International media attention in the arrest of Vittorio Fera
International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil Team | Hebron, occupied Palestine
Friday the 28th of August Vittorio Fera was violently arrested by Israeli forces. He was beaten up during the arrest and treated badly in prison. His case was in court Monday 31st of August and is now postponed till the 8th of September. The story has been covered in the media, and we are proud of the international media for bringing the case to the surface and showing the world how people are treated in occupied Palestine.
Especially Italian media have taken this particular case very seriously, and even the city council of Napoli has taken a stand in the case. Here is a message by the mayor of Napoli on the violent arrest of Vittorio Fera from the 31st of August:
“The presence of committed and sensitive people engaged in non-violent actions of testimony in the occupied territories of Palestine are a necessary resource for the entire international community. This activity documents and discourages abuses against the civilian population. The International Solidarity Movement activist Vittorio Fera was engaged in this valuable work near the Palestinian village Nabi Saleh in the West Bank when he was arrested by the Israeli authorities. From Naples, a city that has always worked for peace and coexistence of all the peoples of the Mediterranean, we are asking the Foreign Ministry to work for the immediate release of Vittorio Fera and to guarantee all the necessary practicability for the international and pacifist organizations working commendably in the land of Palestine. “
– Mayor Luigi de Magistris, Napoli
Vittorio Fera was released on bail with conditions yesterday evening. Shortly after the release, the Italian TV station RAI news made an interview with Vittorio Fera. Other Italian media has been interviewing other activists, who took part in the non-violent demonstration and were present at the court in Jerusalem yesterday morning.
The story has not just reached Italy, but is also getting attention in the rest of the world. The hashtag #VittorioFera has been used on twitter 960 times on twitter and have reached approximately 2000000 people. In Denmark, a member of the parliament, will take up the case of Vittorio Fera and other cases of military violence against internationals in Palestine in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Vittorio is doing fine under the circumstances, and is really happy to be out of the Israeli prison, where he was not treated well. We, in ISM, are really grateful for all the attention on the case of Vittorio Fera, and hope this will make more people see what is going on. This case does not stand alone. Palestinians and internationals get arrested every single day without reason or on false accusations. We need the world to recognize this problem and support Palestinians and internationals in the fight against the injustice, that we see in Palestine every single day.