issa (r.) in confrontation w settler colonist
yesterday, activist issa amro from tel rumeida in the old city of hebron and member of “youth against settlements”, was once again arrested for his activism against the military occupier. he was first ordered to come to a “police” station in a nearby colonial settlement, and then arrested. today, his case was heard in court. i’m not sure what came out of it.
this recent arrest comes amid an increasing persecution of issa. i cannot count the times he was detained and/or arrested. the last two times were these:
on february 8, 2013, fanatic colonialist baruch marzel approached the center of YAS in company of a few other colonists and tresspassed on the center’s property, in an attempt of forceful entry. when issa tried to push him off their property, he and activist jawad abu eysha were arrested by soldiers and later released on the condition that at least issa (not sure about jawad) maintain a certain distance (don’t remember exact distance) from marzel for the next 15 days. in theory, i imagine this would have meant that if marzel forcefully entered the center, issa would have to leave it during this period. obviously absurd. (watch video)
on march 20, issa was once again arrested during a protest against obama’s visit and a following stand-off with settler colonists. the following, colonist david wilder published an article in which he portrayed issa as a dangerous master-mind behind all activist actions in the old city and beyond (as well as falsely accused him of trying to break his camera). after calling issa “a true Hebron nemesis, also with a camera: Issa Amru, who can be described as something of a terrorist trouble-maker, a master provocateur”, he posted a letter that colonial settlers send to several high ranking army and police persons, effectively demanding that they put issa under prolongued “administrative detention” until they come up with a “long-term solution to completely end” the resistance against the colonists in the old city and essentially requesting that they get rid of issa.
issa has been saying for a while that things in the old city are heating up (which other friends in the old city have been warning of as well). after the letter was published, issa was worried. he said that shuhada street was closed after settler colonists demanded so in a letter to army/police. he thought their threat was serious.
i guess yesterday’s arrest is one more step in that direction. issa thought that drawing attention to his persecution and following up on future arrests and attacks on him would be all we could do in terms of protection.
i told issa two weeks ago that i’d write up a call, but only do so now: please spread this and help draw continued attention to his persecution, in the hopes that this visibility will indeed grant him some protection. forward this to media activists or, if you’re one yourself, perhaps visit the center and do a portrait etc. of him.
———————-
i’m not going to link to wilder’s post, so i’m copying it here instead:
“Hebron ‘We Have a Dram’ March Culminates in Attack on Local Jew
The Arab banner reads: “I Have a Dram.”
David Wilder who filed this report was too worked up to notice the hilarious banner carried by Palestinian Arabs in Hebron, condemning Israel’s “Hebron apartheid” (Arabs have access to the entire city of Hebron, while Jews are limited to about 30 percent of the city — that IS apartheid… Things became serious shortly thereafter, but seeing as the banner was intended for Barack Obama to read, we urge the president to send more funds to teach Arabs basic spelling. Unless they really do have a dram (a unit of liquid capacity equal to 1⁄8 fluid ounce) they want to fulfill… — Yori Yanover.
Late Wednesday morning, I made my way from our offices in the Avraham Avinu neighborhood of Hebron to Beit Hadassah, a few minutes away, to speak with a group there. Being a few minutes early, I first went upstairs to my home. Coming downstairs, ten minutes later, a friend asked if I was going to film the “balagan” (pandemonium) outside in the street. What balagan? I asked. “A march, with Arabs and Palestinian flags, right here on the street.”
I ran up to the street, grabbed my camera from the car, and saw, a few meters in front of me, a group of Arabs, foreign anarchists, and Israelis, as well as a large group of journalists, mostly Arab photographers, and a few soldiers and Hebron residents.
Some of the people were wearing masks with pictures of Obama on them. Most of the pushing and shoving centered around a banner sign they were carrying.
As I started filming, I quickly saw a true Hebron nemesis, also with a camera: Issa Amru, who can be described as something of a terrorist trouble-maker, a master provocateur .
Who is this guy?
The following is a letter sent today to senior IDF and police officers:
To: General Nitzan Alon Commander, Central Command
Col. Avi Bluth Hebron Brigade Commander,
Commander Itzik Rachamim Hebron Police Commander
Re: Issa Amro
This person is the center of anarchist-terrorist activity in Hebron. Said activity is not confined to incitement and organizing illegal demonstrations and violence, but also includes actual military operations, including Molotov cocktails and more.
For example, a video circulated on the ambush and use of firebombs against IDF soldiers. The tape is written in Arabic “Youth against the settlements,” an organization of Issa Amro and his partner Jonathan Pollack.
It should be added that Arabs entered the Admot Yishai (Tel Rumeida) neighborhood Friday night, March 8, 2013 (20 meters from a soldier’s position), uprooted a tree and dismantled and stole a bench. Undoubtedly, these operations were carried out under the command of Issa.
This activity can be carried out only after monitoring and intelligence gathering.
This person is behind a series of serious provocations.
On March 19, he organized another provocation at Tel Rumeida, carried out by his brother, trying to cut through a barbed wire fence.
Today, March 20, there was a serious provocation outside Beit Hadassah, coordinated by Amro and with the cooperation and participation of anarchist elements. Arabs marched through the streets with PLO flags and banners. David Wilder, a Hebron resident and member of the Community Municipal Committee, was attacked and his camera broken. Security forces, rather than help him, did nothing, appearing helpless.
This series of failures could lead to bloodshed.
We demand that you take all actions necessary to put an end to these provocations and incitement, and to stop this terrorist activity immediately. Use administrative detention until you are able to find a long-term solution to completely end this hostile and dangerous activity.
We warn that any delay in dealing conclusively could be very costly.
Regards,
Avraham Ben Yosef – Mayor, Hebron Municipal Council
Uri Karzen – Director General, Hebron Jewish Community
Issa seemed to be having a good time. He fingered me, gave me a V sign, and blew me some kisses. He eventually took my Canan 5D camera, tossed it into the air and watched it bounce in the street. I think the body is ok but the 24-105, $1500 lens died.
Eventually, after it was over, he was arrested. The last time he went to court, the judge banned him from participating in demonstrations in Hebron for six months. That was a few months ago. Having violated the court decision, he may now find himself warming a jail cell for a while. Probably not long enough, unless our security forces get their stuff together and find a way to rid us of this dangerous person.