Vittorio Arrigoni sent daily dispatches to Italian media from the Gaza Strip during Israel's 'Operation Cast Lead.

By Ramzy Baroud

There was once a young man from a very small Italian town called Bulciago who wished to change the world. As soon as he finished his exams, he began his quest. He traveled near and far, and when he arrived in Jerusalem in 2002, he knew he had found his calling.

In 2008, that young man, Vittorio Arrigoni, sailed the high seas on a small boat. His purpose was to help end the siege imposed on a long-suffering population living in the tiny Gaza Strip. In a journal entry that was recently published in a much anticipated book, Freedom Sailors, Arrigoni wrote:

"History is us; History is not cowardly governments; with their loyalty to whoever has the strongest military; History is made by ordinary people."

Vittorio's history sees "ordinary people" as actors who can change the world: courageous sailors who can challenge great military powers, doctors dashing through borders and saving lives, writers, teachers, speakers, musicians and people from all backgrounds.

Vittorio's middle name was Utopia, but his was hardly a utopian undertaking. It was very much real, and Vittorio was himself charting the way for others.

Once in Gaza, he was determined to see his mission through to the very end, despite having many compelling reasons to leave. In September 2008, he was injured by the Israeli navy as he accompanied Palestinian fishermen in Gaza's territorial waters. A month later he was arrested -- or more likely, kidnapped -- by the Israeli military, and subsequently deported.

A month later he returned, just in time to report on the so-called Operation Cast Lead. This was a one-sided war on Gaza between December 2008 and January 2009, following the failure of the siege to achieve Israel's political objectives. The 22-day war killed over 1,400 people and wounded thousands more.

Vittorio was there to witness it all. As many turned the war off and on through their remote controls, Vittorio was accompanying ambulances in middle of the night, comforting the wounded, weeping with the bereaved, calling on the world to help, and surviving the war himself.

He sent daily dispatches to Italian media, blogged on his website and wrote to friends the world over. His book, Restiamo Umani (Stay Human) offers a glimpse into the courageous man's experiences. In his first entry, he wrote as an Italian activist. By the end, he was a Palestinian man besieged in Gaza.

In the eyes of some, he was dangerous. A US-based far-right website called for his murder. It was not Vittorio the person that alarmed Israel, but the notion of what he and others like him symbolized -- a challenge to the predictability of a conflict between a powerful oppressor and a powerless but defiant oppressed.

As far as Israel was concerned, an idealist from a northern Italian town had no business being in Gaza, where people are indefinitely caged in an open air prison. Neither Vittorio nor any other international activist was supposed to disturb the inhumane experiment.

Yet, Vittorio's story had a most unexpected twist. In April 2011, he was kidnapped and murdered. His murderers were Palestinians from Gaza, commanded by a mysterious Jordanian character whose origins and motives remain unclear. It was a horrifying, anti-climactic end to a story that was never intended to turn so wrong.

It took Palestinian society a long time to reconcile with the fact that Vittorio's murderers were in fact Gazans, while others gloated with triumph. Vittorio's very detractors were leading a media war defaming Palestinians, international activists and the supposedly misguided Italian who believed that the ordinary could change history.

Writing in the Jewish Chronicle, historian Geoffrey Alderman stated: "Few events -- not even the execution of Osama bin Laden -- have caused me greater pleasure in recent weeks than news of the death of the Italian so-called 'peace activist' Vittorio Arrigoni." Pleasure at the killing of a peace activist is fully consistent with Israel's ceaseless efforts at "discouraging" international activists from showing solidarity to Palestinians.

Hamas, which has controlled the Gaza Strip since the breakup with rival Fatah in 2007, seemed genuine in its attempt to capture Vittorio's killers. An investigation quickly pointed at Salafi groups, Tawhid and Jihad, Army of Islam and others.

A manhunt followed, leading to the killing of a Jordanian citizen, Abbad al-Rahman al-Brizat, and Palestinian refugee, Balal al-Omari. Others were captured, and in September 2011, a trial began.

