Ta'ayush

Ta'ayush (lit. "coexistence" or "life in common" in Arabic) is a grassroots non-violent organization, which was established in the fall of 2000, by Gadi Algazy and a group of Palestinians and Jewish citizens of Israel. [ [http://www.taayush.org/new/we.html Who we are] , Ta'ayush site. Accessed online 5 March 2007.] [ [http://www.france-palestine.org/article783.html Association France Palestine Solidalidarité (French language)] ] The organization claims to "work against the occupation and against the discrimination done by the state to Palestinian Israelis, and fight against all kinds and forms of separation and segregation between Arabs and Jews and between Israelis and Palestinians, both in Israel and the Occupied Territories." [Uri Zackhem, Ysamine Halevi, " [http://www.taayush.org/new/2004-pn.jpgTaayush - Arab-Jewish Partnership Peace News] ", March-May 2004. Accessed online 5 March 2007.] Examples of this activism are the provision of concrete material support (food, medical supplies, etc.) to Palestinians during Israeli army occupations. [Katz, Sue, " [http://zmagsite.zmag.org/Dec2004/katz1204.html What's Left of the Left in Israel] ", "Z" Magazine, December 2004, 16-19.]

Activities

In January 2005, Ta'ayush activists along with Gush Shalom, the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, Machsom Watch, Anarchists Against the Wall and residents of the nearby Palestinian village Jayyous, began to plant hundred of olive saplings which they had brought with them to the plot of land where the bulldozers of the settlers had uprooted hundreds of olive trees. Advocate Wiam Shbeyta, an activist of the Ta'ayush movement said:-

"In spite of the police and army assertions, we do not recognise the ownership of the settlers over this land. This land belongs to the Jayyous villagers and the company "Geulat HaKarka" which is associated with the settlers took control of it on the false assertion that it was sold to them. The matter is still awaiting legal review, and we will not allow the settlers to dictate facts on the ground, to grab Palestinian lands and to commence establishing a new settlement on it". [ [http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0501/S00017.htm Scoop Independent world news from a Gush Shalom column] ]

The Ta'ayush upon receiving word of settler aggression in Tuba marched to Havot Ma'on to retrieve a donkey, but were stopped at the settlement entrance by police. [ [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/929977.html Palestinians: Settlers throw stones at boy, steal his donkey] Ha'aretz 01/12/2007] Ta'ayush activists have also aided residents of the un-recognized village of Dar al-Hanun in Wadi Ara to repave the road to the village after it was dug up by Israeli Interior Ministry employees, the demolition had been ordered by the Haifa Magistrate's Court May 2006. The village of Dar al-Hanun was founded 80 years ago by the Abu Hilal family on a hill near the Wadi Ara route, on land owned by the family. In 1949, when the land was transferred to Israeli sovereignty, the Israeli authorities did not recognize the village, and the residents were asked to move to nearby villages. [ [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/924078.html Residents of unrecognized Wadi Ara village repave razed road] Ha'aretz 14/11/2007]

The village of Yanun was abandoned in October 2004 when the harassment of the village by Avri Ran and his people became intolerable, leaving behind only two aged people who refused to accept the village decision to go. [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=282470&co%20ntrassID=2&subContrassID=14&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y Ha'aretz] ] The village was re-occupied with the aid of peace activists from Ta'ayush and the International Solidarity Movement. David Nir of Ta'ayush was assaulted by Avri Ran in Yanun.

Crime in as-Samu

Two Jewish settlers suspected of involvement in the beating of Midhat Abu Karsh, a 30-year-old Palestinian teacher and resident of as-Samu, were arrested. A video recording of the incident was released by Ta'ayush which then appeared on the video sharing site YouTube and on Israeli television. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7494115.stm BBC] ] [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhodhOiamYs You Tube] ] [ [http://www.abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=5322730&page=1 ABC news] ] [ [http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L07229347.htm Reuters] ] [ [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/999100.html Ha'aretz] ]

Notes

External links

* [http://www.taayush.org/ Ta'ayush official site] (in English, Hebrew, and Arabic)