Palestine/Israel: Israeli military intensifies assault on international peace workers singling out the International Solidarity Movement (ISM)

On April 30, 2003 a suicide bomber and an accomplice tried to enter “Mike’s Place” bar in Tel Aviv. One murdered three people in addition to killing himself. The other escaped. They both held British passports. These activities are in complete contradiction to the purpose and commitment of ISM to non-violent resistance. There have been media reports trying to connect these two men to ISM. There is no connection. They never tried to work with ISM. They never contacted the ISM. They did not go through the ISM non-violence training. They did not travel with ISM activists to Palestine. They did not register with ISM or contact any ISM activists in the UK. They could have attended a memorial service for Rachel Corrie in Rafah that was open to anybody. This memorial service was not organised by ISM, it was organised by local Palestinians as is their religious custom to mark the 40th day after a death. A few days before the memorial ISM did organise a march through Rafah to show our international presence but they were not present at this march.

The ISM, a Palestinian led non-violent group which attempts to provide protection to the Palestinian people and to enable them to non-violently resist the Israeli military occupation of Palestine, has recently come under attack from the Israeli Government and Army. This attack, including the targeting of ISM volunteers that left one dead, one comatose and one severely injured, and now this new declaration, are all aimed at discrediting and inhibiting the peace work of the ISM. ISM needs your support.