Prison should not involve torture of any form, including the torture of solitary confinement.

Please consider endorsing the appeal appended below by responding to this email at

<NoToSolitaryConfinement at hotmail.com>

*****************************************************************

Appeal to allow imprisoned peace activist Ms. Tali Fahima out of solitary confinement.

Please feel free to forward this message to whoever you believe would be interested.

We appeal to women and men of conscience worldwide, especially members of the medical, psychiatric and legal professions, on behalf of Ms. Tali Fahima, an Israeli peace activist whose conditions of imprisonment in prolonged isolation (since August 2004) threaten her long-term wellbeing. Having closely followed her case, we strongly believe that the legal grounds for her detention and prosecution are insubstantial and verge on the ridiculous. We believe it is used to deter Israeli and international peace activists who seek direct contacts with Palestinians in grassroots activities. See a website with relevant information at http://www.freetalifahima.org/eng.php?lang=en 

On January 24, 2005, the Tel Aviv District Court ordered that Ms Fahima be released into house-arrest. This ruling was reversed by the Supreme Court, a move which was  sharply denounced by many commentators, including an editorial article in the elite daily Haaretz, which said: "Supreme Court Justice Elyakim Rubinstein's decision to place Tali Fahima under arrest until the completion of proceedings against her…is unreasonable and disproportional…" (Feb. 6, 2005). Ms. Fahima is being held in Neveh Tirza Women's Prison in complete isolation by the decision of the prison authorities. Her next court hearing was scheduled for July 17, 2005! These conditions constitute vindictive harassment.

Concerned about the effects of imprisonment under conditions of  total isolation on Ms Fahima, we appeal for your intervention so that her conditions in prison are normalized in accordance with accepted Israeli and international standards.

To join this appeal, please send a message to

NoToSolitaryConfinement at hotmail.com

Any statement you would wish to add to your signature would be greatly appreciated.

Signed (in alphabetic order):

a) Individuals:

Dorit Abramovich.

Paula Abrams-Hourani, Vienna, Austria.

Larry Abramson, Jerusalem.

Dr. Thabet Abu Rass, Ben Gurion University.

Jane Adas

Why is Tali Fahima in solitary confinement?  Is it because Israeli society wants not to know?

Einat Adi

Prof. Rutie Adler, University of California, Berkeley.

Osman Afiefah, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.

Prof. Ron Aharoni, Technion, Haifa.

Dr. Ali Aissaoui, Pdt UNIR., Reims, France.

Orly Almi, Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Israel.

Prof. Ammiel Alcalay, Queens College and CUNY Graduate Center.

Sara Alimi

Tamar Almog, Tel-Aviv.

Yaara Alon, The College of Management.

Professor Colman Altman, Technion, Haifa.

Dr. Janina Altman, Haifa.

Gil Alvarez, Indio, CA, USA.

Solitary confinement is an old, cruel and barbaric practice of baal and belzebub. In the ancient Hebrew days King Solomon of Ysrael ordered Refuge cities built that rehabilitated law breakers, to the good use of

the state and the community.   Modern Solitary Comfinement is an illegal and ungodly practice.

   I pray that Miss Tali Fahama be transfered to a more productive quarters and refuge place of dwelling as say'th the law of the sacred Torah.

Ra'anan Alxandrowicz, Jerusalem.

Dr. Muhammad H. Amara, Bar-Ilan University & Beit Berl College, Ramat-Gan, Israel.

Chaya Amir, editor.

Dr. Shmuel Amir.

Prof. Daniel Amit, Jerusalem.

The violence of the state against Tali Fahima is a disgrace.

Dr. Yossi Amitay, Ben-Gurion University.

I think the entire procedure against Tali Fahima is paranoiac and vindictive, and fully endorse the call to put an end to her solitary confinement.

Dr. Meir Amor, Concordia University, Quebec, Canada.

The rule of law should be applied first and foremost to the institutions and people who administer the law in Israel. Ms. Fahima should be treated as innocent until proven otherwise.

Micha  Andreieff, Strasbourg, France.

Bianca Dacomo Annoni, Responsabile settore Educazione allo Sviuppo della ong ICEI, Milano, Italy.

