21st August 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Nablus, Occupied Palestine
Update 26th August:On Thursday, August 22, Leena Jawabreh was sentenced to 30 days (one month) in Israeli prisons, and a 1000 NIS fine. On Sunday, August 25, Linan Abu Ghoulmeh was sentenced to 60 days (two months) in Israeli prisons and a 1000 NIS fine. Myassar Atyani’s case has been held over until Wednesday, August 28.
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At 10pm on August 15th Myassar Atyani, Linan Abu Gholmeh and Leena Jawabreh of Nablus district were arrested by the Israeli police with their friend Waroud Qasem in the 1948 occupied areas of Palestine (‘48), what is now referred to as Israel. The three friends who are all political activists and former political prisoners had travelled to ‘48 to visit Waroud who lives in Tire and has Israeli citizenship.
Leena Jawabreh, Linan Abu Ghoulmeh, Woroud Qasem and Myassar Atyani
They were traveling together in Waroud’s car when they were stopped by the Israeli police and found to be without travel permits; Palestinians living in the West Bank require permits issued by the Israeli authorities to travel outside of the West Bank, including to the Palestinian capital Jerusalem and the rest of ’48. These permits are notoriously difficult to obtain, especially for activists. The four women were subsequently arrested and transported to Hasharon prison. Myassar, Linan and Leena were detained at the prison until their appearance at Salem military court on the 19th of August.
Waroud, also a former political prisoner from 2006 to 2012 was released from Hasharon prsison and placed under full house arrest with her driving license confiscated. She has another court hearing pending. The other three women are now being held in Salem prison awaiting a further court hearing. Leena on the 22nd of August and Myassar and Linan on the 25th of August.
26th August 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah Team | Qalandiya Refugee Camp, Occupied Palestine
At around 2am on 26th August 2013, eleven military jeeps invaded Qalandiya refugee camp during an operation to arrest a recently released prisoner. Residents of the camp tried to stop the army from arresting the man by throwing stones at military jeeps. Confrontations then erupted, with the Israeli soldiers shooting tear-gas canisters, rubber-coated steel bullets and live ammunition at the youth defending the refugee camp. Nineteen people were injured from live ammunition and rubber-coated steel bullets and two were killed on the spot, with a third dying shortly afterwards. Around six of these are still reportedly in a critical condition. Demonstrations mourning the martyrs and out of anger at their deaths spread across the West Bank, with particularly fierce clashes at Qalandiya checkpoint and in the city of Hebron.
Poster showing the three martyrs, along with women on a roof overlooking the funeral march today (photo by ISM)
During the early morning raid, 32-year-old Robin Ziad, a UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) worker, was on his way to work when he was shot in the chest with live ammunition. Younes Jahjouh, aged 22, was shot in the chest; while 20-year-old Jihad Aslan was shot in the neck – also with live ammunition. Robin and Younes died immediately from their wounds, whereas Jihad was transferred to Ramallah hospital, where he was declared clinically dead later in the morning. Israeli forces continued their raid, arresting the man they were looking for and leaving the refugee camp at around 7.30am.
Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral of the three martyrs at Qalandiya refugee camp, as friends and family members carried their bodies through the camp to the cemetery where they were buried. Gunshots and chants protesting their killing were heard throughout the ceremony as mourners filled the streets surrounding the cemetery.
After the funeral, dozens of youths marched along the main road to Qalandiya checkpoint and made barricades of burning tyres to prevent the Israeli military from approaching. Israeli forces arrived from across the checkpoint and shot several rounds of tear-gas canisters and sound bombs, while Palestinian youth defended the area by throwing stones at the Apartheid Wall, the checkpoint and the heavily armed and armoured soldiers.
Demonstrators burned tyres at Qalandiya checkpoint (photo by ISM)
As confrontations continued, Israeli forces shot many rounds of rubber-coated steel bullets at protesters, injuring at least ten. Medical personnel present at the scene also treated an old man who had suffered from the effects of excessive teargas inhalation.
Across the West Bank, there was a general strike as shops and businesses shut down for the day in solidarity with the martyrs and in protest against the occupation that caused it. Also, as news spread of the three martyrs, solidarity demonstrations sparked in many other cities and refugee camps.
Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Hebron in response to the killings. Demonstrators armed with stones were met with teargas canisters, rubber coated steel bullets and sound bombs from the Israeli army.
The clashes continued for around eight hours and shut down the main shopping streets of Hebron, where barricades were constructed from burning tyres and empty water tanks. Israeli soldiers invaded the Palestinian Authority controlled H1 area, taking up positions on the roofs of residential buildings. The Israeli forces arrested at least four Palestinians, including Amjad Ibrahim Al-Natcha, 19, and three children.
Soldiers invade H1 and shoot rubber bullets at demonstrators (photo by ISM)
Confrontations between Israeli forces and Palestinian youth protesting the killings also happened at Al Fawwar refugee camp near Hebron, Aida refugee camp near Bethlehem and Al Ram, amongst others.
Tomorrow, 27th August, has been declared the “Day of Anger” and more protests throughout the West Bank in response to the Qalandiya killings and the continued occupation are expected.
24th August 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Gal·la | Gaza, Occupied Palestine
Khalil S. Shaheen, Head of the Economic Unit at the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, talks about the Gaza economy under the siege, how the occupation and the siege affect directly the economy, and therefore the development of the oppressed Palestinian people, denying them the right to develop and have normal lives as human beings.
23rd August 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Kafr Qaddum, Occupied Palestine
Today, Friday 23rd August, Israeli occupation forces invaded the village of Kafr Qaddum before their regular demonstration began. Shooting gas and sound grenades at residents, the army stormed the village from several different directions, attempting to make arrests – two protesters were injured with teargas canisters, which were shot directly at protesters. Soldiers shot teargas directly into the village mosque, whilst around three hundred people were inside praying, causing people to flee from the building.
Soldiers inading the village before the demonstration begins (picture by Svenson Berger)
At around midday, over twenty soldiers ran directly down the main road of Kafr Qaddum, shooting gas and sound grenades towards a group of people in the village, some of whom were preparing to go to the mosque. Shortly afterwards they retreated, but continued to attack the village from several directions for the next hour, before the demonstration had started. Two people were injured by teargas canisters which were shot directly into a crowd of people who were running away from the soldiers charging down the road; one was hit in the back and one in his arm. The latter immediately required stitches by Red Crescent medics and later had to go to the hospital for further treatment and to ensure that there was no damage to the bone.
Protester treated by medic after being hit by teargas canister (photo by ISM)
The Israeli military guidelines for shooting teargas canisters state that they should be fired at an arc into the air, but as usual the soldiers disregarded this rule, shooting directly at people. This is a dangerous practice which has killed protesters in the past – today several villagers reported that they had seen and felt the heavy metal canisters flying straight past their heads. “I feel I was nearly killed today,” said one demonstrator who experienced the near-miss.
Israeli military shooting teargas canisters (Photo by Svenson Berger)
At 1 o’clock, following a sustained attack of multiple teargas canisters shot from the hill overlooking the village, several canisters were fired directly into the village mosque. Around three hundred men were inside, ranging from the elderly to very young children – most came fleeing outside as the gas filled the building, choking and blinded from the severe effects of gas inhalation.
People fleeing the mosque after teargas was shot inside (photo by Sevnson Berger)
Angered by the attack on the mosque, residents of Kafr Qaddum then began their weekly demonstration, gathering on the main street which used to lead to Nablus and now is blocked by the settlement of Qedumim. Fires, set by burning tyres, were lit on the road and smoke billowed towards the illegal settlement – a reminder from the villagers of Qaddum that they are still present and that they are the legitimate owners of the land, as well as a deterrent for the army invading the village.
Protesters burning tyres, the smoke of which blew towards the illegal settlement of Qedumim (photo by Svenson Berger)
Soldiers continued to invade the village, shooting excessive teargas into residential areas, between homes and into gardens – causing many more to suffer from the effects of teargas inhalation. Finally, the villagers advanced all the way down the blocked road towards the settlement as soldiers retreated out of the village – following one final volley of teargas, the soldiers left and the people of Kafr Qaddum went to their homes, chanting and clapping; celebrating their continued existence and resistance.
