International Solidarity Movement Nonviolence. Justice. Freedom.
25th February, 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | al-Khalil, occupied Palestine
Our thunderclap campaign, calling on the international community to pressure the Israeli military to put an end to the closed military zone in al-Khalil (Hebron) will come to an end on the 1st of March, 2016. Join us for a day of action!
In 1994, the shops on formerly vibrant Shuhada street (martyrs’ street) were forced to close by the Israeli military, and soon Palestinians were not allowed in the area anymore. Within a few years the street became a ‘ghost street,’ with shops and houses boarded up and no Palestinians permitted to walk on most of what was once a main thoroughfare for the city. This arbitrary closure occurred after the Ibrahimi mosque massacre and was said to be a short-term measure. Short-term became long-term; the street has now been closed to Palestinians for 22 years.
4 months ago, the Israeli military restricted movements of Palestinian residents of al-Khalil even more by declaring the last part of Shuhada street, as well as much of the adjacent neighborhood of Tel Rumeida, a closed military zone. Palestinians had to register with the Israeli military in order to access their homes in these zones. This measure resulted in the tiny last bit of Shuhada Street that so far is still accessible for Palestinians – at least in theory – being barred for most Palestinians now – clearly yet another step in the Israeli attempts to force out Palestinians of the Old City in al-Khalil to connect the illegal settlements. This supposed ‘short-term’ measure keeps being renewed by military orders, making life for Palestinians in the area harder than ever.
Let’s not let the Israeli military once again take over more of the city of al-Khalil. It’s time show support to Palestinians struggling every day, living in an apartheid city. It’s time to show the world, once again, what is happening in al-Khalil.
What you can do to act:
- On the 1st of March, our Thunderclap campaign will come to an end, and our message to #EndHebronMilitaryZone will be published on each one of our supporters’ twitter or facebook accounts. The goal is to reach as many people as we can around the world. Support our thunderclap campaign today, join the social media thunder and raise awareness.
- Tweet on the 1st of march with the hashtag #EndHebronMilitaryZone, using sample tweets, photos and videos here provided.
- Join our Facebook event page for updates and more information.
- If you are in Hebron, attend the events for #OpenShuhadaSt, or share the call in the media.
- Call on organizations you work with or are affiliated with to add their names to the Action Alert, and to issue brief statements detailing why the organization is supporting this campaign and why you find it important. Please send all requests to sign and statements to palreports@gmail.com for publication. Please also contact us for versions of the Action Alert in languages other than English and Arabic – we currently have translations available in German, French, and Dutch, and will update this page as more become available.
- Organize an event, such as a demonstration, presentation or other campaign to raise awareness on the situation in Hebron and mobilize support in your area
- Contact media outlets in your country and call on them to report on the situation of the closed military zone, in Hebron and Palestine in general
- Write a message to your elected representatives (MEPs, members of congress or whichever position is the equivalent in your country) using the sample text included in this article, and encourage your friends and contacts to the same
- If you are based in Europe, call on your EU representatives to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement until Israel complies with international law
- Organize a delegation to visit Hebron, see the situation for yourselves and talk to Palestinians about the restrictions imposed by the Israeli occupation. Seeing the conditions in Hebron with your own eyes offers an understanding of the occupation that one cannot get from reading about it. If you want to organize a delegation you can contact the ISM in Hebron at palreportskhalil2012@gmail.com and we will help you and answer any questions you might have.
