IS PALESTINE NEXT? IOF preparing for mass civil uprising in West Bank

[freepalestine]

Published 00:50 09.03.11
Latest update 00:50 09.03.11
IDF is preparing for mass civil uprising in West Bank

Nearly a year ago, Judea and Samaria Division drew up comprehensive program to combat large demonstrations in West Bank, which is currently being adjusted in light of the popular revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt.

By Anshel Pfeffer (http://www.haaretz.com/misc/writers/anshel-pfeffer-1.292)





The Central Command and the Judea and Samaria Division of the Israel Defense Forces have been closely monitoring the recent events in Arab states and updating their operational plans for dealing with a potential popular, nonviolent uprising.
Nearly a year ago the Judea and Samaria Division drew up a comprehensive program to combat large demonstrations in the West Bank, which is currently being adjusted in light of the popular revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt.


http://www.haaretz.com/polopoly_fs/1.290784.1274067251!/image/551742267.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_295/551742267.jpg

Israeli soldiers stand guard as Palestinians protest
in the West Bank on May 9, 2010.
Photo by: AP





Senior officers now serving, or who once served, in the West Bank say they have long felt there is no way to effectively contend with a widespread, nonviolent civil uprising. "There is nothing for it if something like what happened in Tunisia happens here," said one high-ranking officer serving in the division. The probability of a completely nonviolent uprising, however, is thought to be low.

"It's hard to believe there wouldn't be organizations that wouldn't hitch a ride and try to attack the IDF, thus the situation would not be similar to Egypt," another officer said. A third, who has long been serving in the West Bank, said recently, "At the moment, we are not observing that level of friction; the population here is still tired from the second intifada."
Scenarios like the one taking place in Northern Africa and the Arab Peninsula have also taken a more prominent place in Key Intelligence Topics, the list of priorities for gathering intelligence.

"In the past year, even before the events in Egypt and Tunisia, we connected the dots and decided what was needed in the division, down to the level of inventory of crowd-dispersal means and the preparation of infrastructure to prevent such events from taking place," one of the officers said. "The recent events in the Middle East made a big difference for us; it's not just in the background. It's obvious there's a domino effect, and that we could certainly be facing such situations."
Among the lessons being learned now in the IDF is the need to make preparations based not only on regular intelligence that is gathered about the plans and the intentions of the Palestinian organizations, but also on what is taking place within the various groups making up Palestinian society, and in particular the messages being sent over the Internet, through social networking sites such as Facebook.

Military officials emphasize that they will make no effort to prevent large demonstrations, even of thousands of Palestinian civilians, as long as they do not try to enter Jewish settlements.
The IDF considers any attempt to damage a checkpoint or a security fence as a violent act, and will use force and such means as teargas and rubber-tipped bullets against all such actions.
"Such an event will be violent. In this kind of situation we will behave as an army, with very strict levels of restraint, including taking significant risks, to obviate such a situation," an officer in the Judea and Samaria Division said.


Important component

In the past two years, the security coordination between the IDF and the security agencies of the Palestinian Authority have become an important component in defense strategy throughout the West Bank.
That said, the IDF recognizes that in the event of a popular uprising, it will not be able to count on the PA forces, and is searching for other channels within the local civilian leadership.

In addition to updating its plans, the Judea and Samaria Division is also making preparations to change the ways that the officers and the commanders perceive the situations around them, with the aim of enabling them to act judiciously when faced with thousands of nonviolent protesters.
To that end, brigade commanders are taking part in discussions of operational plans, while platoon and battalion commanders involved in operational missions in the West Bank are participating in workshops and briefing sessions.



More on this topic

Mideast popular unrest may be rolling into the Palestinian territories (http://www.haaretz.com/blogs/mess-report/mideast-popular-unrest-may-be-rolling-into-the-palestinian-territories-1.347083)
Israel can't use force against the next Palestinian uprising (http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/israel-can-t-use-force-against-the-next-palestinian-uprising-1.347811)
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/idf-is-preparing-for-mass-civil-uprising-in-west-bank-1.348008

[freepalestine]

15 march in Palestine: End Of Division (الشعب يريد انهاء الانقسام)


mOKqtXTaHjo

Uploaded by freepalestineee (http://www.youtube.com/user/freepalestineee) on Mar 10, 2011
On behalf of the Palestinian Arab people, on the blood of the martyrs, widows and bereaved, orphans and thousands of prisoners in Israeli jails and all our people in the Palestinian diaspora, we call on all the Palestinian factions to unite under the banner of Palestine, in order to reform the political system in Palestine, based on the interests and aspirations of the Palestinian people in the homeland and the diaspora.

