International Solidarity Movement

On the night between July 9th and 10th, Nablus was again was invaded by the Israeli army. This time health clinics, two women’s centers, the local TV-station Afaq, the shopping mall for the second time and a mosque was attacked and school buses were stolen. In all locations computers, files and other important equipment was confiscated.

Afaq, a local TV-station of social issues, financed by commercials, has been invaded by the Israeli army two times before, but last night was arguably the worst. Between 12.30am and 5am in the morning of July 10, 2008 … Continue reading

On the night of July 7th, 2008, the Israeli army, numbering between 120 and 150 jeeps, entered the city of Nablus. They entered a suburban shopping mall, several charity organizations, a girl’s elementary school and adjoining medical clinic, the last of which they did not have an army order to enter.

According to the Israeli army, the owner of the mall building is a member of the political party Hamas. Their pretext for taking control of the mall is therefore his alleged ties to deemed terrorist organizations. The army intends to … Continue reading

Between the 23rd and 30th June, the farmers of the village Awarta, close to Nablus, challenged the threats of violence from settlers by constructing a well on their land close to the illegal settlement of Itamar. International human rights workers (HRW’s) participated in solidarity for the villagers right to reach their land.

The work during the week was successful, though not without provocations from settlers. The army was present the first day but did not stop the work. The night of the 30th of June the workers had their tools stolen and concrete bags … Continue reading

Two more home-made rockets were launched from the illegal Israeli settlement of Bracha at the Palestinian village of Burin, near Nablus, on Tuesday 1st July.

At 1pm, Jamal Najar, a resident of Burin, was sitting on his veranda when he saw a projectile launched from near the illegal settlement’s mobile phone tower. “It looked like a rocket,” he said. The projectile landed on his land, amongst his olive trees, just 150m from his house, 75m from his neighbour’s house. After two minutes a second one followed, coming from the same direction. … Continue reading

Demonstrators from Sarra village danced dubka on a roadblock in defiance of tear gas and sound bombs fired by the Israeli army as part of the Summer Against Apartheid.

Approximately two hundred villagers, supported by international activists, marched to the road block which restricts their freedom of movement. ‘This is Apartheid’ read the banner held by protesters who stood in front of Israeli soldiers, while others began to clear the earth mound road block with shovels.

The soldiers, who had been waiting for the demonstration to arrive, … Continue reading

A Palestinian farming family in Iraq Burin, a village outside Nablus, had just made it halfway through this year’s wheat harvest when Israeli settlers burned it all down. The family is very upset by this action, since they now might not be able to feed their family and animals. The family discovered the ruined crop in the morning on June 24th.

During the last ten years the settlers, living three kilometers away from the village, have an increasing amount of land from Iraq Burin. Setting fire to the land is one way that the … Continue reading

The village of Asira al Qibliya has during the last month suffered from several attacks by Israeli settlers. The settlers usually show up each Friday and Saturday, aiming for the houses in the outskirts of Asira. During the last week at least three houses were attacked. Large parts of Salman Mountain, where the villager have their farming land and grow things such as wheat and lentils, was also set on fire by the soldiers. About 5 to 100 settlers are participating in each attack

During the attacks the settlers have thrown stones though windows, … Continue reading

On 21st June the villages of Sarra and Qussin, near Nablus, organised simultaneous demonstrations against the apartheid road system that denies them freedom of movement. Organised as part of the Summer Against Apartheid campaign, both villages marched towards the respective roadblocks that enable the existence of the Israeli-only road stretching from the Beit Eba checkpoint to the Jit checkpoint.

Sarra

Qussin

In Sarra approximately 200 residents and internationals attempted to remove the earthmound roadblock, using spades and shovels to dig away at the mass of earth, rocks and … Continue reading