The trial of Vittorio’s alleged killers has not exactly been a model of transparency. On Sept. 4, a verdict is scheduled to be handed down to four men accused of involvement in the murder. Al-Brizat, the Jordanian man, was perhaps the most important key in the trial. He is gone now, and allegations that his true aim was to exchange Vittorio for an imprisoned Salafi leader, Hisham al-Saedni remain unverified.

Just 11 days before Vittorio’s murder, another activist, Juliano Mer-Khamis, was murdered in Jenin, in the West Bank. The timing of the killings is puzzling and suggests a larger plot. Hamas and other Palestinian officials suggested hidden Israeli hands in both the vile acts, but the thread is yet to be found and unraveled.

Earlier this month, Hamas freed al-Maqdissi -- the man the supposed Jihadists wanted to free -- citing lack of evidence. A few days later, following the murder of Egyptian soldiers in Sinai, it cracked down on his group. The plot here starts to thicken beyond the ability of any straightforward narrative to explain all the missing links.

On Sept. 4, four men will be awaiting the verdict of a Gaza military court. But much more will be on trial that day, not least the credibility of Gaza's legal system. Many questions will need to be answered to truly understand what is transpiring in the Gaza Strip, and who is behind the hidden agendas.

The killing of Vittorio was intended to not only kill him as a person. It was also meant to destroy the very idea that sailed with him and his friends to Gaza in 2008: that ordinary people are history and that they, and only they, will eventually make the difference in a world ruled by sheer interests and military might.

Yes, justice for Vittorio Utopia Arrigoni is paramount, but we expect the Gaza government to hand down more than a verdict, but answers to those trying to kill Vittorio’s dream -- along with our humanity.

Ramzy Baroud is the editor of Palestine Chronicle.

The ninth session in the trial of four people suspected in the killing of Italian activist Vittorio Arrigoni was held in a military court in Gaza City on Monday.

Arrigoni was found hanged in a house northwest of Gaza City on April 15, 2011. He had been kidnapped by a group that identified itself as Salafist.

The court heard from witnesses presented by the prosecution, including a civil defense officer whose headquarters is opposite Arrigoni's former home, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights said in a statement.

The court was adjourned until Dec. 19 because a second witness was not present, the center said, adding that the judge refused a request for bail for one of the accused.

PCHR lawyers were granted power of attorney by Arrigoni's relatives, and the center said it would update the family on the developments.

Of the four men on trial, two are accused of murder, a third of having helped in the kidnap and killing, and a fourth of providing the house where the body of Arrigoni was found hanging, hours after he was snatched.

In the court's first hearing in September, the military prosecutor submitted four CDs purportedly containing videotaped confessions from each defendant. All four men told the court their confessions had been extracted from them by torture.

Hamas forces killed two men accused of the murder in April when clashes erupted during a raid in Nuseirat refugee camp three days after Arrigoni was killed. A third was injured and a fourth detained.

News of the Italian activist's murder was greeted with widespread condemnation, and demonstrations and vigils were held across the West Bank in his memory.

On Monday 05 December 2011, the Permanent Military Court in Gaza held the ninth session in Gaza City to consider the case relating to the death of the Italian solidarity activist, Vittorio Arrigoni.

 

Lawyers from the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) attended the session in their capacity as legal representatives of the Arrigoni family.

During the session, the Court heard witnesses presented by the Office of the Military Prosecutor. One of the witnesses heard by the Court is a member of the Civil Defense Service, whose headquarter is located opposite Arrigoni’s former house in Gaza City.

 

The Court adjourned the case to 19 December 2011 because of absence of the second witness.

During the session, the legal representative of one of the accused persons requested the release of his client on bail, but the Judge refused this request.

PCHR will continue to follow up the sessions held by the Court to consider Arrigoni’s case and update the Arrigoni family on developments, in coordination with the family’s representative, Attorney Gilberto Pagani, based on a power of attorney granted by the family to PCHR lawyers.

