Israeli Army Enters Ramallah to Arrest International Activist

Once again, the impunity of Israel. As has been mentioned before, the wave of repression against Palestinian activists has increased in the past few months. There was Mohammad Othman, Abdallah Abu Rahma and Jamal Juma, three high profile arrests of Palestinian non violent activists starting in September. There was the killing of the three men in Nablus's city center. The weekly demonstrations against the wall met with repression (yet, in spite of this same repression, more and more villages are forming Popular Committees Against the Wall).

And to top it off, international activists who are supporting these movements are being targeted. On December 18th, the Israeli Occupation Forces arrested Ryan Olander, a Minnesota resident who had been supporting displaced Palestinians who had been evicted from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah. Olander has been in prison ever since.

Last night at 3am, the Israeli army entered Ramallah, the principal city in the West Bank, drove with armored tanks into the main square, and arrested the International Solidarity Movement's Media Coordinator, Eva Nováková. Below is a copy of the report sent out this morning:

"Just before 3am the Israeli Army invaded Ramallah. They moved towards the area near Al Mannara. Outside the home of ISM Media Coordinator Eva Nováková, the army occupied rooftops, with several armored personnel carriers in the street. After beating on the door of her apartment, soldiers woke her neighbours, then broke down her door. Ten soldiers entered the flat, demanding identification from Eva and her housemates and questioning all of those present. All those inside the house were questioned about their names and activities. Soldiers also searched the apartment, claiming they were looking for weapons. According to witnesses when Eva was identified the immigration police arrived to take her away. Eva was only allowed to change her clothes in the presence of a soldier. She was then taken from her apartment. Her current whereabouts are unknown. The raid lasted around ten minutes.A local person said 'You think you are safe in your own house, but they come in the night and bring terror into your home'."

The issue of course, is that if Israel is arresting the observers, what does that mean for the Palestinian movement which they are principally trying to undermine? What will come next for a Palestinian non-violence movement struggling to survive in the face of so much repression? (Bono wrote in a NYTimes opinion piece that he is hoping for a 'Palestinian Gandhi' in the new decade.)

Please pass the word on. Come on out and support the Palestinian struggle!

UPDATE (30 minutes later): Eva was just informed that she will be deported today.