5-15 April 2009
Italian speaking tour of an Anarchist Against the Wall
Anarchists Against the Wall (AATW) came together in 2003 – one year after Israel began construction of the Wall – at a four-month long protest camp formed by Palestinian, Israeli and international activists in the village of Mas’ha, whose lands were being lost to the wall. This camp became a focal point for a new form of struggle: joint, civilian, directly-democratic, community based – a de-facto third Intifada, known as “the Intifada of the Wall”. Although consisting of few Israeli activists, AAtW took part in this new development intensively, alongside an ever-widening number of Palestinian villages whose livelihoods were threatened by the wall: from Mas’ha to Budrus to Bil’in to Jayyous to Ni’ilin to Um Salmuna, and so on, in a pattern of direct action and joint struggle which continues today.
Despite its non-violent nature, the Intifada of the Wall continues at great human cost: as of February 2009, seventeen unarmed Palestinian protesters have been murdered by State forces at demonstrations against the construction of the wall, and thousands of others injured or arrested - Palestinian, international and Israeli. So far, AAtW members have faced over one hundred indictments, mostly for “bringing the war home” through protest actions carried out inside Israeli cities. Moreover, setting aside operating expenses of everyday political work, such as transportation, phone bills, first aid or printing costs, AAtW legal debts currently stand at over 40,000 US Dollars, in fees owed to dedicated lawyers working tirelessly to represent us in the face of escalating legal repression from the police and the courts.
Obviously, AAtW does not receive funding from any official organizations or associations (state, governmental or NGO), nor do they pay salaries or maintain offices. They rely entirely on donations from people, all over the world, who realize its importance and wish to enable the continuation of their on-the-ground support for the Palestinian struggle. As the costs of the State's legal harassment accumulate, they find themselves in dire need of financial support, and therefore seek our help.
From 5-15 April 2009, a member of Anarchists Against the Wall, Haggai Matar (well-known also for his anti-militarist work, since he was one of the first of the new wave of political objectors to military service), will be in Italy for a speaking tour with the dual aim of providing updates on the current situation in the struggle against the wall and the occupation, and of collecting funds for the activities of AAtW. If you can, please come to one of the events below. If you are unable to attend but you want to contribute to the work of AAtW, please log on to http://awalls.org/donations for details on how to do so.
FEDERAZIONE DEI COMUNISTI ANARCHICI
International Relations Office
Tour Programme
Sunday 5 April 2009 - 6.30p
mAn Anarchist Against The Wall in Genoa
at the Spazio di Documentazione "Il Grimaldello"
Via della Maddalena, 81 r. - Genoa
for further information: zaatar@inventati.org
Tuesday 7 April 2009 - 8.45pm
A meeting with Haggai Matar, Israeli, Refusnik, Anarchists Against The Wall activist
at the PrefabbriKato,
Via Pirandello, 22 - Villanova di Pordenone
for further information: info@zapatapn.org
Thursday 9 April 2009 - 6.00pm
Tsumud: Persistence in resisting the Occupation
at the Sala della Pace,
Via Rinalducci, 11 - Fano (PU)
for further information: fdcafano@fdca.it
Saturday 11 April 2009 - 5.00pm
Refusnik, obiettore di coscienza: incontro con Haggai Matar (Anarchici Contro il Muro)
at the Centro Studi Libertari "Luigi Fabbri"
Via Posterma n. 8 - Jesi
for further information: csl@aesinet.it
Tuesday 14 April 2009
Terni
(details to be announced)
Wednesday 15 April 2009 - 4.30pm
In Palestina, against Apartheid. Rebelling is right: assembly with Haggai Matar
at the La Sapienza University, Sociology faculty
Via Salaria, 113 - Rome
for further information: fdcaroma@fdca.it or www.libreriaanomalia.org