Together we will confront the detention of Abnaa elBalad comrades and our mass leaders
Stop fascist attacks on our Arab Palestinian masses in the 1948 territories

International Solidarity

אתיג'אה – איחוד עמותות ערביות

גילוי דעת

שוב מתקפה משטרתית על מוסדות ערביים

היום בשעה 19:00 דיון בבית משפט על הארכת מעצרם של פעילי ציבור ערבי

בשעה ארבע לפנות בוקר (היום שבת 7-2-2004) כח גדול של משטרה ערך חיפוש בביתו בכפר עראבה של מוחמד כנאענה מזכ"ל תנועת בני הכפר וחבר הנהלת איחוד עמותות ערביות (אתיג'אה). המשטרה ערכה חיפוש פרובוקטיבי בביתו של כנאענה, תוך הסבת נזק לרכוש, לציוד ולספריה, וגישה אלימה עבור בני משפחתו והעיקר אשתו. המשטרה עצרה את מוחמד כנאענה ואת אחיו חוסאם כנאענה. בו זמנית משטרת חיפה ערכה חיפוש במשרדי התנועה בחיפה, תוך כדי עקירת הדלת הראשית של המשרדים וכן חיפוש נוסף במשרדי עמותת אל-בלד לתרבות אשר גם הם בחיפה. בשלשת המקומות המשטרה הסבה נזק רב לציוד המשרדי. ממכים ומחשבים נלקחו.

איחוד העמותות הערביות מגנה את המתקפה המשטרתית ורואה בה המשך של מדיניות ההסלמה השלטונית נגד מוסדות הציבור הערבי, וכן רדיפה פוליטית נגד פעילי ציבור ומוסדות של חברה אזרחית ערבית.

זה איננו מקרה ראשון של רדיפה פוליטית כנגד מוחמד כנאענה, אשר נמנע ממנו לעזוב את הארץ זה מספר חודשים מתוקף צו מינהלי של שר הפנים. מספר עמותות וארגוני חברה אזרחית ערביים הפכו לאחרונה למטרה של מדיניות ההטרדה והרדיפה הפוליטית אשר פוגעת בחופש ההתארגנות של האוכלוסיה הערבית. איחוד העמותות אשר מאגד בתוכו יותר מ 60 ארגונים, איננו מוכן לעבור לסדר היום נוכח הרדיפה הפוליטית והפגיעה בזכויות הדמוקרטיות של האוכלוסיה הערבית.

איחוד העמותות מזהיר את משטרת ישראל ומי שעומדים מאחוריה, מהשלכות הפגיעה השיטתית במוסדות הערביים, ואשר מתפקידנו לא לתת לה לעבור כאילו שדבר לא קרה. איחוד העמותות קרא לקיום דחוף בוועדת המעקב העליונה של האוכלוסיה הערבית על מנת לדון במדיניות הרדיפה הפוליטית ולהחליט על תגובה ציובורית הולמת לרמת האתגרים. איחוד העמותות החל בגיוס ארגוני זכויות אדם בארץ ובעולם על מנת שינקטו בצעדים שיגנו על זכויותיהם של פעילי הציבור והמוסדות הערביים שככל הנראה הפכו להיות מופקרות בעיני הממסד השלטוני ומשטרת ישראל.

7-2-2004

The Political Committee of the Workers Revolutionary Party of Greece(EEK) and the Coordinating Committee of the Balkan Socialist Center "Christian Rakovsky" protest and condemn the vicious attacks launched by the Israeli State repressive apparatus against the Abnaa el Balad movement, the arrest of comrade Mohamed Ka'hane, general secretary of the movement and the vandalism against their office and houses.

We call all the organizations of the workers movement in Greece, in the Balkans and internationally to express in every possible way their unconditional solidarity to the Palestinian fighters living and struggling within Israel itself for their legitimate national and social rights. The Zionist terror machine led by the Sharon governement should be defeated.

