Subject: Kelly In Deportation Prison In Israel
Date: Thu, 16 Dec 2004 00:34:51 -0800
From: Kelly@riseup.net
To: mika@balatacamp.net
Dear friends and supporters of Kelly and Palestine,
Kelly was arrested by the Israeli Border Police during a demonstration in the village of Bil'in near Ramallah on Tuesday 14th Dec. She is currently being held by the Ministry of Interior police, and will likely be deported in the next few days.
The demonstration on Tuesday was directed at the large-scale theft of land from Bil'in for the construction of the apartheid wall. The villagers successfully managed to halt the military from surveying their land; in response the Israeli soldiers and Border Police attacked the residents. Several Palestinians were badly beaten with batons, while the demonstration as a whole was targeted with tear gas, plastic bullets and sound grenades.
At one point, plain-clothes policemen appeared to pick out internationals they recognized, who had also filmed the particularly brutal beating of a Palestinian boy. Kelly was singled out, before being wrestled to the ground and dragged to the top of the hill. Later on, another American woman who was filming was arrested.
Kelly has been interrogated in the Ministry of Interior and is currently being held in Hadera Deportation Prison. She has received a package of fruit, books and clothes from us and a second is on its way.
It's unclear exactly what Kelly is being charged with, or when and to where she will be deported. Court expenses are around $2000, so it is unlikely that we will be able to fight Kelly's deportation in the courts.
She will hopefully receive a phone later today, at which point people can reach her on ++972 54 6346923. Alternatively, email this address and I'll read her the message.
Kelly sends her love to all, and asks people to keep fighting for the Palestinian cause. Of course, the balatacamp.net projects will continue.
In struggle,
Mika'Every dawn has its appointment with a rebel' - Ghassan Kanafani