[Peace-discuss] Fwd: [from-flo-in-palestine] Digest Number 5

Wed May 14 07:46:25 CDT 2003

Flo is out of detention. Below follows two messages from her, including  
her account of the raid.

> _______________________________________________________________________ 
> _
>
> Message: 1
>    Date: Tue, 13 May 2003 09:10:34 -0000
>    From: "flo_razowsky1" <walkfree at justice.com>
> Subject: thank you
>
> 05-13-03
>
> thank you all so much for all of the support that i have recieved. i
> am out of the detention center, released on my own recogniscience.
> my deportation order has been frozen for the time being. i have two
> weeks to fight it and get it cancelled. in that two weeks, i am not
> allowed to leave jerusalem and have to check in at the immigration
> office twice a week. if i fail in these requirements, get arretsed
> or run i will owe the state of israel approx. 2,000$u.s.
> i am working on writing up a detailed accounted of what happened. i
> will send it out, and people are welcome to send it as far as you
> want.
> feel free to give out my number also to any interested parties--972
> 67 361 708.
>
> once again thank you all so much. --flo
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________________________________ 
> _
> _______________________________________________________________________ 
> _
>
> Message: 2
>    Date: Tue, 13 May 2003 10:17:50 -0000
>    From: "flo_razowsky1" <walkfree at justice.com>
> Subject: Statement from Flo
>
> 05-13-03
>
> On May 9, 2003, at approximately 12:40 pm, the Israeli
> military entered the media office of the International
> Solidarity Movement(ISM) in Beit Sahour, Palestine.
> Present were myself (Kristin Razowsky (flo) ), an
> International from Austrailia who is working with Human
> Rights Watch, and a local Palestinian woman from Beit
> Sahour.  The soliders entered the offices, took the
> phones out of my hands that I was speaking on and
> proceeded to search the office.  We were not informed
> as to what the reasons were for this search until the
> Australian women asked one of the soldiers what the
> search was about and he replied that we were working
> for an "illegal organization". I am assuming he was
> referring to the ISM.  There were roughly 20-30
> soldiers present.  The three women, including myself,
> were taken outside where even more soliders were
> gathered with military and police jeeps, and a large
> type of armored truck of which I had not seen before.
> Possibly there were other types of vehicles present,
> but since the situation was quite caotic, I am unaware
> if there were.  A female police officer took each of
> us, one by one, into the stair well in order to search
> us. Myself and the woman from Beit Sahour were taken
> back into the office in order to collect our
> belongings. At this time, I witnessed the soldiers
> confiscating computer equiptment, magazines, telepones,
> video tapes, c.d.s, files and other objects from the
> office.
> During this entire encounter, there were many soldiers
> with video and still cameras recording myself and the
> other women.  We were then taken into the large armored
> truck and waited for approximatley thrity minutes
> before we began to move.  We were told that at some
> point we would be officially arrested and that myself
> and the woman from Australia would be deported.  The
> soldiers did not know what our actual charges would be
> (as the ISM has never officially been deemed illiegal
> by the Israeli Government), and that they were "only
> following orders". After this thirty minute wait in the
> armored truck we were taken several miles down the road
> and then moved into police jeeps. Each woman was in a
> seperate jeep. We were all taken to the police station
> in Gush Etzion, near to Jeruslaem. At this point I was
> questioned by the investigator of the station. I was
> told that if I did not answer the questions it would
> make things much harder for me later on. I repeadatly
> demanded to speak with an attorney and my Embassy to
> which I was repeadalty told only later would I be
> allowed these phone calls.  At this point, I was
> charged with being in a "closed military zone" Since I
> had nothing to hide, I cooperated and answered the
> inspectors questions. I told the investigator that
> since I had been allowed through the Bethleham
> checkpoint, I was not aware that I was in a "closed
> military zone". After the interrogation I was
> photographed and fingerprinted. At this point one of
> the officers called my Embassy and I was allowed to speak
> with a representative for only a few minutes.  I was
> still not allowed a phone call to an attorney. The
> Palestinian woman from Beit Sahour was released and
> allowed to return home. Myself and the Australian woman
> were told that we were going to be taken to a hearing
> with the Interior Ministry.  We were then transported
> to Pisgat Ziev to have this hearing.  When we arrived
> at the Interior Ministry, I was promptly told tht my
> visa was being revoked and that I was to be deported. I
> said that I thought I was coming to a hearing and
> questioned how they could punish me before this hearing
> even happened.  I was told that the hearing would
> eventually happen but that I was going to be deported.
> I asked if this was happening because they ASSUMED I
> was working with the ISM. I was told Yes. At this point
> I returned to my demand to speak with an attorney and
> was told that from jail I could contact a lawyer. The
> deportation order was signed by the Minister of the
> Interior and I was transported to the Emmigration
> Detention Center in Hudera, Isreal.  I was told that I
> had 72 hours in order to fight the deportion.  If in
> that 72 hours, I failed, I would be deported (meaning
> Monday, May 12).  The Austailian woman was released,
> her charges dropped, approximatly four hours after we
> arrived at the detention center.  None of the officials
> at this center could tell me why she had been released
> and not me, but it seems likely it was due to the fact
> that she works for Human Rights Watch and is not
> assumed to be working with the ISM.
> I spent from Friday evening until Monday evening in
> this deportaion center awaiting the outcome.  Through
> the help of so many amazing Human Rights groups in
> Palestine and Israel, I was able to secure a lawyer.
> My lawyer, at the last moment, was able to obtain a
> freeze on the deportation order.  It came through at
> about the same hour I was to be deported.  After much
> work on my lawyer's part, I was released conditionally
> from the detention center.  These conditions are as
> follows:
> --I must remain in Jerusalem during the next two weeks
> while my case is argued in court,
> --I must report to the Immigration Office twice a week,
> --If I am arrested in the next two weeks, try to escape
> the law or fail any of these conditions, I must pay to
> the State of Israel 10,000 shecklim,  and
> --If my deportation order is not cancelled within the
> next two weeks, I must agree to leave the country (be
> deported) at the time determined by the court.
>
>
> All of this comes at a time when the Israeli Government
> has greatly stepped up it's attack on the International
> Solidarity Movement.  Since the killing of Rachel
> Corrie severel months ago in Rafah Gaza, when she was
> run over by an Israeli driven, American- made
> bulldozer, the Israeli Government and Military have
> continuously targetted and attempted to deicredit the
> work of the ISM.  The ISM is a  Palestinian led
> organization dedicated to non-violent direct-action in
> defense of the civilian population of Palestine living
> under Israeli military occupation.
> It is imperative to continue this work as it brings
> much needed international attention to the reality of
> Palestinian life under this occupation. If the Israeli
> Government is allowed to continue this attack on
> international peace workers, the situation in Palestine
> will move forward without any international eyes to
> witness. This eyetwiness pressence is crucial as much
> of the information about the situation here is coming
> from the side of the Israeli Government.
> This sole sorce of information is extremely dangerous
> as it covers up reality with lies in order to justify
> the collective punishment of an entire civilian
> population.
> The ISM is not pro-Palestinian or anti-Israeli, nor for
> or against any peoples. The ISM is against the
> occupation of Palestine and for freedom and justice.
>
> I am a 28 year old American-born Jewish peace activist.
>
> For Futher information, please contact:
> flo @ 972 67 361 708
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________________________________ 
> _
> _______________________________________________________________________ 
> _
>
>
>
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"He tried to sing, singing
not to remember
his true life of lies
and to remember
his lying life of truths."

		-- Octavio Paz
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