The following Open Letter from Scottish playwrights was first posted at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XnofXamSH8HkFhQyg1rhf4bQbsUrrOJYc2E1qacZQn0/edit in response to the Israeli military attack on the Freedom Theatre in Jenin on the West Bank.
OPEN LETTER IN SOLIDARITY WITH FREEDOM THEATRE (JENIN)
As members of the Scottish playwriting community, we are horrified by the news that The Freedom Theatre of Jenin’s Artistic Director Ahmed Tobasi, Producer Mustafa Sheta, and youth trainer Jamal Abu Joas were recently taken hostage by the Israeli military.
Ahmed Tobasi has since been released, having sustained injuries through beatings. His colleagues, along with approximately 100 other Palestinians taken hostage in Jenin in the last 24 hours, remain detained.
The Freedom Theatre performed in Glasgow, at the Tron Theatre, with their show The Siege as recently as 2015. Ahmed Tobasi performed the show And Here I Am at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2017 at the New Town Theatre, and contributed to the multi-artist celebration of Arab work Chill Habibi at Summerhall that same year. The Freedom Theatre are valued members of our international community. The targeting of their theatre and their violent detainment at the hands of the Israeli military is an affront to us all.
We join with our artistic colleagues in Scotland and across the globe in vociferously opposing these attacks on artists and their freedoms. We call on our elected representatives to demand the immediate release of our colleagues, and an end to the military occupation and its targeting of artists, journalists and writers in Palestine.
Signed,
Maryam Hamidi, Kieran Hurley. Nicola McCartney. Liz Lochhead Sara Shaarawi, Uma Nada-Rajah, Lynda Radley, Julia Taudevin, Adura Onashile, Robbie Gordon, Jack Nurse. Hannah McGregor, Lewis Hetherington, May Sumbwanyambe, Garrick Pagel, Morna Young, Stephen Greenhorn, Drew Taylor-Wilson, Meghan Tyler, Stef Smith, Laurie Motherwell, Eve Nicol, Rona Munro, Jen McGregor, James Ley, Kolbrun B Sigfusdottir, Heather Marshall, Frances Poet, Imogen Stirling, Thomas Ambrosini. Liam Rees, Jack Hunter, Matthew Zajac, Lesley Hart, Mariem Omari, Kevin P. Gilday, Leah Byrne, Kris Haddow, Michael John O’Neill, Catriona MacLeod, Ross MacKay, Martin O’Connor, Rebecca Sharp, Harry Mould, Zoë Bullock, Jack Dickson, Andy Edwards, Andy McGregor, Mark Robson, Rachel O’Regan, Alice Clark, Linda McLean, Ben Ramsay, Deborah Klayman, Craig Stewart Ferguson, John McEwan-Whyte, Jules Horne, Edwin Stiven, Karine Polwart, Stewart Conn, Ishbel McFarlane, Gregory Burke, Garry Morris, Jenny Knotts, Ellie Stewart, Felix O’Brien, Alan Muir, Nelly Kelly, Finn Anderson, Elspeth Turner,Ross McClory, Katherine Mendelsohn, Rachel Flynn, Helen Shutt, Nalini Chetty, Linda Duncan McLaughlin Eliza Gearty, Andy Moseley, Rachel Hamada, Liam Hurley, Holly Barbour, Wilma G. Stark, Joanne Thomson, Aimee Rutherford. Rachel Main, Louise Oliver, Giga Gray, Catrin Evans, Corinne Salisbury, Claire Macallister, Fatima Uygun, Cora Bissett, Henry Bell, Matthew McVarish, Jack MacGregor, Merryn Glover, Sue Glover, Steve McMahon, Kirstin Innes, Joe Douglas, Raymond Burke, Anita Vettesse, Jenna Watt, Alan Bissett, Amy Conway, John McCann, Claire Duffy, Jaimini Jethwa, Ian Stephen, Peter Arnott, Pauline Lynch, Isla Cowan, Vlad Butucea, Matthew Knights, George Gunn, David Harrower,Michael Daviot, Davey Anderson , Sandy Watson, John Carnegie, Pauline Goldsmith, Fiona Ferguson, Peter Barlow, Janette Foggo, Barry Esson, Catriona Duggan Isla Robertson Emily Nicholl, Natalie McGrath, Pete Lannon, Mamoru Iriguchi, Daniel Padden, Jackie Wylie, Heather Parry, Sue McCormick, James Kelman, Gonca Yalçın, Niroshini Thambar, Calum