The seriousness of the current phase of Israeli settler incursions and looting of land in our Sacred Jerusalem and the violence of the siege against the Palestinian people in Gaza require us all to stand as one against this brutal occupation.

We have heard that the Palestinian people call for legislative and presidential elections to end the state of division. Yes, we all want to end the division, but we also want a complete re-building of the Palestine Liberation Organization, to include within it all the colors of the Palestinian political spectrum, including Hamas, and to reform it in order to fight again for Palestine's liberation, as it was initially intended.

We, Palestinian people in the homeland and abroad, have always heard that peaceful actions would achieve victory and restore the land, but 20 years of negotiations have not achieved the leatest demands. Our people remains under a brutal and oppressive occupation that steals land, violate the Holy sites and kills our children, and all of this while the world that claims democracy and human rights is watching and hearing! On the other hand, the resistance is stalling, leaving more than a million and a half Palestinians under Israeli blockade, choking them to the point that our patients, including the sons of the leaders of the resistance, are sent to be treated abroad.

We must agree; it is necessary that we unite for all Palestinians here and there and everywhere, still dreaming of six million Palestinian refugees to return to their homes stolen by the Occupation that only understands the language of force! Let us be strong, let unity be our strength and unanimously agree on a unified leadership that can lead us to freedom with all pride and dignity!

From here we call on the governments of the West Bank and Gaza to respond to the legitimate demands of the people:
1 - the release all political detainees in the prisons of the PA and Hamas
2 - the end of all forms of media campaigns against each others
3 - the resignation of the governments of Haniyeh and Fayyad to re-build a government of national unity agreed by all Palestinian factions representing the Palestinian people.
4 - the restructuring of the Palestine Liberation Organization to contain all the Palestinian factions and get back to its initial aim: Palestine's freedom
5 - the announcement of the freeze of negotiations until the full compatibility between the various Palestinian factions on a political program
6 - the end of all forms of security coordination with the Zionist enemy
7 - the organization of presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously in the time chosen by all the factions

Events will start on Tueseday, 03/15/2011 at 11:30 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOKqtXTaHjo&feature=player_embedded#) pm and will continue until the achievement of all goals. We will be gathering in the following places (modifications possible):
Gaza: the Unknown Soldier Square
Ramallah: Manara Square
Tulkarm: Roundabout Gamal Abdel Nasser
Jenin: complex of garages near the old Cinema Jenin
Hebron: in front of the governor's office
Bethlehem: Church of the Nativity Square
Nablus: Martyrs Square
Jordan and Lebanon: no location yet
All over the world: in front of the Palestinian embassies, in coordination with the Palestinian communities abroad.

الشعب يريد انهاء الانقسام)

[Palestine]

MEEEEEEEEEEEH I say don't end the division, keep things the way they are.

[freepalestine]

DEMONSTRATIONS IN PALESTINE MARCH15

Factions call on supporters to join unity rallies

Published today (updated) 15/03/2011 14:04




http://maannews.net/images/345x230/121370_345x230.jpg



BETHLEHEM -- As thousands gathered early in Gaza City ahead of mass demonstrations planned for March 15, Palestinian factions urged supporters to join the protests.

Protest organizers in Gaza City and Ramallah insist that only Palestinian flags will fly at the rallies.

Organizers have stated they refuse any attempt by political parties to co-opt them, and have been critical of political leaders they say have tried to exploit the popular movement.

But the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Palestinian Democratic Union - Feda, Palestinian People’s Party, PFLP, the Palestinian National Initiative, the Palestinian Liberation Front, Fatah Youth and Hamas all issued statements Monday calling on members to participate.