Noriko Aoyagi, Vienna.

I will join the appeal-campaign for Ms. Tali Fahima. I do hope she would be soon free again.

Youval Arbel, Physical Geographer, Katsir.

Erhard Arendt, Das Palaestina Portal. Dortmund, Germany.

Prof. Mira Ariel, Tel Aviv University.

I support the release of Tali Fahima.

Sivan Asiag

Dr. Yehuda Atai, Poet, publisher of "The World of the Bible".

Amal Atieh Jubran

Treat all Humans with love and care for all. Free Ms. Fatima from the Israeli prison.   Freedom - for peace and justice -  to Mr. Bargouti and all the others too.

To have Justice and peace, Israel must liberate all those  who are against the occupation

Dr. Irit Averbuch, Tel-Aviv University.

Dr. Adina Aviram

Meny Aviv

Dr. Einat Avrahami, Bar-Ilan University.

Dr. Wesley Avram, Yale University

Dr. Tami Aylat-Yaguri, Tel Aviv University.

David Bach.

Good Luck Tali! I am among a growing number of Americans following your case, stay strong, your struggle is an inspiration for many others.

Mali Baer

     and

Prof. Michael Baer, Rehovot, Israel.

Connie E. Baker, Elmhurst, IL, Chair Church Network for Education on Palestine.

As the bright light of democracy in the Middle East, Israel should be working vigorously to apply the rule of law to the case of Ms. Tali Fahima.  The Tel Aviv District Court was correct when it ordered Ms. Fahima to be released to house-arrest.

Mona Baker, UK.

Edith Ballard

The Fahima case  should be closed by giving it prompt attention in the interest of humane treatment.

Fiamma Bianchi Bandinelli,  Siena, Italy.

          and

Luca Baranelli,  Siena, Italy.

Please release Tali Fahima  not only from solitary confinement , but from prison and have a fair trial before any imprisonment.

We support you Fahima  and hope your will be free soon....

Iris Bar, Haifa.

Yoav Bar, Haifa.

Nidal A. Barakat.

Israel is the one in solitary confinement in the world of humanity of conscience.

God Bless the Peace Makers.

Shireen Barat, Ramat Gan.

Prof. Ron Barkai, Tel Aviv University.

Osnat Bar-Or, Pardes-Hana, Israel.

Ronen Baruch, Moshav Ptachya.

Brita Bastogi, Women in dialogue Palestine-Denmark-Israel.

The case of Tali Fahima only shows too well, that seeking knowledge of what really goes on in Palestine  is a crime according to the Sharon regime – and the person will be judged and treated like a Palestinian.

Dalit Baum

Tali Bdolah

and

Eliahu Abram

The Supreme Court decision ordering Fahima's custody until the conclusion of her trial was a borderline ruling. Justice Rubinstein admitted that his opinion "wavered" concerning the question of whether Fahima's right to liberty should prevail over the state's contention that she poses a danger to state security. Now the Prison Authority not only denies Fahima her liberty but also holds her in solitary confinement. An amendment to the Prison Ordinance adopted by the Knesset in 2000 strictly limits the authority to hold a prisoner separately from other inmates. This amendment was adopted at the initiative of human rights organizations and was based on the government's own studies demonstrating that solitary confinement frequently causes severe psychological damage. The amendment allows solitary confinement for a limited period if it is essential to state security or the security of the prison, and if these security interests can be protected in no other way. To make such a claim concerning Fahima would be absurd. There is no conceivable justification for holding Tali Fahima in solitary confinement.

Anna Beck, Highland Park, NJ, USA.

Dr. Moshe Behar.

Dr. Avner Ben-Amos, Tel-Aviv University.

Ilana K Ben-Amos, Omer, Israel.

Alissa Ben-Ari, Tel Aviv, Israel.

Prof. Matania Ben-Artzi, Hebrew University.

Ofra Ben-Artzi, Jerusalem.

Eldad Benary, New York.

In a democracy people are presumed innocent until PROVEN guilty in a court of law.

In a democracy, people are not held in detention for many months without indictment.