O’Brien, Chloe Kennedy, Rodge Glass, Callum Smith, Siobhan Walsh, Sofia Nakou, Pamela Walker, Mhari Robinson, Lesley Orr, Kenny Boyle, Ewan McNicholl, Ben Harrison, Victoria Bianchi, Caitlin Skinner, Xana Marwick, Pamela Walker, Belinda McElhinney, Luke Pell, Kim Allan, Mark Oosterveen , Nik Paget-Tomlinson, Tony Reekie, Niloo Khan, Gillian Garrity, Jess Thorpe, Rosanna Hall, Taqi Nazeer, Katharine Williams Leslie Martin, Alasdair Satchel, John Paul McGroarty, Alexandra Lort Phillips, Scott McNee, Adam McNamara, Chloe Ann Tylor, Paul McCole, Hannah Jarrett-Scott, Topher Dagg,Kerry Cleland
Note: The response to this has been significant and we have received many requests from people who are not playwrights but who wish to sign. These include theatre workers of all kinds, audiences, and more. The latter signatures in this still growing list reflect this wide support from our community. Anyone who wishes to add their name can do so by emailing FreedomTheatreSolidarityScot@gmail.com
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The following document was first posted at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LObf6WijUjN-NYN0LnPBXg5khac-Xpu4b_-UdrxNYEo/edit
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS:
- Photos
- Updated Statement from The Freedom Theatre
- What you can do
- Quote fron Rasha Sheta wife to Mustafa Sheta
- Details on Ahmed Tobasi’s detainment
- Details on Mustafa Sheta’s detainment
- Details on Jamal Abu Joas’s detainment
Press contact please email trp@thefreedomtheatre.org
PHOTOS & VIDEOS OF DESTRUCTION TO THE FREEDOM THEATRE
CREDIT: ADNAN TOROKMAN THE FREEDOM THEATRE
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_vmsGOmLSEB4Gu3-PZtGQ1YaUZ5PAqxM?usp=sharing
PHOTOS & VIDEOS OF DESTRUCTION TO JENIN REFUGEE CAMP
CREDIT Estefania Vega
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Qd9CeHAW6UioC54o-rGWGUlnj4Ck6XNZ?usp=sharing
STATEMENT FROM THE FREEDOM THEATRE
UPDATED 12:32 EET 16th December 2023
On the morning of the 13th of December, the Israeli army began attacking and ransacking The Freedom Theatre. They shot from inside the theatre, destroying the offices and knocking down a wall.
The army then went to the homes of Ahmed Tobasi and Mustafa Sheta, blindfolded, handcuffed and took them away.
That evening the army went to the home of Jamal Abu Joas and severely beat him and then took him.
We can confirm (15:05 EET) that Tobasi has been released. He is suffering from leg and back pain where the Israeli Army beat him. We will update on his condition as soon as possible.
After over 60 hours the full scale invasion by the Israeli Army has stopped. However invasions have been almost daily and we expect their return, and continue to be concerned for the safety of all
Upon being released Tobasi said “They treated us like animals. They are trying to hurt us in any way they can, but its important we stay strong”
We continue to ask people to demand the immediate release of Mustafa Sheta and Jamal Abu Joas, as with the over 100+ people taken by the Israeli Army in the last two days.
Mustafa Sheta’s family continues to have no more information and no idea where he is.
These attacks follow the murder of three members of The Freedom Theatre in the last few weeks including 17-year-old theatre participant Yamen Jarrar, 26-year-old Jehad Naghniyeh and 30 year old Mohammed Matahen. In June 2023 15-year-old Sadeel Naghnaghia and 17-year-old Mahmoud Al-Sadi theatre youth participant , were also murdered.
Earlier in July The Freedom Theatre was damaged due to bombing, during a three-day invasion and Technician Adnan Torokman was detained for four days by the Israeli army.
For decades, Palestinian artists have been arbitrarily detained by Israel, sometimes for years.