DFLP said it completely supported the popular movement, and that ending the division was a national imperative. The front called on all Palestinians to participate in the rallies to pressurize leaders.

Palestinian Democratic Union political bureau member Khaled Al-Khateeb appealed to all the political leaders to join the protests under the Palestinian flag. He said the youth was determined to change Palestinians' reality.

Palestinian People’s Party official Walid Al-Awad told Ma’an that the demonstrations conveyed a clear message to Hamas and Fatah that the people demanded they end their rivalry.

Meanwhile, Fatah Youth secretary-general Hassan Faraj said the protests offered a real chance to end the division and urged members to join the rallies

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri confirmed his party's support for the popular movement at a press conference in Gaza City's Unknown Soldier Square, the main site of demonstrations in Gaza.

[Amphictyonis]

Organizers have stated they refuse any attempt by political parties to co-opt them, and have been critical of political leaders they say have tried to exploit the popular movement.



Sounds familiar.

[Os Cangaceiros]

So what's the latest on this? What was the eventual turn-out?

[freepalestine]

March 15 Protests: Thousands Gather in Bethlehem, Ramallah, Hebron, Gaza City


http://english.pnn.ps/templates/madeyourweb/images/printButton.png (http://english.pnn.ps/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9710&pop=1&page=0&Itemid=56) http://english.pnn.ps/templates/madeyourweb/images/emailButton.png (http://english.pnn.ps/index2.php?option=com_content&task=emailform&id=9710&itemid=56) 15.03.11 - 11:50 Ramallah – PNN - Thousands of Palestinians took to the streets of Ramallah, Bethlehem, Hebron and Gaza City on Tuesday for a planned rally in support of national unity and the beginning of hunger strikes. In the Gaza Strip, however, independent youth activists witnessed their protests co-opted by Hamas supporters as the green flag of Hamas flew in the streets of Gaza City.





http://english.pnn.ps/images/stories/2008/UnityProtest3.jpg
Youths chant slogans at a unity rally in Bethlehem
(Staff Photographer, PNN).







“We condemn this act [of co-optation],” said Hassan Farahat, one of the organizers. “We were hoping that our brothers would only carry the Palestinian flag that represents all Palestinians instead of the Hamas flags.”
Hassan previously estimated that 20,000 people would join in Gaza City, but current numbers are unclear. Some youths began a hunger strike in the Square of the Unknown Soldier in Gaza City, echoing similar actions in Bethlehem, where at least ten youths began a Manger Square sit-in, and Ramallah, where hunger strikers took to al-Manar Square.
The Palestinian protests are composed of a mixture of activists with different demands, but organizers claim the main thrust of the rally is to end the division between Fatah and Hamas as a means of creating national unity and ending the 63-year Israeli occupation.
In Ramallah, at least 3,000 Palestinians marched through the central square of al-Manara. Palestinian police and security forces said on Monday that they would not try to stop the rally.
Hazem Abu Hilal, an organizer with the Sharek Youth Forum, told PNN, “What we are witnessing in al-Manara square is a great youth movement. But sadly, political figures and leaders tried to co-opt the protest. We reiterate as the March 15 Youth Movement, from this square, that we are calling for national unity and elections of a new Palestinian National Council representing Palestinians all over the world.”
“This is our demand as the youth,” he reiterated, “away from political influence.”


http://english.pnn.ps/images/stories/2008/UnityProtest1.jpg
Palestinian flags fly in Manger Square with the Nativity Church in the background (Staff Photographer, PNN).







In Bethlehem, at least 2,000 people marched from the Bab al-Ziqaq intersection on the Bethlehem-Hebron road toward Manger Square, a place usually packed only around Christmas time. Rally organizers handed out Palestinian flags and kept factional banners out as youths chanted, “The people want to end the division” and “Abbas and Haniyeh, Palestine is the point.”
“We want one country,” said Muhammad al-Toz, a young man from Bethlehem. “We demanded the end to all forms of division between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.”
Rajan Nassar, a local activist, agreed.
“As a Palestinian, I’m against the divisions that are happening in the Palestinian community,” she told PNN. “We have to be unified as a nation.”
Some at the rally pointed to the examples of Egypt and Tunisia, where independent youth movements overthrew unrepresentative governments. Nisreen Dwayk said she took off school on Tuesday to echo that sentiment.
“The youth are the driving force of change and we saw that in Arab countries. Palestinian unity will come from us.”


http://english.pnn.ps/images/stories/2008/UnityProtest2.jpg
Palestinians gather under their flag in Bethlehem
(Staff Photographer, PNN).