The military trial of the four men charged with the death of Italian International Solidarity Movement Activist Vittorio Arrigoni continued in Gaza City today.

 

The small courtroom was packed with friends and colleagues of Arrigoni, in addition to four or five members of the defendants’ families. All four defendants appeared unshackled behind a caged-off portion of the courtroom and remained standing throughout the trial.

 

The trial began today with the parties checking where they had left off on the September 22 session.

 

The prosecutor, dressed in olive-colored military pants and a khaki shirt, then stated that “each of the accused strangled him [Arrigoni] by plastic handcuffs,” and therefore all four were complicit in Arrigoni’s kidnapping and killing. Previously, only two of the defendants had been charged with murder; the other two were charged with aiding and abetting in Mr. Arrigoni’s kidnapping and killing, and the fourth in providing the house where his body was found hanging.

 

The attorney for Defendant Mohammed Salfiti then requested that the official responsible for making a video and report of the defendants’ confessions on behalf of the government appear in court so that he could be examined by the defense.  The three judges, garbed in military uniform, denied the request after the prosecutor stated that “in the military we are all one unit,” and that the individual who made the report had already confirmed its accuracy.

 

The prosecutor then submitted into evidence a mobile phone and a laptop computer, which he stated were used in the commission of Arrigoni’s murder.

 

Judge Mansour held up the mobile phone and asked Salfiti if the phone was his. Salfiti stated that “I came after they kidnapped him [Arrigoni] and I recorded that video by my mobile.”

 

Defendant Tamar Hasasnah was then called forth from the metal cage and questioned by Judge Mansour about a how a laptop admitted into evidence was used in the commission of the crime.  Hasasnah stated that the laptop was used to edit the video of Arrigoni and publish it on the internet.

After Hasanah’s testimony, the prosecutor added that Defendants “used the laptop to edit the video and publish it on the internet asking to release Hisham al-Saidany,” then described Arrigoni’s physical condition as depicted in the video.  The government arrested al-Saidany, the leader of Tawhid al-Jihad – which denied any role in the murder – in March of this year.

 

Salfiti then testified that the laptop was his, and that it was used to publish the video of Arrigoni on the internet.

 

Approximately twenty minutes into the session, an argument broke out between counsel when the defense interrupted the prosecution and stated that they had not received copies of certain files with respect to the laptop, which the prosecution claimed had already been made available.  The defense attorney then told the judge, “he is trying to call us liars.”

 

The prosecutor than asked the judge if the rest of the trial could be delayed so that he could “get other files” needed for the trial. The exact files were not specified. The Court agreed to adjourn the trial until Thursday, November 3, 2011.

 

An attorney with the Palestinian Committee for Human Rights (PCHR) and five volunteers with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), including one attorney, observed the trial.  Arrigoni, a longtime member of the ISM, was kidnapped on April 14, 2011.  Thousands of people throughout Palestine mourned his death.

The military trial for four people suspected in the killing of Italian activist Vittorio Arrigoni will resume on Oct. 10, officials in Gaza City said this week.

The court held its fifth session on Monday and heard from witnesses brought by the prosecution including a forensics specialist from the Gaza police forces and a pathologist.

Of the four suspects, two are accused of murder, a third of having helped in the kidnap and killing, and a fourth of providing the house where the body of Arrigoni was found hanging, hours after he was snatched.

Arrigoni, a long-time member of the International Solidarity Movement, was kidnapped on April 14.

Shortly after his disappearance, a previously unknown Salafist group released a YouTube video showing a bruised and bloodied Arrigoni and threatened to kill him within 30 hours if Hamas failed to release a group of jihadist prisoners.

Security forces found Arrigoni's body shortly afterward, ahead of the stated deadline, in an abandoned house in northern Gaza.

Among those the group demanded be freed was a leader of the Salafist group Tawhid wal Jihad (Unity and Holy War), which denied involvement in the incident.

Hamas quickly arrested several suspects in the case, and a week later raided a house where three more suspects were reportedly hiding.

Two were killed during the raid, and a third was taken into custody.