Hands off Abnaa el Balad!
Freedom to comrade Mohamed Ka'hane and all the Palestinian political prisoners!
End the Occupation! Freedom to Palestine!

Athens, February 8, 2004

לשחרר את העצורים הפוליטיים
לעצור את המתקפה על הזכויות הדמוקרטיות

בחודשים האחרונים הולכת ותופסת תאוצה המתקפה השלטונית על הזכויות הדמוקרטיות של הפלסטינים אזרחי ישראל ושל פעילות ופעילי השמאל: הנהגת התנועה האיסלאמית נעצרת "עד תום ההליכים" ומואשמת בהעברת סיוע הומניטארי לפלסטינים תחת המצור הישראלי, פעילים מוזמנים לחקירות פוליטיות על-ידי השב"כ, הסרבנים מושלכים לכלא לשנה (שניה), הצבא יורה אש חיה ומכוונת-היטב על מפגינים נגד הגדר ופוצע קשה את גיל נעמתי מבלי שאיש ייתן את הדין.

בשבוע האחרון עוד התקפה על פעילי שמאל פלסטיניים: ביום שבת 7.2, מזכ"ל תנועת אבנאא אל-בלד (בני-הארץ) מוחמד כנענה ואחיו חוסאם כנענה, גם הוא פעיל בתנועה, נעצרו בברוטליות בבתיהם באישון לילה. מעצרם הוארך ב10- ימים, כאשר עורך דינם אינו מורשה להיפגש עמם או לדעת במה הם מוחשדים. באותו יום נעצרה סחר עבדו מחיפה, מזכירת המערכת של כתב-העת ג'יל אל-ג'דיד של האגודה התרבותית אל-בלד, בשובה מביקור בירדן, ומעצרה הוארך ב8- ימים. במועדוני תנועת אבנאא אל-בלד והאגודה התרבותית אל-בלד בעראבה ובחיפה נערכו "חיפושים" עם וונדאליזם קשה.

יש לציין שכמו במקרה של שייח ראאד סלאח, מנהיג התנועה האיסלאמית, למעצרו של מוחמד כנענה קדם במספר חודשים צו שאסר על יציאתו לחו"ל, ועוד קודם לכן צו שאסר על כניסתו לגדה המערבית.

מוכרחים לעצור את הרדיפה הברוטלית של תנועות ופעילים שעמדותיהם אינן נושאות חן בעיני הממסד הישראלי. לא נשתוק אל מול המאמץ השלטוני לקיים משטר של פחד שידכא התארגנות פוליטית פלסטינית

13/2/2004 תעאיוש

to:
The Government of Israel
The Embassy of Israel in Argentina
The Palestinian and Israeli popular organizations

The Partido Obrero (Workers Party) of Argentina repudiates in the most categorical way the illegal detention of comrades Muhammad Kanaane, Yoav Bar and other leaders of the Palestinian movement Abnaa elBallad (Sons of the Country) by the police and security forces of the State of Israel.

The detention of the comrades; the systematic persecution of the Palestinian popular organizations, which are indiscriminately labeled "terrorist;" the demolition of Palestinian houses both in the Occupied Territories and within the State of Israel; the permanent harassment of the Palestinian population, including those who have the Israeli citizenship, the discriminatory laws—all these are features of the overall policy that the State of Israel has been following unabatedly since its foundation: the expulsion of the Palestinian population and the confiscation of their lands for the Zionists.

We demand the immediate liberation of all the Abnaa elBallad leaders, which remain in prison though no proof has been found that they committed any illegal action, and the removal of all the false charges against them.

The Partido Obrero gives its pledge to denounce in Argentina this outrageous violation of the democratic rights of the Palestinian people and its organizations.

