Trial Begins For ISMers / Huwaida Arraf Released
Trial Begins For ISM Volunteers Accused of Interfering and Entering Closed Military Zone (protesting uprooting of olive
treess)
The trial of Neta Golan and Shelly Nativ, two Israeli Citizens and members of the ISM (International Solidarity
Movement), opened this morning in Hashalom court house in Kfar Saba. The two are accused of blocking IDF bulldozers in
the village Dir Istya near Salfit to prevent them from uprooting Palestinian olive trees. Golan and Native are charged
with interfering with police work, interfering with a public servant's work (the bulldozer driver) and disobeying a
decree of "closed military zone".
The incident happened near the beginning of the recent Intifada, in April 2001, when IDF forces had begun to uproot the
olive groves of Deir Istya. Neta Golan and Shelly Nativ were part of a group of International and Israeli peace
activists who traveled to Deir Istya on invitation from the villagers. The activists chained themselves to the trees an
hour before the bulldozers arrived to uproot olive trees. The destruction of trees was halted only at the last moment
when the blades of the bulldozers were very close to the chained activists bodies.
Policemen and soldiers demanded that the two ISM volunteers vacate the premises, but they refused. The demolition work
was stopped for a few hours until the police brought tools to cut the metal chains and arrested the activists.
Tens of thousands of trees have been uprooted by Israeli military personel and settlers in the occupied territories in
violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which condemns both the use of collective punishment and the destruction of
public and private property of an occupied population.
After the indictment was read in court the advocate Shamai Leibowitz stated to the court "My clients are not criminals –
on the contrary, they showed good citizenship by trying to prevent a felony. The public servants were trying to uproot
trees without permission and without the legal authority to do so. The state is not entitled to trespass on private
property and just like that uproot trees belonging to the habitants. My clients are not the criminals, the soldiers and
bulldozer drivers are the criminals. The accused enjoy the "Defense of Necessity" which prevents the conviction of a
person acting to thwart infliction of damage to his property or the property of others" said the attorney.
The trial will continue on September 2nd, at 11:30 hours, and will be heard by Judge Niza Maimon-Shashoua in Hashalom
courthouse in Kfar Saba.