Teargas filling the streets of Kafr Qaddum village (photo by Sevenson Berger)
The village of Kafr Qaddum has been holding weekly Friday demonstrations for over two years. In the last weeks, three youths were arrested in night raids on the village, including one seventeen year old – because of this, several impromptu demonstrations were held on days other than Friday in the last week. The demonstrations in Kafr Qaddum are held in protest at the continued occupation of Palestine, along with the injustices and human rights abuses that come along with it. The village has suffered personally from the occupation, with their land stolen for the illegal Israeli settlement of Qedumim and their main access to Nablus being blocked, adding 14 kilometres to the journey and causing two deaths when ambulances were not able to reach the village in time.
Protester on blocked road leading to Nablus (photo by Svenson Berger)
Follow live tweets every Friday from the International Solidarity Movement at Kafr Qaddum and other demonstrations across the West Bank, by following us on twitter @ISMPalestine or looking up the hashtag #PalResists
22nd August 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah Team | Beit Hanina, Occupied Palestine
On the morning of the19th August, two hundred soldiers in thirty-eight jeeps and with two military dogs dismantled several tents housing the Tal ‘Adasa Bedouin community in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Hanina.
Destroyed homes and furniture in front of the Apartheid Wall (photo by ISM)
At around 6am, Israeli soldiers surrounded the Bedouins tents, pointing guns at the fifty-three residents, which includes twenty-eight children. The family members were separated into three groups, always under the threat of guns, and were not allow to move for three hours. Children were not permitted to go to the bathroom nor to have anything to drink or eat.
At 9am, two armored bulldozers invaded the camp, destroying all the tents, animal facilities and furniture. The two military-trained dogs attacked the sheep and goats of the Bedouin, causing them to scatter all around. The Bedouins, worried about losing their flocks, ignored the soldiers orders and ran after them, managing to bring them back.
Three hours later, the soldiers left the area but before fining the community with 70,000 NIS for use of the bulldozers and – according to Israeli authorities – for illegally occupying the land. One of the eldest men of the community was told by Israeli soldiers that they have to clear the area within the next ten days, otherwise they will be arrested.
Destroyed Bedouin homes (photo by ISM)
The Red Cross and Palestine Red Crescent personnel visited the community after the demolitions and provided the Bedouins with nine tents. However, when international activists visited the community, there were only twenty-eight people left. Most of the children were moved to Jericho where they won’t be able to continue their schooling as they are already registered in the schools located in Beit Hanina area.
Surrounded by mountains of rubble and damaged furniture piled up around the area Abo Hosean Kaabna stated; “We have been living in Beit Hanina for over 60 years, since 1948 after being forcibly displaced from Al Khalil during the Nakba in 1948”. “I have been taking care of that olive tree for 16 years”, continued with deep sorrow on his face and tears in his eyes, pointing out a large tree in front of him.
If the threats of the Israeli authorities are carried out, next Wednesday, the soldiers will go back and arrest the remaining Bedouins, as the community has no intention of leaving the area.
“Please, don’t forget us. This is not finished yet, we will have to face other problems later. Our community will have to look for another place to live but we don’t know where we could go and families will be forced to be separate again”, said Abu Hosean Kaabna.
This Bedouin community received a demolition order last June and since that time they have been expecting the order to be enforced, without knowing the exact date that their homes would be destroyed.
The Tal ‘Adasa Bedouin community has been living in Beit Hanina for over 50 years after being displaced from Hebron and Beer Seba areas during the 1948 Nakba. Despite living within the Jerusalem boundaries, residents of this community only hold West Bank IDs. In 2006, the Annexation Wall was constructed to the east and west of the community, isolating it from the rest of the West Bank. Israeli authorities rarely issue them permits to cross Qalandiya checkpoint and access the West Bank, cutting them off from villages such as Bir Nabala and Ram, where they have family relatives.
For nearly the past twenty years Israeli officials have attemped in several occasions to force them off their land. However, even after the Israeli forces demolished their houses, residents of Tal ‘Asada remain steadfast on the land.