Buenos Aires, 1 August 2003

Luis Oviedo

http://www.po.org.ar/english/comunicados/presos2.htm

Stop harassment of Abnaa elBalad signatures

From Iran:

Iranian Revolutionary Socialists’ League
M. Razi, Sara Ghazi an Amin Kazemi


fi@kargar.org - http://www.kargar.org

BM KARGAR, LONDON WC1N 3XX, United Kingdom

From Pakistan:

Aatif Nazar, student, Pakistan,
Ch Manzoor Ahmad (Member of Parliament in Pakistan)
Ch Qamar uz Zaman Qaira (Member of Parliament in Pakistan)
Ch Zulfiqar Gondal (Member of Parliament in Pakistan)
Ch Zafar Waraich (Member of Parliament in Pakistan)
Dr. Ahmad Arslan, Youth for International Socialism, Multan, Pakistan


From Sweden:

Martin Lööf, Student at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden,
Jonathan Clyne, for the editorial board of Socialisten, Swedish leftwing social democratic paper


From the USA:

I am writing you concerning the treatment of the group Abnaa elBalad. Your illegal breaking of their offices and harassment and arrest of their members is just part and parcel of the your country's state sponsored terrorism against the Palestinian people. On both counts it must stop!!! Release their members and stop the persecution of the group. Also at this time I would like to speak out against your government’s attacks on the living standards and wages of Arab and Jewish workers that has been going on for some time. As a trade unionist and a supporter of workers rights I demand you stop this war against the working classes.

Cort Greene CNA-ND, AFSCME LOCAL 2699-Vancouver,Wa .,USA
Chris Borges, WIL, USA
Josh Shelton, Providence, Rhode Island USA, Workers International League member


From Italy:

Claudio Bellotti, national executive committee, Partito della Rifondazione Comunista
Alessandro Giardiello, national political committee, Partito della Rifondazione Comunista
v Jacopo Renda, national coordinating committee, Giovani Comunisti - Partito della Rifondazione Comunista
Elisabetta Rossi, national coordinating committee, Giovani Comunisti - Partito della Rifondazione Comunista
Dario Salvetti, national coordinating committee, Giovani Comunisti - Partito della Rifondazione Comunista
Paolo Brini, central committee Fiom Cgil
Orlando Maviglia, regional committee Fiom Cgil, Emilia Romagna
Davide Bacchelli, provincial committee Fiom Cgil, Bologna
Giampiero Montanari, metal shopsteward Fiom Cgil
Ivan Serra, metal shopsteward Fiom Cgil, Bologna
Domenico Minadeo, chemical shopsteward, Filcea Cgil, Imola
Fabrizio Parlagreco, metal shopsteward Fiom Cgil Milano
Nunzio Vurchio, metal shopsteward Fiom Cgil Milano
Massimo Cavallotti, services shopsteward Filmcams Cgil Milano
Samira Giulitti, insurance shopsteward Fisac Cigil Milano
Sara Cimarelli, insurance shopsteward Fisac Cigil Milano
Laura Parozzi, transport shopsteward Filt Cgil Milano
Antonio Forlano, transport shopsteward Filt Cgil Milano
Pino Marazzi, transport shopsteward Filt Cgil Milano
Laura Bassanetti, transport shopsteward Filt Cgil Milano
Silvia Ruggieri, call center shopsteward Nidil Cgil Roma
Stefano Pol, national committee, Nidil Cgil
Paolo Grassi, provincial committee, Nidil Cgil, Milano


From Greece:

Stelios Dafnis, Member of the Executive Committee of Athens Trade Council.
Tsitonis Takis, Member of Executive committee of Archaeological places Workers Union.
Dimarogonas Dimos Member of Executive committee of Greek Federation of Union in Culture Ministry
Nikakis Dimitris, Vice president of the workers union of commercial shops
Nikolaou Martha,Member of the Executive committee of the workers union of commercial shops
Polatos Dionisios, Member of the executive committee of the union of the workers at shipyard belt
Milonas Elias, Olympic Catering unionist.
Thanos George, Olympic Airways unionist.
Karigianis Leonidas, Member of the committee of unemployment of Athens Trade Council
Voulis Dimitris, Ex-president of the union of the workers at the National Ambulance Service
Kanelopoulou Christina, Member of PA.SO.K Youth Athens Committee.
Karagianopoulos Stamatis, Member of B 4 district Committee of PA.SO.K Youth.
Gougousis Spiros, Publicer of “SOSIALISTIKI EKFRASI”
Doulos Orestis, PA.SO.K Youth member
Sapranidis Nikos, PA.SO.K Youth member
Karaiskos Theodoros, PA.SO.K member
Bouras Kostas, PA.SO.K member


