Everyone has the right tosecurity of person. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.

Articles 3 and 17, Universal Declaration of Human Rights

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES:

Village of Nabi Saleh

So far they have injured hundreds, including women and children. Two people have died. During a Friday protest in November 2012, Israeli soldiers shot Rushdi Tamimi in the back. Video evidence shows that Israeli soldiers delayed his familys effort to transport him to hospital by ambulance. He died two days later. A military investigation into the incident shows that soldiers fired over 80 live rounds at Palestinian protesters that day. Mustafa Tamimi died in hospital one day after a Friday protest in December 2011. A soldier in an armoured military jeep had fired a tear gas canister at his face. In addition to the excessive force at protests, the Israeli army intimidates the villagers at other times. They occasionally carry out night raids, arrest children, restrict the residents movements by declaring Nabi Saleh a closed military zone, and fire tear gas and other weapons at homes to cause injury and damage.

Welcome to the village of Nabi Saleh. About 550 Palestinians live here. As you approach, you notice farmland surrounding the village, where olive trees grow well. And it is blessed with a natural spring. But there is a problem. Israeli settlers moved onto the land in 1977 without permission from the villagers. They established their own settlement called Halamish. The settler population has grown to 1,600 and they are now using the farmland. They also turned the spring into a tourist attraction and will not let the Palestinians access water from it. The Israeli army has established a military base there, as well. Every Friday since 2009 when they lost access to the spring, the villagers have organized non-violent demonstrations. They protest against Israels military occupation and the illegal Israeli settlement of Halamish. The Israeli army responds to the villagers peaceful protests with excessive and unnecessary force.

Nariman Tamimi raises her voice at a Friday protest.

Activate your pens and your keyboards! Please write a letter to Israels Minister of Defence. Start with Dear Minister. Describe who you are and what concerns you about the intrusion of Israeli settlers and army on Palestinian land. Ask the Minister to stop the excessive and unnecessary force by the Israeli security forces against demonstrators in Nabi Saleh. Urge him to ensure that security officers responsible for the killings of Mustafa Tamimi and Rushdi Tamimi, and for the injury of others in the village, are brought to justice.

Send your letter to: Minister of Defence Moshe Yaalon Ministry of Defence 37 Kaplan Street, Hakirya Tel Aviv 61909, Israel Fax: 011 972 3 691 6940 Email: minister@mod.gov.il Twitter : @bogie_yaalon Postage: $1.85

Please make a copy for: Her Excellency Miriam Ziv Ambassador for Israel 50 O'Connor Street, Suite 1005 Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6L2 Postage: $.63 Fax: (613) 567-9878 E-mail: info@ottawa.mfa.gov.il

What else can I do? Support from abroad boosts the spirits of the villagers. Send a letter or a card to them via the co-ordinator of the Nabi Saleh Popular Resistance Committee: Naji Tamimi Nabi Saleh Birzeit/Ramallah Palestine Apart from religious cards, any card is fine. You may mention Amnesty International and you may include your return address. Here is a sample message: We stand by you in dignity and for freedom and justice. Or leave a message of support on the village Facebook page: bit.ly/nabi-saleh

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