International Solidarity Movement-Chicago Chapter
P.O. Box 220685,
Chicago, IL 60622
773-489-3505
ISMinChicago (at) aol.com
www.palsolidarity.org

MEDIA ADVISORY - WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2005

Chicago Activist Among Eleven Arrested in West Bank Protest

Eleven activists have been arrested in attempt to non-violently stop olive trees being uprooted by Israeli Military in Bil’in. Among those arrested are Gabe Gao from Iowa City and Nathan Stuckey of Chicago.

Eighty five olive trees are currently being uprooted by the Israeli Military in the West Bank village of Bil’in to make room for the illegal annexation wall.

As part of a Palestinian non-violent resistance campaign against The Wall sixteen people including nine Palestinians chained themselves into the olive trees this morning in Bil’in while fifty others demonstrated.

After a stand off that lasted four hours the Israeli military cut the chains and dragged away eleven of the non-violent protesters.

Yesterday the residents of Bil’in received notice from the Israeli Army about the uprooting and demolition of the ancient olive trees and rallied International and Israeli supporters to demonstrate alongside them today.

The Military police used excessive force during the arrests. One of the arrestees, a woman from Greece, suffered a blow to the head while being beaten by Israeli soldiers. An Israeli protestor was kneed in the groin and a Norwegian protestor had his legs forcibly spread to a 180 degree angle.

Of the eleven arrested there were two Americans, two Swedish, one Norwegian one Greek and five Israelis. (All the Palestinians who were initially detained were all released.)

Nathan Stuckey grew up as one of nine children in rural Cumberland County (Illinois) near the town of Montrose. After graduating from the University of Chicago in 1998, he accepted a position at the Chicago Board of Options Exchange where he has worked for the past five years. He became involved in the issue of Palestine after starting to read about the Middle East in the wake of the "911" tragedy. The injustice of Palestinian history and the continuing oppression they face with the support of U.S. tax dollars convinced him to travel to Palestine as a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement. He is a member of the Chicago chapter of the International Solidarity Movement. Nathan will be available for speaking engagements upon his return to Chicago.

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Local Chicago contact for media: ISM-Chicago... Kevin Clark at 773-489-3505