Bassem and Naji Tamimi are fathers, scholars, committed peace activists. Why is Israel jailing them? Because the army wants to use them as examples in order to stop the unarmed protests in the village of Nabi Saleh.
Like other villages, such as Bil’in and Ni’ilin, which protest weekly against Israeli Occupation, Nabi Saleh has been the target of systematic military repression in an attempt to quell the protests. The Israeli army has raided the village by day and by night, causing hundreds of injuries and carrying out 75 protest-related arrests – more than 10% of the village 550 people population – including women and many children.
Take the case of Bassem Tamimi. Since demonstrations began in the village, his house has been raided and ransacked numerous times, his wife was arrested twice and two of his sons were injured – Wa’ed, 14, was hospitalized for five days after a rubber-coated bullet penetrated his leg and Mohammed, 8, was injured by a tear-gas projectile that was shot directly at him and hit him in the shoulder. Sadly, his case is not unique.
Despite of all of this, the Israeli army has not managed to break the spirit of the residents of Nabi Saleh, who continue to hold unarmed protests.
Naji and Bassem Tamimi were jailed on equally dubious grounds as Abdallah Abu Rahmah of Bil’in, who was finally freed after a year and a half in prison. Naji and Bassem were arrested based on confessions from teenagers who were themselves seized in midnight raids, denied legal counsel, and beaten. This is not justice. We must raise our voices again to secure their quick release.
Thousands of you raised your voices on behalf of Abdallah Abu Rahme, along with people around the world, to say that no one should be jailed for organizing peaceful protests against the theft of their land. If you believe in grassroots, unarmed organizing against the Israeli occupation, please stand by Bassem and Naji Tamimi. Please send an email to the U.S. State Department to ask them to call for the Tamimis’ release.
Sincerely,
Sydney Levy
PS. Last weekend there was a marked increased in violence against unarmed protestors on the occasion of Nakba Day. Read Jewish Voice for Peace’s response.
