Israeli Security Forces Arrest Jerusalem Peace Activists

Jerusalem - As US Secretary of State Condolleeza Rice arrived in

Israel to talk about the possibility of a ceasefire,

Jerusalem protesters were pushed and shoved away from

sight and in to the middle of the street near the

Citadel Hotel on King David Street on Monday night.

Khulood Badawi, one of the organizers of the protest

and a former chair of the National Union of Arab

Students, was arrested and manhandled by security

forces within the first ten minutes. Security forces

provoked, pushed and detained her before forcing her

in to a police car.

All she did was organize a peaceful protest. Only ten

minutes before, we were chatting on the street and I

was telling her about the complications of graduate

school and the ethical dilemma of attempting to do

research while a war is going on. The only democracy

in the Middle East just took away one of its most

articulate human rights activists to put her in to

jail. Welcome to Israel.

Protesters were herded across the street to a traffic

island. Finally, we were pushed all the way across

the street, almost out of sight. I got shoved

aggressively by a security officer.

I've been to protests at the Separation Wall, in front

of Haifa City Hall, in front of the Prime Minister's

Residence and the Prime Minister's Office protesting

various forms of discriminatory public policy over the

years. This was the first time an Israeli officer

physically pushed me. I'm going to wear that hit like

a badge of honour.

We are pacifists that stand for something - they are

meatheads delivering a blunt message from the state

that's meant to make us afraid to speak out.

How much longer can Israel keep doing this to people?

The officers surrounded the 60 protestors with fencing

and pushed everyone else away. One of the signs read,

"We don't need another American war in the Middle

East."

Abir Kopty, Mossawa Center's media spokesperson and

one of those involved with the organization 'Women

Against the War' was shoved against a metal

embankment, pushed to the ground and had her toe

stubbed by security forces. She was talking on her

cell phone and the security officers wanted her to

move to the fenced in location. Luckily, it wasn't

broken. The women began chanting, "Condolleeza,

Condolleeza, You are not our sister!"

The bullies all stood there staring out at us. Once

again, it was security before human rights - the great

mantra of the age.

Later, Leila Mosinzon, another young activist, stood

her ground peacefully refusing to move. The security

thugs pushed her against the railing, grabbed her arms

and legs and shoved her in to a police car. Once

again, completely unprovoked, the security officers

pushed her away while the rest of the protesters were

herded by fencing.

Another middle aged woman was singled out and taken

away as well.

Raising public dissent against the

bullying apparatus of the state will get you a

criminal record, or if you are an international,

thrown out of the country.