From Germany:

Hans-Gerd Öfinger, Vice President, ver.di (Germany´s biggest union), Wiesbaden district
Tony Kofoet, Weener, Germany, Spokesman German-Dutch Workgroup 8th May

From France:

Greg Oxley PCF Pari
Jérôme Métellus PCF-MJC Paris
Hubert Prévaud CGT-USTM
Yazid Malek, PCF-MJC Paris
Christophe Cambefort MJC Toulouse
Pierre Pillot Valence


From Mexico:

Olguín Ortíz,
Jose Cardoza Olivas, (Centro de Invetsigación, Laboral, Contable, Educativa y Social),
Jose Pavel Cardoza,
Alejandro Luna,
Huber Ancizar Salinas Rojas,
Benito Bahena Y Lome, (Alianza Dd Tranviarios De Mexico),
Santiago Borja, (Comite De Lucha Estudiantil Del Politecnico (CLEP)- Mexico DF),
Angel Flores, (Periódico Obrero 'Militante')
Cintia Enriquez,
Noé Lira León,
Salvador Toledo Núñez, Comité Estudiantil en Defensa de la Educación Pública, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Iztapalapa
Luis Enrique, Militante de base del PRD,
Jonathan Lopez, Periodico Militante Mexico
Alondra Ramos, Comité Estudiantil en Defensa de la Educación Pública
Consuelo Mariles,
Jorge Perez, Plataforma Civica guerrerense,
Leonardo Crespo, Universidad Autónoma Chapingo


Various:

Subject: Release Muhammad Kana'ane, Husam Kana'ane, Sahar 'Abdu

I must demand that you release the Kana'anes and 'Abdu at once. Unless Arabs can freely express their views like anyone else, Middle East peace is an impossibility.

Patrick McNally
Jennifer Bushee

Sindicato de Estudiantes

Sede Estatal: Hermanos del Moral 33, bajo A. 28019, Madrid - www.sindicatodeestudiantes.org

E-mail: sindicato@sindicatodeestudiantes.org - Telf: 914 718 213 - Fax: 914 280 397

Madrid, febrery 17th, 2004.

To the Prime Minister of Israel:

We the undersigned have been informed of the following facts:

At 4am Saturday morning, February 7, 2004, a large group of Israeli police, border guards and security services raided the home of the general secretary of the Abnaa elBalad movement, Muhammad As'ad Kana'ane (Abu-As'ad) in the Galilean township of 'Arabe. After a thorough search of the house, they confiscated the computer and documents belonging to the Abnaa elBalad movement and to the "elBalad cultural association". In the process of the search, they deliberately caused a great deal of damage to the family's belongings. Their behaviour terrorised the young children and they even physically manhandled Abu-As'ad's wife and children. They also searched and confiscated the cars of Muhammad Kana'ane and his brother Husam Kana'ane, a central committee member. They also confiscated their mobile phones and then arrested the two

The same forces also attacked the office of Abnaa elBalad's in 'Arabe, smashed through the main door and the internal doors, confiscated the computer and some documents, after terrorising to the neighbours.

At the same time, another force of 10 plainclothes policemen and security service officers carried out another raid in the port city of Haifa. They seized political bureau member Yoav Bar from his home, and searched the Abnaa elBalad club and the centre of the "elBalad cultural association", where they caused a great deal of damage, smashing furniture, throwing books, magazines and documents onto the floor and stamping on them. They tore down posters from the walls, and stamped and jumped on the pictures of Palestinian victims of the Israeli occupation. They even poured garbage, oil and cleaning fluids on the piles of books and magazines on the floor. While they were doing all this, they threatened Bar with administrative arrest and expressed their deep desire to shoot him dead on the spot. After more than an hour the police went away, confiscating the computers, the archives and many other documents.