Jochanan Benbassat

Naomi Benbassat, clinical psychologist, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva.

Part of the epidemic of growing violence, barbaric behavior and dehumanization .

Esther Ben Chur

Nora L. Bendersky, Jerusalem.

Deydier Ben Djrad, France.

Mara Ben Dov, artist, Ein Hod, Israel.

Orna Ben-naftali

Pinchas Ben-Or

Rachel Ben-Shitrit, Yaffo, Tel-Aviv.

I am appalled to learn that Israel has reached such dark ages, and Israeli government is so afraid of peace activists such as Tali Fahima, that it feels it has to break their spirit by isolating them in such conditions. I would like to encourage Tali, her mother, her lawyer, and everybody else who fights to deliver our nation once again from slavery to freedom, and justice to our own people, and to other peoples living among us, as we tell the story of the Hagada this year in celebration of Pesach, like every year for over 5000 years.

This year we are slaves, Next year - let us all be free in the land of Israel, and Jerusalem.

Dr. Yael Ben-zvi, Ben Gurion University.

Attorney Yael Berda.

Prof. Deborah Bernstein, University of Haifa.

I would like to strongly protest against Tali Fahima's imprisonment and most especially in solitary confinement. There appear to me to be no grounds what so ever for this except for vindictiveness.

Murray Bernstein

and

Marcia Bernstein, Brooklyn, New York.

Dr. Enrique Bitchatchi, Kibbutz Gezer, Israel.

Sue Blackwell, Birmingham, UK.

Peace campaigners are in prison while the real criminals are in government.

Jeffrey Blankfort, Former Editor, Middle East Labor Bulletin, San Francisco.

Prof. Emeritus Joyce Blau, French Institute for Study of Oriental Civilizations and Languages.

Esther Blumenthal-Sheats

Prof. Shoshana Blum-Kulka, Hebrew University, Jerusalem.

Lissy Bodenmüller

and

Ernst Bodenmüller,  Pfullingen, Germany.

We give our full solidarity to release Tali Fahima out of prison!!! Grüße.Viele

Christine Boeckmann, Magdeburg, Germany.

Sara Borrillo, student at Orientale University Naples, Italy.

Prof. Daniel Boyarin, Berkeley University.

Lila Braine, Columbia University, New York.

Prof. Haim Bresheeth, University of East London.

Steve Brook, Melbourne.

The imprisonment of Tali Fahima is not only wrong -- it also demonstrates a callous unconcern with Israel's image in the world.

Devorah Brous

Prof. Jose Brunner, Tel Aviv University.

Ido Bruno, Senior Lecturer, "Bezalel Academy of Art and Design", Jerusalem, Israel.

Tali Fahimas harassment is typical to the paranoid state we all live in. Her release to house arrest, and proper, lawful, judicial process, under constraints of human rights objectives, is important for Tali's well being, as well as for the well being of Israeli society.

Prof. Victoria Buch, Jerusalem, Israel.

Solitary confinement for Tali Fahima is a disgrace

In Israel, the forever ineffectual judicial inquiry of a military man for shooting unarmed Palestinians is a good opener for a successful political career. But a punishment for an unarmed Israeli activist for the "crime" of befriending Palestinians is administrative detention, torture, and solitary confinement.  And let us recall hundreds of  Palestinians currently under admistrative detention, without a prospect for a fair trial, with rubber-stamp judges obediently extending every few months their incarceration. And the mainstream Israeli citizens who do not want to know anything about it, and  who keep repeating propaganda mantras to justify their collaboration with the Occupation. That is Israel 2005 for you, in a nutshell.

Dena Bugel-Shunra, Port Townsend, WA, USA.

It is an evil policy, punitive without a trial of a woman who's actions have hurt no-one.

Dr. John Bunzl, OIIP and Vienna University, Austria.

Daniel Burnstein, Adjunct Professor, Gibbs College.

Ms. Tali Fahima should be allowed out of solitary confinement without delay.  The Jewish community in Boston and the US generally is expecting Israel to make the effort needed to keep the peace initiatives in place. I am honored to join the academics listed below including Dr. Ruchama Marton who I met in Boston.

