More facts about Tristan Anderson and Ni’lin

by Philip Weiss on March 15, 2009 · 5 comments

Here's an update on Tristan Anderson's condition. He's unconscious following surgery in a good  Israeli hospital, and will be kept unconscious for days to aid healing. His family's getting a lot of support, and is headed over there.

On Monday at 4 p.m. in San Franciso,there's going to be a demo in solidarity with Anderson at the Israeli consulate.

Henry Norr of California writes:

How about adding some info about the theft of Ni'lin lands by the Israelis? The ISM's quick summary:

"Residents in the village of Ni’lin have been demonstrating against the construction of the Apartheid Wall, deemed illegal by the International Court of Justice in 2004. Ni’lin will lose approximately 2500 dunums [10,000 acres] of agricultural land when the construction of the Wall is completed. Ni’lin was 57,000 dunums [228,000 acres] in 1948, reduced to 33,000 dunums in 1967, currently is 10,000 dunums and will be 7,500 [30,000 acres] dunums after the construction of the Wall."

Most of the MSM coverage of this story at best includes the infuriating AP line that Palestinians object to the Wall because it "juts into the West Bank," as if they're all just cartographers or diplomats, not real people being robbed of their livelihoods.

Along the same lines, there's a good factsheet entitled "Ni'lin – A Struggle for Existence," put together last year by the Grassroots Palestinian Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign.

As to the four Palestinians killed in Ni'lin, I'm quoting again from the ISM:

"Ahmed Mousa (10) was shot in the forehead with live ammunition on 29th July 2008.  The following day, Yousef Amira (17) was shot twice with rubber-coated steel bullets, leaving him brain dead.  He died a week later on 4 August 2008. Arafat Rateb Khawaje (22), was the third Ni’lin resident to be killed by Israeli forces.  He was shot in the back with live ammunition on 28 December 2008.  That same day, Mohammed Khawaje (20), was shot in the head with live ammunition, leaving him brain dead.  He died three days in a Ramallah hospital."

Starhawk also wrote about these victims in a moving post. 

Related posts:

  1. Key facts in Tristan Anderson shooting
  2. On anniversary of their daughter’s killing, the Corries are thinking about Tristan Anderson and Palestinian dignity
  3. And they ask, where is the Palestinian Gandhi?
  4. ‘Washington Post’ buries the Tristan Anderson shooting story
  5. No one is accountable in maiming of Tristan Anderson

{ 5 comments }

1 Richard March 16, 2009 at 4:51 am

It's difficult to keep track of these village names – Ni'lin or Bi'lin.

But it's not difficult to understand these statistics:

Ni'lin:
1948 (After establishment of Israel) – 57,000 dunums [228,000 acres]
1967 reduced to 33,000 dunums in 1967
2008 currently is 10,000 dunums
2009 7,500 [30,000 acres] dunums after the construction of the Wall

Doesn't take much to realise that Israel wants land, not peace.

Note: This land is very dry – not desert, but nearly so. Israel doesn't want the land, but the aquifers under it.

2 Gert March 16, 2009 at 10:23 am

Wait for Pajamas Media (or similar) to start calling him 'Tristan the Can'…

3 Chris Berel March 16, 2009 at 11:42 am

We will give Phil's phools proper credit.

4 Henry Norr March 16, 2009 at 2:01 pm

to Richard: You write "This land is very dry – not desert, but nearly so. Israel doesn't want the land, but the aquifers under it."

I don't want to downplay Israel's eagerness to control the aquifers, but anyone who's spent time on the West Bank, and specifically in the western part of the West Bank, near the Wall, in the villages that have put up the biggest resistance to it – Ni'lin, Bil'in, Budrus, Jayyous, etc. – can tell you that the land in question is anything but desert. In fact, it's some of the most fertile agricultural land in the whole region.

That's not to say the Israelis are after it so their farmers can grow more oranges and olives – these areas are within easy commuting distance of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, so the economic interest group with the biggest stake is developers who want to build settlements. But I think the strongest motive for the Israelis is actually not anything positive for themselves, but to drive out the Palestinians by making their lives impossible or at least unbearable.

5 wittywatch March 17, 2009 at 9:02 am

don't confuse witty with the facts–he's an accountant's accountant and self-declared proud zionist living
in relative luxury protected by non-jewish police and military overseas. he calls it live & let live.

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