Arrigoni's death shocked the local community and international aid workers and activists in Gaza, where he had lived and worked for much of the three years prior to his death.

A Gaza military court on Thursday played the alleged confessions of four men accused in the April kidnap and murder of Italian peace activist Vittorio Arrigoni.

Of the four men, all from Gaza, two are accused of murder, a third of having helped in the kidnap and killing, and a fourth of providing the house where the body of Arrigoni was found hanging, hours after he was snatched.

The defendants appeared in Gaza City courtroom unshackled and in civilian clothes. They appeared calm and responded to questions from the court's three judges.

The prosecution submitted four CDs purportedly containing videotaped confessions from each defendant.

The judges called each of the accused to the bench to observe a portion of their alleged confession being played on a laptop, which was not visible to the court's audience.

"Is this your confession?" one of the judges asked Tamer al-Husasna, 25, who is charged with murder.

"Yes, but it was taken from me by force," he replied, alleging he had been tortured by Hamas' internal security forces.

The three other defendants also claimed that their confessions were extracted from them by torture, though they gave no details of their alleged mistreatment.

A lawyer observing the trial on behalf of a Gaza rights group said on condition of anonymity that the trial had been adjourned to Oct. 3, when the prosecution was expected to present additional witness testimony.

The three other defendants in the case are 23-year-old Mahmud al-Salfiti, who is charged with murder, Khadr Faruk Jerim, 25, who is accused of assisting the kidnap and murder, and Amer Abu Ghola, also 25, who allegedly provided the house in which Arrigoni was held and later killed.

Arrigoni, a long-time member of the pro-Palestinian International Solidarity Movement, was kidnapped on April 14.

Shortly after his disappearance, a previously unknown Salafist group released a YouTube video showing a bruised and bloodied Arrigoni and threatened to kill him within 30 hours if Hamas failed to release a group of jihadist prisoners.

Security forces found Arrigoni's body shortly afterward, ahead of the stated deadline, in an abandoned house in northern Gaza.

Among those the group demanded be freed was a leader of the Salafist group Tawhid wal Jihad (Unity and Holy War), which denied involvement in the incident.

Hamas quickly arrested several suspects in the case, and a week later raided a house where three more suspects were reportedly hiding.

Two were killed during the raid, and a third was taken into custody.

Arrigoni's death shocked the local community and international aid workers and activists in Gaza, where he had lived and worked for much of the three years prior to his death.

A Gaza military court on Thursday played the alleged confessions of four men accused in the April kidnap and murder of Italian peace activist Vittorio Arrigoni.

 

Of the four men, all from Gaza, two are accused of murder, a third of having helped in the kidnap and killing, and a fourth of providing the house where the body of Arrigoni was found hanging, hours after he was snatched.

 

The defendants appeared in Gaza City courtroom unshackled and in civilian clothes, all four sporting beards. They appeared calm and responded to questions from the court’s three judges.

 

The prosecution submitted four CDs purportedly containing videotaped confessions from each defendant.

 

The judges called each of the accused to the bench to observe a portion of their alleged confession being played on a laptop, which was not visible to the court’s audience.

 

“Is this your confession?” one of the judges asked Tamer al-Husasna, 25, who is charged with murder.

 

“Yes, but it was taken from me by force,” he replied, alleging he had been tortured by Hamas’s internal security forces.

The three other defendants also claimed that their confessions were extracted from them by torture, though they gave no details of their alleged mistreatment.

 

A lawyer observing the trial on behalf of a Gaza rights group told AFP on condition of anonymity that the trial had been adjourned to October 3, when the prosecution was expected to present additional witness testimony.

 

The three other defendants in the case are 23-year-old Mahmud al-Salfiti, who is charged with murder, Khadr Faruk Jerim, 25, who is accused of assisting the kidnap and murder, and Amer Abu Ghola, also 25, who allegedly provided the house in which Arrigoni was held and later killed.

 

Arrigoni, a long-time member of the pro-Palestinian International Solidarity Movement, was kidnapped on April 14.