Igal Bursztyn, Tel Aviv University.

Dr. Annelise Butterweck

As a member of Cologne "Women in Black" I support the endorsing of "No to Solitary Confinement" of peace-activist Tali Fahima. She must be released!

Elsa Bylund, Sweden .

"There is a point at which people must take responsibility and raise their voices within their society, or their society will speak for them as a result of their silence."

Paola Canarutto, Italy.

Barbara Caputo, Anthropologist, University of Milano Bicocca, Italy.

Paula Cardoso, Muizenberg, Cape Town, South Africa.

Smadar Carmon, Toronto, Canada.

I'm afraid the way Tali Pahima is treated reflects what is happening today in Israel: although Israel likes to see it self as the "only democracy in the Middle East", the facts are that today there is no democracy in Israel. The only people that enjoy democratic rights are right wing, white colored Zionists. 

Kevin Cassidy, Chair, Peace People, Ireland.

Elena Cavallone

Studi hanno dimostrato senza ombra di dubbio che la detenzione con regime di isolamento infligge danni fisici e psicologici che si prolungano nel tempo e che possono diventare permanenti, di ferquente comportano crisi depressive, psicosi e anche suicidi. Essere privati delle informazioni e delle comunicazioni personali aggrava il danno. Questo è contro la legge internazionale e la pratica dei diritti umani comunemete accettata.

Se i giudici israeliani insistono a perseguire in giudizio Tali Fahima sulla base di soli indizi, senza prove, dovrebbero perlomeno tenerla agli arresti domiciliari fino al processo. Se questo non fosse possibile i carcerieri dovrebbero almeno cessare violenza e tortue e permetterle contatti con le altre prigioniere.

Ellen Chaikin,  Jerusalem. 

 Release Tali Fahima (at least) from solitary confinement.

Prof. Julia Chaitin, Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

Stephen Charnas, South Africa.

Rachel Choukroun , Marseille, France.

Dr.  Raya Cohen.

Dr. Rebecca Cohen, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Tami Cohen, Tel Aviv.

Viviane Cohen, universitaire, France.

Pour la liberation de Tali Fahima

Steve Conrad, Henrietta, Montana, USA.

To hold someone in solitary confinement for merely trying to establish a rapport with the other side of a conflict is not only vindictive, it violates the very essence of the term "Humanitarian Law" and it sets a dangerous precedent while also discouraging discourse between the two sides.

Liliane Cordova Kaczerginski, France.

Free Tali and don'y give up the fight.

Fausto Correia, Member of the European Parliament.

Mairead Corrigan Maguire, Nobel Peace Laureate.  

Dr. Leo Corry, Tel-Aviv University.

Frances Crowe, Northampton, Ma.

Carmen Curcó, México.

Michal Dabach

Adi Dagan, Tel Aviv, Coalition of women for peace.

Prof. Emeritus Gedeon Dagan, Tel Aviv Univeristy.

Ora Dagan, social worker, Herzlya.

Dr. Yossi Dahan

A. E. Dangor, Physicist, Imperial College London, UK.

The imprisonment of Ms Fahima is unjust, vindictive and cruel. That she is held in solitary confinement is a crime against humanity.

Prof. Marcelo Dascal, Tel Aviv.

Prof. Lawrence Davidson, West Chester University, West Chester, Pa, USA.

I fully support this appeal

Dr. Uri Davis, Hon. Research Fellow, U. of Exeter and U. of Durham, UK.

Prof. Sonia Dayan-Herzbrun, University of Paris-7.

Tracie de Angelis Salim, Oakland, CA, USA.

Dr. David Degani,  Haifa.

Mireille (Myriam) Delamarre, France.

No to solitary confinement for Fahima no to prison for human rights Jewish Israeli activists. Shame on the Israeli governement and those Israelis that support it. 

Bousha al col ha israelim she shotkim al ma she kore ba shetarim ha palestinaim akvoushim. 

Bousha Bousha Bousha

Not in our name

Marc Delarue, Avignon. France.

Maurizio Disoteo, Musicologist, Bruxelles-Brussel, Belgium

LIBERATE LA PACE!

