary activity is documenting use of live fire in the “buffer zone” towards farmers and non-violent demonstrators. Israel’s use of live fire has killed 14 and injured over 50 thus far in 2010. Bianca Zammit, a Maltese activist, was shot in the leg April 23 while filming a demonstration, proving that such documentation is viewed as a threat by the Israeli military.
We need: a Mac laptop computer for video editing ($1000)
A camera with good ‘optical’ zoom, such as a Canon Powershot S51S ($150-300)
The strategic theft of our media equipment, combined with Bianca’s shooting, serve as a reminder that we pose a real threat in our ability to reach global audiences with information about Israel’s actions. As non-violent activists, cameras are our weapons in exposing the Apartheid. Please, help us to continue this important work by donating here: palsolidarity.org/donate, or by sending equipment to Palestine with an activist.
In solidarity,
ISM Palestine
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About us
The GPHRC was formed early in 2003 after visiting the West Bank. On our time spent in the Refugee Camps and after conversations with various people living in the Camps we were shocked to see the poverty and injustices inflicted upon the Palestinian people by the Israeli Occupation Forces.
We made up our mind to fund a young girl from a Refugee Camp whose dream was to be a nurse but because of the occupation it was merely a dream for her. We also spent time in another Refugee Camp who felt completely isolated from the whole world as the Israeli Occupation _JPG_jpg.jpg)
Forces would seal off all entry points to their Camp and carry out their military operations. We were asked if there was any way we could supply them with digital cameras so they could at least take photographs of the Israeli operations and put them on the internet so the world could see. It was their way of fighting the occupation with words and pictures and also teaching the children that yes there were ways of fighting the occupation.
Our 3 aims of the Campaign are:-
- To highlight what the Israeli Occupation Forces are doing to the Palestinian people.
- To fundraise for the Palestinian people
- To actually get people over to the Refugee Camps and live and work with the people in them
Our Campaign now funds 8 students in various Refugee Camps throughout the West Bank. We pay all their costs through University.
We also fund 7 children's groups in several Refugee Camps. At present because there is no money going back to Palestine we are funding the costs of rent, electricity etc.
Also lately we have been funding people who need operations and cannot afford them.
ONE HUNDRED PER CENT of all monies collected with our Campaign goes back to the above. No money comes out for any reason whatsoever.
We also visit Palestine 3 or 4 times a year visiting the people we fund and also working for the Peace Movement in Palestine.
We know every person we fund personally and can vouch for all monies going over to the Refugee Camps
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