At the same day, at about 7pm, Sahar 'Abdu, the editorial secretary of the elJeel elJadeed magazine, was arrested by the Israeli Police while on her way back from a visit to Jordan.

An hour later, at 8pm, at the court of 'Aka (Acre), the judge extended the arrest of comrades Abu-As'ad and Husam for a further ten days. They have not been allowed to see a lawyer, and all the evidence has been kept "secret".

Abnaa elBalad is a legal political organization of the Palestinians working within the borders of Israel established in 1948. It acts to defend the daily rights of the Palestinian people against racist oppression, and calls for a democratic solution to the Palestinian problem through the establishment of a democratic state in the whole of historic Palestine.

The Israeli authorities wish to criminalise Abnaa el-Balad because of its Arab nationalism. Although we do not necessarily agree with their views, we defend their democratic right to put forward their views and to campaign for the rights of the Palestinian people. The arrest of these leaders is only part of an ongoing campaign waged by the Israeli authorities and their friends in the media to outlaw parties and groups in Israel that express opposition to the oppression of the Palestinian people within the 1967 occupied lands and inside Israel itself. It is part of a more general attack on anyone who defends the rights of ordinary Palestinian people. It is also part of a class war against both the working class Jews and Arabs. The idea is to tar anyone who opposes them with the label of “terrorism”. Today Abnaa el-Balad is under attack. Tomorrow other dissident groups will be open to attack, including dissident Jewish trade union activists and socialists.

Based on this information regardless of our opinion about their political proposals, we demand an end to the persecution of Abnaa elBalad members, and we call for the release of those who have been detained.

Miriam Municio

secretaria general del Sindicato de Estudiantes

Dear comrades, In a special meeting of Parties and organizations of the Left in Athens, Greece today February 19, after a proposal by the Workers Revolutionary Party(EEK), all the participants, have signed a common resolution of solidarity to Abnaa el Balad against the repression of the Zionist Israeli authorities.

We demand the immediate release of comrade Muhhamad Kan'aane( Abu As'ad) and of all Palestinian political prisoners and the stopping of all repressive measures against the movement Abnaa el Balad

EEK- Workers Revolutionary Party
SEK- Socialist Workers Party
Communist Renewal of Greece
NAR- New Left Current
Synaspismos- Coalition of the Left
KKE m-l, Communist Party of Greece marxist-leninist

Dear Comrades;

I just read about the searching and detaining of the comrades. That shows again that Your work and struggle is very important, as Mao said...

No, it's necessary to show the Zionists and their friends, that the world is watching their crimes and will not accept it. So on saturday we have an action against the wall of apartheid and the occupation in the city. There we will publish the attack of the Zionists against Your organisation as well.

So I wish You good luck and much power to stand this situation and that the comrades have to be released very soon.

Solidarity warm greetings from hamburg

achim, Hamburg

Esprimo la mia solidareietà ccon i compagni di Abna Al Balaad arrestati dalla polizia israeliana. No ai prigionieri politici.

Elio Di Piazza
Palermo - Italy

די לרדיפת תנועת אבנאא אלבלד

בחודש אוגוסט 2003 פרצה המשטרה לקייטנה של עמותת "בלד" ועצרה למספר ימים חברי הנהגה של תנועת אבנאא אל בלד ("בני הארץ") תחת האשמות של "הסתה". בחודש נובמבר הוציא שר הפנים צו מנהלי האוסר על מזכ"ל תנועת אבנאא אלבלד מוחמד כנאענה (אבו אסעד) לצאת את הארץ במשך 6 חדשים.