Dr. Diana Dolev.

Dr. Shahar Dolev

Lissa Donner, Winnipeg, Canada.

Tommy Dreyfus, Tel Aviv University.

Prof. John W. Du Bois, University of California, Santa Barbara.

To subject an untried detainee to solitary confinement is an abuse and a

punishment in its own right, and is unacceptable and uncalled for the case of

Ms. Tali Fahima. Please release her immediately.

Mary Edwards

I support your campaign to free Tali Fahima from solitary confinement and recognise  the strategy being played by the Israeli authorities as those iemployed by the apartheid regime in South Africa whereby they treated  isolated cases very severely to act as a threat to others to stop further anti-government protests. 

I wish Tali Fahima has the strength to endure, like Nelson Mandela and many others in South Africa, as well as like many of your own people in Israel. Sadly, it is only through the painful sacrifice of such people  that freedom is given a chance.

My thoughts are with Tali.

Wolf Zeev Ehrenberg, Switzerland.

I join the appeal on Tali Fahimas revolting solitary confinement. Such methods remind me of the Holy Inquisition!

Ester Eillam

Aviva Ein-Gil, Tel Aviv.

Ehud Ein-Gil, Tel Aviv.

Prof.  Ivar Ekeland, Canada Research Chair in Mathematical Economics

University of British Columbia.

Director, the Pacific Institute of Mathematical Sciences.

Shraga Elam, journalist, Zurich, Switzerland.

Prof. Rachel Elior, Hebrew University, Jerusalem.

Yehudit Elkana, Jerusalem.

Francine Engelbach-Andreieff, Strasbourg, France.

Juno Sylva Englander, President

Women in Action-Global Mothers For the Environment and Peace, Vienna, Austria.

Free Ms. Tali Fahima from solitary confinement and from prison.

Dr. David Enoch, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem.

Hedy Epstein, St. Louis, MO, USA.

In a democracy, which Israel claims to be, people are considered innocent until found guilty by a court of law. In a democracy, people are detained in humane conditions.  Keeping Tali Fahima in isolation is in violation of Israel's & international laws.

I hope Israel can live up to the very best it can be & provide Tali Fahima humane treatment.

Shalom.

Sandra Ethell, New Zealand.

Release Tali Fahima. Let Mordechai Vanunu go.

Release all prisioners who are in solitary confinement in Israel/Palestine.

The world expects better conduct from Jewish people.

Guy Even, Tel-Aviv.

Prof. Emeritus Aharon Eviatar, Tel Aviv University.

I think that holding Ms Fahima in solitary confinement constitutes torture and can have no justification.  It is obviously a vindictive action on the part of the authorities who seem to feel personally offended by her.  The judge in this case seems to have acted as a poodle for the security services and showed a lack of courage and integrity.

Debbie Eylon, The Hebrew University.

Dr. Ovadia Ezra, Tel Aviv University.

Prof. Laura Fainsilber, Chalmers Technical University, Sweden.

Sonia Fayman, UJFP, SICO (Solidaires des Israeliens Contre l'Occupation), France.

Docteur Georges Yoram Federmann, Psychiatre, Strasbourg, France.

Freedom for Tali Fahima.

Rainer Fielenbach, Germany.

Dror Feiler, Chairman of EJJP (European Jews for a Just Peace), Stockholm, Sweden.

Pnina Feiler, Reg. Nurse, Kibbutz Yad-Hanna, Israel.

Tigran Feiler, JIPF (Judar för Israelisk-Palestinsk Fred), Sverige.

Shlomit Ferguson (Kleinman)

Whenever I think that it cannot get worse, the Israeli government and its state apparatuses prove me wrong. Shame on you.

Leslie Fiddes.

Gilberte Finkel

There is no reason why Tali Fahima should be kept in solitary confinement. Her "crime" was talking to a Palestinian, which is exactly what the government is doing.

Murderers of women and children are not treated this way. Amnon Cohen who burnt his wife to death and Ygal Axelrod who targeted and raped Tamar Brez haven't been treated this way. It seems that Ygal Amir is treated better  than she is.

Something must be done to stop this.