The demand for a Palestinian National Council (PNC) includes a one-person-one-vote scheme to include all Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Israel, and the Diaspora. Palestinians are expected to demonstrate as far abroad as London and New York City, representing the 5 million Palestinian refugees displaced over the years as a result of the 1948 Nakba and ensuing Israeli policies.
In Hebron, Palestinian state-run news wire Wafa reported a “massive” rally calling for the end to divisions and condemning political parties for attempting to co-opt the idea. A smaller protest was reported in the village of Dura, south of Hebron.
In response to the rallies, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told Wafa, “Today our people expressed through mighty demonstrations in the West Bank and Gaza that they want the end of the division and the occupation. This confirms that the people stick to the idea of unity. We are with our people in their desire for freedom.”

http://english.pnn.ps/index.php?opti...9710&Itemid=56


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Bargouthi says protest 'a great moment in history'
Published yesterday 20:44
http://maannews.net/eng/images/ViewDetails/Eng-1.jpg http://maannews.net/eng/images/ViewDetails/Eng+1.jpg


RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- Palestinian lawmaker Mustafa Bargouthi on the unity demonstrations late Tuesday: "This is a great moment in history, the struggle of Palestinians and Palestinian youth in particular."

"We regret that some factions are trying to co-opt the movement," he told Ma'an.

"We're calling for unity and bringing back democracy to Palestine. We want a right to elections. We want the right to elect our leaders democratically and freely," he added.

"Palestinians have inspired youth in the Arab world for a long time. Now the youth here are inspired by them."


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Khalida Jarrar backs unity demonstrations
Published yesterday (updated) 15/03/2011 20:36
http://maannews.net/eng/images/ViewDetails/Eng-1.jpg http://maannews.net/eng/images/ViewDetails/Eng+1.jpg


RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- Khalida Jarrar, a Palestinian lawmaker and member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, commented Tuesday on the unity demonstrations in Ramallah: "I ask the government to allow them to raise their voice."

She added: "Security forces shouldn't be among protesters. The youth have a very strong slogan. They want elections for the Palestinian National Council. This is really important, I support this. It's the only thing that can unite Palestinians inside and outside."



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Popular Rally Calls for Palestinian Unity in Nablus

Wednesday March 16, 2011 05:38 by Alessandra Bajec - IMEMC News
Special Report From Nablus

Over 1,500 Palestinians took to the streets of Nablus, on Tuesday, urging for national unity and an end of internal division, in tandem with thousands of pro-unity protesters in the West Bank and Gaza.
http://imemc.org/attachments/mar2011/nablus_protest.jpg



Palestinian protesters marched in the city of Nablus, on Tuesday morning, to demand unity between the polarised Hamas and Fatah factions, in a round of massive peaceful protests staged across Palestine. March the 15th was the date set by a number of activist groups and the Youth for the End of Internal Divisions campaign to hold the popular rallies under the slogan of ‘no to divisions’.

Groups of independent youth, University students, and other activists organized the public march independently, away from the influence of political factions.

Palestinians came to take part in the rally while representing themselves only, and no party or political movement of any kind.

Two an-Najah University female students claimed that more than 70,000 overall signed up on the Facebook page for the March 15th mass protest throughout Palestine.

One activist from the Youth for the End of Internal Divisions campaign informed that their Facebook group in Nablus counted 420 people to join the march. In addition, the youth movement connected with independent social organizations to participate either individually or as group representatives, however without expressing any political affiliation in the event. It seemed to be hard to get an-Najah students involved, and the local community too, as most people in Nablus would stand staunchly for one party or another, and not look beyond the political belonging.

Around 40 Palestinian students and unity supporters gathered across from the main entrance gate of an-Najah University, old campus, after being barred from rallying inside the gates by university security staff on the grounds that students had not requested formal authorization.