The Freedom Theatres Chair Of The Board is also detained in administrative detention since September 2022 as is Muhammad Abu Sakha from the Palestinian Circus School who has been detained since 9/6\2023.
In the last few weeks in Gaza, an unprecedented number of writers, poets, theatremakers and journalists have been killed, including DR. Refaat Alareer, who was deliberately targeted and murdered. Isreal continue to target and destroy buildings of cultural heritage, a war crime under international law.
We thank everyone in Palestine and worldwide who has worked tirelessly to demand Tobasi’s release. Our friends and allies continue to prove that collective action works.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
SHARE
- Share on social media what is happening
- Ask theatres, cultural organsations to spread the word
- Contact journalists
JOIN BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT & SANCTIONS
CULTURAL BOYCOTT: https://www.therevolutionspromise.com/bds-cultural-boycott
FRENCH FRIENDS:
UK FRIENDS: https://forms.gle/7S3mgPe79wr8X5bZ8
SCOTTISH FRIENDS: https://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2023/12/15/open-letter-in-solidarity-with-freedom-theatre-jenin/
LEARN / READ / WATCH
Resources on Palestinian History, Culture, and Israeli Occupation:
A History Of Palestine Told Through Film https://www.therevolutionspromise.com/films-on-palestines-history
Cultural Resistance In Palestine https://www.therevolutionspromise.com/cultural-resistance
Timelines & Maps of Palestine https://www.therevolutionspromise.com/timeline-maps
Palestinian Prison Systems https://www.therevolutionspromise.com/prison-systems
QUOTE FROM RASHA SHETA THE WIFE OF MUSTAFA SHETA
“He was arrested 13/12/2023 from our house in the city of Jenin where he was handcuffed and taken in front of our children with no mercy or any consideration to our feelings. My children spent their night crying. We felt so scared without him being around with us. We feel very sad for him being away, especially since we don’t know why he was arrested. We call for everyone who can help us to stand with my husband and release him from this occupation”
DETAILS ON THE DETAINMENT OF AHMED TOBASI
The night of the 12th December 2023 Tobasi heard soldiers knocking on the neighbours’ door. He got dressed, putting on a winter jacket, getting himself ready because he was worried they would come to his house.
The next morning just after 9am the Israelis began attacking and ransacking The Freedom Theatre. They shot from inside the theatre, destroying the offices and knocking down a wall. Tobasi’s home is opposite The Freedom Theatre.
At around 11:30am, still fully dressed, and continuing to hear disruption, he went out and said, “Why are you making all this noise? You are terrifying the children.”
The Israeli Army took Tobasi and beat him on his legs. They made him take off his jacket putting him on the ground in the street in the cold and the rain.
Telling Tobasi he must stay there, the army then went into his home and broke everything. They smashed his computer screen, his iPad, destroying anything they could, even taking the plants and throwing them on the ground.
After breaking everything in the house, the Israeli army took a towel from the home and blindfolded Tobasi. They then went and got Mohammed, Tobasi’s brother.
They handcuffed both of them and took them away. They were not wearing enough clothes for the cold and winter weather.
DETAILS ON THE DETAINMENT OF MUSTAFA SHETA
Mustafa Sheta, Producer of The Freedom Theatre, has been forcefully taken by the Israeli Army from his home on the morning of 13th December 2023.
The Israeli Army special forces broke into several houses in the neighbourhood where Mustafa lives with his family and brothers. The special occupation forces asked the neighbours for directions to Mustafa’s house.
After finding his home, the army forced everyone to sit in the living room. When they finally identified Mustafa Sheta, the commander in charge, asked: “Did you do something?”
To which Mustafa responded: “I did not do anything.”
Mustafa was blindfolded, his hands tied and he was taken away without further information.
DETAILS ON THE DETAINMENT OF JAMAL ABU JOAS
Jamal Abu Joas has been taken by the Israeli Army.
Jamal has recently graduated from The Freedom Theatre Performing Arts School where he is currently an acting trainer and also a freelance photographer.
The army invaded his house early this evening, searching and taking everything, including Jamal’s phone and camera. The soldiers have severely beaten him.
16.12.23
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also see –
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