לשם כך הפעיל שר הפנים את סמכותו מתוקף "תקנות ההגנה לשעת חרום" הידועות לשמצה, מורשת המנדט הקולוניאליסטי הבריטי. תקנות דרקוניות אלו מאפשרות פעולה שרירותית של השלטון ומונעות כל אפשרות להגנה משפטית לקרבן, והן משמשות כעת בידי השלטון הקולוניאליסטי הישראלי לדיכוי פעילים פוליטיים פלסטינים משני עברי הקו הירוק.

במשך ארבע השנים האחרונות מתנכלים השלטונות הישראליים לחופש התנועה של מזכ"ל אבנאא אלבלד. צווים מנהליים שונים מנעו עד כה מכנאענה נסיעות למצרים, ארצות הברית וירדן. כמו כן נמנעת לחלוטין כניסתו לגדה המערבית ורצועת עזה, בתוקף צו "צבאי".

ב-7 בפברואר המשטרה עצרה את אבו אסעד ביחד עם אחיו חוסם ובאותו זמן פשטו שוטרים באזרחית על המשרדים של התנועה בחיפה. גם בבית של אבו אסעד וגם במשרד השוטרים שברו והרסו ציוד ורכוש. השוטרים היכו את אימו ואשתו של אבו אסד ואיימו על יואב בר חבר הנהגת התנועה ועל הפעילה איריס בר. לאחר מספר ימים נעצר חבר התנועה יוסוף אבו עלי מסחנין באלימות רבה ע"י חבורת שוטרים שגם גרמו לנזק רב בביתו של יוסוף.

הדיכוי המופעל כנגד אבנאא אל בלד, ההאשמות נגד פעילי בל"ד, המעצרים הממושכים של מנהיגי התנועה האיסלאמית (הפלג הצפוני) והרדיפות כנגד חברי-כנסת ועיתונאים ערבים הם לא רק מאפיינים של המדיניות הציונית כלפי הפלסטינים החיים תחת שלטון ישראלי ישיר, אלא גם סימנים לעצבנותה של ממשלת שרון, ממשלה העומדת בפני שערוריית שחיתות, בפני תסיסה גוברת לנוכח תכניותיה הכלכליות המשליכות מאות אלפים לאבטלה ולעוני ומעל לכל בפני חוסר יכולתה לחסל את המאבק הפלסטיני. הפחד של משטר האפרטהייד הישראלי של בעלי הון קולוניאליסטים הוא שהפעילים וההמונים הפלסטינים והיהודים יתאחדו במאבק נגד משטר רקוב זה, מאבק משותף שכבר מתרחש בהתנגדות לחומת האפרטהייד.

אנו מוקיעים את תנאי המעצר שהחברים נתונים בהם: ללא הצגת ההאשמות נגדם וללא אפשרות לראות את עורכי-דינם. אנו דורשים את שחרורם המיידי של החברים ושל כל הפעילים הפלסטינים, ולהפסקת כל הרדיפות הפוליטיות, המשפטיות והמשטרתיות כנגד אבנאא אל בלד.

השתתפנו בהפגנה ב-14 לפברואר יחד עם החברים באבנאא אל בלד, המפלגה הקומוניסטית ומק"י. אנו קוראים לכל הארגונים הדמוקרטיים וארגוני העובדים בעולם להמשיך בהתגייסות לשחרור הפעילים העצורים.

ברית הפועלים הסוציאליסטית ת.ד. 8763 ירושלים 91087 . דואר אלקטרוני: swl_p@hotmail.com

Hands off Muhamad Kanaane and the Abnaa elBalad comrades!