Shortly after his disappearance, a previously-unknown Salafist group released a YouTube video showing a bruised and bloodied Arrigoni and threatened to kill him within 30 hours if Hamas failed to release a group of jihadist prisoners.

Hamas security forces found Arrigoni’s body shortly afterward, ahead of the stated deadline, in an abandoned house in northern Gaza.

 

Among those the group demanded be freed was a leader of the Salafist group Tawhid wal Jihad (Unity and Holy War), which denied involvement in the incident.

 

Hamas quickly arrested several suspects in the case, and a week later raided a house where three more suspects were reportedly hiding.

 

Two were killed during the raid, and a third was taken into custody.

 

Arrigoni’s death shocked the local community and international aid workers and activists in Gaza, where he had lived and worked for much of the three years prior to his death.

Last April humanitarians around the world heard the worst news, that an activist larger than life itself, Vittorio Arrigoni, the founder of the International Solidarity Movement in Gaza (ISM) had been murdered.

His death came after the loss of another great voice. Juliano Mehr Khamis, a Jewish/Christian Palestinian who operated the West bank Freedom Theater, famous from the movie 'Arna's Children' - was murdered, also supposedly by 'Palestinians'.

 

The problem is that in each case, there never was a reason their losses would benefit anyone in the world except for aspirations of the Israeli government.

The Arrigoni family attorney, accompanied by a small delegation of Italian citizens, is traveling to Gaza City for the second audience of the process that will shed light on the role of the alleged assassins, accused of killing the man known to tens of thousands as “the voice of Gaza”.

The trial for the murderers of Vittorio Arrigoni began on 8 September in Gaza. Italian media naturally ignored the news with the exception of Il Manifesto newspaper.

Supporters of Vittorio's cause issued this statement:

"We think it is important to be close to Vik’s family in these moments, but also be witnesses in front of the Palestinians of Gaza that his companions do not forget him, for his history is an integral part of our plight alongside the Palestinian people.

"Therefore we will be sending a delegation from the Freedom Flotilla Italia to the hearings which will commence on 22 September in the Military Tribunal of Gaza.

"In order to achieve what we are proposing, we need the same help, support and participation that has accompanied us through this very long year.

"We are once again appealing to everyone to donate by clicking on the 'Donate' icon on the left hand side of the website (Freedom Flotilla website http://www.freedomflotilla.it/) and participate in building information sharing.

"We are on our way again."

The trial of four surviving defendants in the April 14 kidnapping and murder of Italian journalist and International Solidarity Movement activist Vittorio Arrigoni began today in a Gaza military court.

The hearing, which began at 10:30 am, was open to the public. Two International Solidarity Movement members, along with a number of Vittorio’s Palestinian and international friends, observed it.

It was held in a light, airy hall in Gaza’s military court compound. The four defendants, Abu Ghoul, age 25, Khader Jram, age 26, Mohammed Salfi, age 23, and Hasanah Tarek, age 25, appeared to be in good health, occasionally smiling or waving to family in the courtroom.

Proceedings began with a request by attorneys from the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), which holds power of attorney for Vittorio’s family in Bulciago, Italy, that they be allowed to participate in the trial.

Military judge Abu Omar Atallah responded that while Palestinian military law does not allow for participation in criminal trials by third parties, the case and its files would be open to PCHR as well as the public.

After the PCHR attorneys moved their chairs from the front of the courtroom back into the public seating, prosecutors attempted to introduce the video contents of a compact disk, as well as a forensic report on the crime scene, as evidence.

The defense counsel responded that the prosecution had not yet made these materials available to them, and that they would need time to review them before deciding on their legal strategy.

Prosecutors also asked that testimony from their witnesses be postponed to allow them further time to prepare. The defense counsel objected, noting that testimony had been scheduled to begin today.

Taking these positions into account, Atallah opted to allow time for the preparation of witnesses by the prosecution, and the review of evidence by the defense. Before adjourning the court at 11:30 am, he scheduled its next hearing for Thursday, September 22.