Pnina Firestone

Tami Firon-Smorodinsky

Michel Flament, Coordination de l'Appel de Strasbourg, France.

Giorgio Forti, Universita degli Studi, Milano,Italy.

Prof. Danny Fox, MIT.

Prof. Gideon Freudenthal, Tel Aviv University.

Dr. Elizabeth Freund, Jerusalem , (Hebrew University -- Emeritus).

Hannah Friedman, Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, Executive Director.

Anne Frisius, Berlin.

Dr. Iris Fry, Tel Aviv University

Professor Michael Fry, Technion

Patrice Gagnon, Canada.

Ron Ganzfried, Bern, Switzerland.

Rachel Garbarz, Lille, France.

Dr. Miriam Garfinkle

Dr. Ido Geiger, Ben-Gurion University.

Kosay Ghanaiem, Attorney, Hadera, Israel.

Tsvi E. Gil, Haifa

David Gilbert, Chicago, Illinois.

This solitary confinement is plainly intended to punish someone who has yet to be convicted of anything and to intimidate others.  Israel is sliming itself again.

Adrian Gill

Free Tali Fahima

Dr. Terri Ginsberg, Dartmouth College.

Prof. Rachel Giora, Tel Aviv University.

Dr Snait Gissis, Tel Aviv University.

Ruth Glasl, Bonn, Germany.

Professor Eli Glasner, Tel Aviv university.

Charles Glass

There is no reason to put anyone in solitary confinement. It is cruel and potentially harmful. I know. Hizballah held me in solitary confinement for two months in 1987, and most of the western world condemned them for it. I think we should condemn those who hold this woman.

Bilha Golan, Physicians for Human Rights- Israel.

Mark Golden, Winnipeg MB Canada.

Rev. Beth Goldring, Brahmavihara, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Prof. Oded Goldreich, Weizmann Institute.

I believe that the accusations against Tali Fahima are plainly ridiculous.

The collaboration of the Israeli "Justice system" with her harassment is yet another low point in the sad records of the history of the present time at Israel.

Tali Goldsmith

Leigh Golterman, New York, NY.

Stop the Solitary Confinement

Ofer Goren

Dr. Edna Gorney, Technion and Lesley University,

      and

Zev Labinger, Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel.

We strongly condemn the treatment that Ms. Tali Fahima is receiving from the State Of Israel. Lack of a clear judicial process and now solitary confinement is completely unacceptable. We are contacting politicians and dignitaries around the world to join in this struggle to maintain basic human rights. 

We demand her fair treatment, release to house arrest and a speedy, just trial.

Nir Gov, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.

Tamar Gozansky, Ben Gurion University.

Yoram Gozansky, Friendship Movement.

Joanna Graham.

I am following this case with great interest. I believe that the Israeli government is essentially torturing Ms. Fahima--and they are doing so for the simple reason that she is a working-class Mizrahi Jew. Twenty percent of Israelis are Palestinian and 60 percent are Mizrahi, Jews from Arab countries. These two groups share both an Arab culture and a second-class status in the "Jewish State," founded and dominated by Jews from Europe. If they ever get together, the days of Ashkenazi dominance would be over. Thus, it is essential for the government to keep them from discovering their commonality.

 In the same way the American government has always come down with special ferocity on leftists of color--because by revealing the class origins of "race" consciousness, they also threaten to overturn the lies which keep Americans from coalescing on their own behalf.

Fabio L. Grassi, Teacher, Italian High School, Istanbul, Turkey. 

Judy Greenbaum, Jerusalem

         and

Prof. Charles W. Greenbaum, Department of Psychology, Hebrew University, Jerusalem.

Demanding the release of Ms. Tali Fahima, at least from solitary confinement in an Israeli prison.

Avner Greenberg, Kfar Vradim, Israel.

Jean-Guy Greilsamer

Dr. Alessandro Grimaldi, University of Macerata, Macerata, Italy.

Please, Allow Ms. Tali Fahima out of solitary confinement.

Nili Gross

Tami Gross

Jennifer Grosvenor, Portland, Oregon, USA.

Dear Officials,
Placing Ms. Fahima in isolation is will