The arrests and the attempt to incriminate with false accusations the secretary general of Abnaa elBalad ("Sons of the Land") Muhamad Kanaane and his brother Husam is part of the ongoing attack of the Israeli regime against the Arab population in Israel and the Palestinian struggle in general. As in many cases in the past, the trials start with a massive Blitz in the bourgeois press, orchestrated by the security services, portraying the “serious crimes” of the accused. The blatant lies, prefabricated “evidence”, use of torture for extracting "confessions", will be exposed only months or years later, if ever, when the media attention has long disappeared. If the accused are lucky and the state’s lies are exposed during the trial, the security service will back off from the more “serious” charges—as is happening in the case of the Islamic Movement leaders’ trial, now in its 10th month with the accused are under arrest, in which the original “support of terrorism” charges have now boiled down to some charges of book-keeping disarrays. But defending a Palestinian in the Israeli court is like fighting with your hands tied: most of the “evidence” will remain secret, even from the defense attorneys, and the judges are subservient to the security services and the general attorney who are running the show.

All institutions of the Israeli regime are involved in the most flagrant violation of democratic and human rights: kidnapping, use of violence against the arrested and their families, vicious threats and destruction of property, holding of the arrested in isolation even against the law of the regime, and application of torture and inhuman interrogations.

The reasons for which Abnaa elBalad is being attacked are exactly the opposite of those the Zionist press claim, namely the unoriginal charge of “collaboration with Hizballah” (the police recently utilized the same claim to arrest two activists of Atajamo, the party led by MK Azmi Bshara). The real target of the Zionists is not “fundamentalism” but the political perspective Abnaa elBalad is offering of a real solution for the Jewish and Arab masses in the country: a secular democratic state in all the territory of historic Palestine with equal rights for the Arab and Jewish population. Abnaa elBalad also believes that this must be a socialist republic and denounces the reactionary role of the Arab regimes in the region acting in collaboration with imperialism. Recently Abnaa elBalad took several political steps showing an internationalist orientation, such the organization of a solidarity campaign with the Cuban revolution, and their participation in the meetings of the Campo Antiimperialista movement and our Balkan Socialist Center in Athens.

The repression against Abnaa elBalad is part of an ongoing campaign against the democratic rights of the Arab population in particular and against any social and democratic struggle in general. The Israeli regime, which in the last 4 years has unleashed its barbaric machine of murder in the West Bank and Gaza with unprecedented viciousness in an attempt to crush the Palestinian uprising, understands very well that it cannot preserve the status quo of apartheid and increasing attacks against social rights without applying the iron fist of repression against its own “citizens.” All democratic and social activists have experienced this increased repression and intimidation campaign to varying degrees. The "security" inquisitors are above all afraid of the possible emergence of a revolutionary movement uniting Palestinian Arabs and Jews, and for this reason try to portray the Arab population within Israel as agents of the “Islamic terror” against the Jews. That fear is also the background for the unilateral withdrawal from part of the occupied territories in 1967 with the aim of “preserving a Jewish demographic majority”.

We strongly condemn the arrest and the fabricated indictment, and demand the immediate liberation of the comrades and the dropping of all the charges against them. We will continue to participate in all activities in solidarity with the comrades in the country as well as in the international arena with our comrades of the Movement for the Refoundation of the Fourth International. We ask for a national and international campaign of all democratic and workers organizations.

Free the comrades of Abnaa elBalad and all political prisoners now!

Jerusalem and Haifa, March 6, 2004

Socialist Workers League

Comrades - please accept my Solidarity with your struggle against what seems to be all odds.We are with you and hang in their.We demand your release and your right to be treated with respect .For a Just, Human World and Socialism.

Comradely -
Cort Greene
CNA-ND,AFSCME Local 2699 (USA)
and Workers International League

Paris, April 3, 2004

Mr. Tommy LAPID
Minister of Justice
Jerusalem (Israel)


Dear Minister,

The undersigned French academics and human rights activists, who have defended human rights for many years in all parts of the world, have been deeply shocked as they learned that two Arab Israeli citizens, Mohammed KANNANEH and Majed KANNANEH, have been detained, allegedly for security offences, for about 2 months under inhuman conditions in the cell block of the General Security Service of the Kishon Detention Center. They are indeed being held in overcrowded cells without windows and are being denied their rights to : leave the cell for any daily exercise ; receive family visits ; send or receive letters ; call their family or their attorneys by phone ; hold any books or newspapers ; possess a radio, pens and paper ; receive basic hygienic supplies ; sleep on a bed. Toilet facilities are inside the cell without any separation, providing no privacy for users and for the others.