At the rally point, three members of Youth for the End of Internal Divisions campaign read their statement urging leaders of the two rival factions to initiate national dialogue leading to the establishment of a national unity government across the West Bank and Gaza. The Youth coalition highlighted that unity is the key to end the Occupation and bring peace and justice to the Palestinian people. Three more statements were read by other protestors.

The coalition also expressed solidarity with Palestinian fellows from villages in the Nablus area, namely the residents of Awarta village who are still under military curfew for the fourth day since Israeli forces began investigations over last Friday’s murder of five family members from the nearby Itamar settlement.

As the protest kicked off by 11.30am, the crowd started marching holding Palestinian flags, as protest organizers had insisted that no party-sympathetic flags would fly during the rally. Protestors carried banners reading ‘Why fight? we’re an occupied land’ and ‘Fatah & Hamas, we want your unity’. Slogans were chanted in Arabic such as ‘No Fatah, No Hamas, we want people united’ or ‘Haniyeh, Abbas: our unity is our basic demand’.

Participants marched peacefully along an-Najah street, and later stopped for a while after a small group showed signs carrying pro-Fatah messages, although protest organizers had warned that no flags or banners supporting one party or another would be allowed during this popular rally.

After ensuring that signs of political belonging were deleted from the banners, the mass resumed marching to head towards the city’s main square.

Dhima, a student at an-Najah, and her friend said protesters were asking to stop the division between Fatah and Hamas, free Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, put a democratic vote through presidential and parliamentary elections, and have one elected national government in the West Bank and Gaza.

Dhima noted two problems in respect to the Nablus rally: most people joined the protest in Ramallah, and the majority of Palestinians would think this public march was a student or youth led initiative whereas it was planned to include every Palestinian (men, women, younger or older).

Estimates claimed there were more than 1,500 participants by the time marchers reached the city's square. More people were expected to join later during the day. Protestors invited people to join from the street, walked by Martyrs' Square and proceed further. The crowd converged on Martyrs’ square where two sit-ins were held with more slogans and popular songs chanted.

One protest organizer gave a speech emphasizing that people must be one to end the Occupation on Palestinian land, Palestinians are obliged to hold responsibility for their own cause, and national unity must be reached among all Palestinians and their factions. He further said on behalf of other activists that they would not leave before their demand of national unity is heard and backed adding that ordinary people, and not leaders, were speaking on this occasion.

Walid, protest organizer and activist from the Youth for the End of Internal Divisions campaign, explained that, despite belonging to the youth coalition, he and other members were there as a group of independent people, and wanted this pro-unity protest to take place everywhere, not just in Ramallah, and mobilize various people, not some factions. Their youth group in Nablus, connected with the branch in Ramallah as well as the other groups in the West Bank and Gaza.

Walid also pointed out that an-Najah should have suspended classes and exams for the day, but the Student council held that they could not get the decision approved by the University due to other preparations ahead of the central march in Ramallah.

He reinforced that the demands of the Youth for the End of Internal Divisions campaign essentially consists in ending divisions so to revive dialogue, to focus on common ground and leave minor differences aside, and holding elections to form a national unity government.

In addition, PA security officials had promised the coalition and other activist groups that police and forces would not stop the protests, and they proved to be cooperative in fact.

Protest organizers announced the event would continue until late evening on Tuesday, in an attempt to pressure Palestinian governments and progress with plans for unity. A tent was set up to continue to protest until national unity is achieved. Activists would spend the night there, take turns to allow people to study and work, discuss and update their strategies over the next few days.

In addressing a message to the international community, Walid said: ‘We want you to support us in our efforts to achieve unity and bring divisions to an end..we ask you to push your governments to promote dialogue between the two rival factions, and cooperate with our demands’

Several activist groups joined together last week, and called for peaceful protests on March 15th to say no to the internal divisions that have negatively impacted the Palestinian cause.

Protests were also staged in Ramallah, Qalqilya, Tulkarem, Bethlehem, Hebron. Palestinians were also expected to hold simultaneous protests around the world.

[Os Cangaceiros]

Cool, thanks for the update.

The reaction by Hamas in Gaza was messed up but not unexpected.