Both prisoners have started a hunger strike on March 28 in order to protest their detention conditions. These conditions obviously violate international legal standards of treatment of prisoners, in particular Article 16 of the Convention against Torture, which prohibits the use of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. As far as we are informed, they also infringe on Israeli domestic law.

Therefore we urge you to make use of your authority in order to ensure an immediate change in the detention conditions of Mr. Muhammed Kannaneh and Mr. Majed Kannaneh.

Respectfully yours

Joyce BLAU, Professor Emeritus of the French Institute for Study of Oriental Civilizations and Languages
Sonia DAYAN-HERZBRUN, Professor of Sociology at the University of Paris-7
Paul KESSLER, physicist, Director of Research (retired), Hon. Chairman of the Human Rights Committee of the French Society of Physics Lydie
KOCH-MIRAMOND, astrophysicist, Scientific Advisor to the French Atomic Energy Commission, Chairperson of the Human Rights Committee of the French Society of Physics Joseph PARISI, physicist at the University of Paris-11
Dominique SCHIFF, physicist, Director of Research, director of the Laboratory of Theoretical Physics at the University of Paris-11 Gיrard
TOULOUSE, physicist, Director of Research, corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences, member of the Academy of Technologies


Copies to : the Minister of Internal Security of Israel ;
the Attorney General of Israel ;
the State Attorney for the Haifa District ;
the Deputy Warden of the Kishon Detention Center.

To Mr Tommy Lapid, the Minister of Justice of the State Israel
To Mr Tzachi Honegbi, the Minister of Internal Security of the State Israel

As we know, Mohammad Kana’ane, the general secretary of the movement “Abnaa el-Ballad”, and his brother Majed, the member of CC of this movement, since February, 7 are detained in prison Jalame (“Kishon prison”). During almost two months they are being held in inhuman conditions without most elementary rights foreseen by law of any civilized state. Let us indicate on only some examples of these unbearable conditions: a small cell holding 6 prisoners has no window and ventilation, the prisoners are not allowed to have books, paper, pencils etc, they are kept in the cell all the time without any walk, they cannot write and receive letters to and from anybody including their relatives.

We demand to provide immediately for brothers Kana’ane their legal rights harsh deducted from they by prison officials. This will give them the possibility to go out from hunger strike of protest.

The Executive Committee of Regional Party of Communists

Sankt-Petersburg, Russian Federation

April, 4, 2004

A message of solidarity from Multan, Pakistan, for the arrested leaders of Abnaa elBalad:

We totally condemm the Israeli state atrocity and demand there release, and wish to add our signatures to the solidarity appeal.

cde Dr. Abdullah Kureshie,
cde. Farooq,
cde.Dr. Ahmad Arslan
, cde.Dr. Irfan Patafi,
cde Dr, Asef.

Multan, Pakistan,
April 6, 2004

Break The Chains Message of Solidarity to the Palestinian Abnaa el Balad movement

The Break The Chains group of Eugene, Oregon (USA) condemns the vicious attacks launched by the Israeli state against the Abnaa el Balad movement, including the arrests of movement leaders Mohamed Ka'hane and Husam Kana'aneh, and the vandalism against their offices.

We call upon radical and progressive organizations in North America to express their solidarity with the Abnaa el Balad movement, and with the Palestinian freedom fighters living and struggling within Israel itself for their legitimate right to self-determination. The terrorism of the Sharon governement must be stopped.

Defend the Abnaa el Balad movement and left resistance in Palestine!

Freedom to political prisoners Mohamed Ka'hane and Husam Kana'aneh!

Fight state terrorism against the Palestinians and all oppressed people!

Break The Chains

July 14, 2004