Author: ISM Media - Page 398 - International Solidarity Movement

Settler attacks ISM activists

An ISM activist and her sister were attacked today on Shuhada street, Hebron, by the infamous settler Anat Cohen. The incident is the last in a long line of violent acts committed by Cohen. It was believed to be motivated by the fact the ISM activist was wearing a headscarf, as Palestinian access to Shuhada Street has not been permitted since 1994.

Despite being allowed access by a soldier, the pair’s walk down the street was quickly interrupted by the aggressive advances of the settler. Cohen blocked their path and shouted about Auchwitz, dubbing the pair “Nazis”. She then kicked one of the women in the leg and attempted to slap the other. An EAPPI member was also the victim of some abuse as he came to the scene and filmed events (See attached video). The victims were especially horrified by the position of the police, who after ignoring the initial incident spoke and listened to Cohen, while completely ignoring the Internationals.

The ISM activist and her sister were then requested to go to the Police Station. After 90 minutes of investigation from uninterested police officers, they were told to “be sensitive during the Jewish holiday”, and released, with no re-assurance of future safety on Shuhada Street. Whether or not Cohen was questioned is not known.

Incidents such as this represent the huge amount of humanitarian disregard settlers such as Cohen can get away with. It is also a sad reflection of intimidation being status quo under Israel’s occupation. The ISM activist pointed out how the assault was indicative of “The systematic intimidation and oppression of the Palestinian people

Journalists detained in Hebron, leading to two arrests and threats to restrict Palestinian movement

By Team Khalil

24th March 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Hebron, Occupied Palestine

In the afternoon of the 24^th March, two Palestinian Al Jazeera journalists arrived into Hebron to interview a Palestinian family living near the illegal Israeli settlement in the area of Tel Rumeida. When they arrived, settlers called the Israeli military and police, who arrived and confiscated the journalists’ ID cards, despite having seen their press credentials. The Al Jazeera reporters had their ID cards returned after around an hour, but two Hebron Palestinians who attempted to intervene on their behalf with police were arrested and removed in a police car. Their status is currently unknown and no reason was given for their arrest.

After the journalists were today apprehended, police and settlers arrived into the area with rolls of barbed wire, informing another Palestinian resident that his primary access to the main road would be closed. Hashem Azzeh and his family live underneath the Tel Rumeida settlement, with their access to the main road running directly next to the settlement. This path has been repeatedly closed by the Israeli authorities since 2000, and was only opened most recently in late 2012 after extensive legal battles in the Israeli courts.

The police and settlers claimed today that the path would be closed because unapproved people had been walking along it. According to the Israeli authorities, only Hashem, his family and guests walking with them have permission to use the path. Hashem states that he has no knowledge of strangers using this route to access his house.

Without the path, Hashem and his family have to travel a much longer, rock-strewn and hazardous route to leave their home. Hashem said today, “I think they will close my access now, they will say it is for security reasons.” He thinks that the settlers used the arrival of the journalists and the subsequent confusion as a pretext to close his path and restrict his family’s movement, in further attempts to drive them from their home – they already face regular hassle from Israeli authorities and attacks from the settlers, including on Hashem’s young children.

Police (inside car) question journalists while soldiers stand by – Tel Rumeida settlement is visible in the background

Man shot in the face with teargas canister at Hagai roadblock demonstration

8th of April 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Hebron, Occupied Palestine

By Team Khalil

UPDATE 8th April 2013: ISM activists visited Ameen today at his home in Al Fawwar. He still suffers from intense migraines, struggles to speak, regularly experiences dizziness and a has bloodshot eye. His X-ray shows considerable damage to his jaw, cheekbones, chin and teeth. He relies on heavy medication and is still unable to work. On top of the physical suffering, Ameen is having to pay hefty medical bills to cover the cocktail of painkillers and antibiotics he needs to take on a daily basis.

___________________________________

Demonstrator Ameen Bayed after having been hit in the face with a tear gas canister.

The weekly Friday demonstration at the Hagai roadblock was attacked by the Israeli military less than one minute after participants started walking down the road. A soldier shot a metal teargas canister directly into the demonstration and hit Ameen Bayed in his face, breaking his right cheekbone and damaging his teeth. He required surgery in a hospital in Hebron city. The video below shows the moment at which he was hit (At 0.42).

During the demonstration, soldiers fired large amounts of tear gas directly at demonstrators – against the Israeli army’s own regulations, which state that gas canisters must be fired into the air, not straight forwards. Tear gas canisters can be deadly – Mustafa Tamimi of Nabi Saleh was killed when a soldier shot him in the face with a tear gas canister in 2011.

49 year old Bayed, from Al Fawar camp, was participating in the weekly action calling for freedom of movement and for the opening of the main road connecting Hebron with its southern villages and towns. The closure of this road 12 years ago makes the Palestinian residents of these villages travel an additional 12km to reach their destinations in the city.

As Obama lands : Palestinians erect new Bab al Shams neighbourhood

20th March 2013 | Popular Struggle Coordination Committee , Jerusalem, Occupied Palestine

Palestinians assert their right to protect their lands from colonialism and their opposition to American policy which keeps granting Israeli occupation and repression of Palestinians full support.

Hundreds of the Palestinians arrived this morning, Wednesday March 20th, to Eizariya and erected about 15 tents on lands of the village as new neighborhood of Bab al Shams village, on a hillside opposite to the one on which the original village of Bab al Shams was established two months ago.

Organisers stress that the action today aims “first, to claim our right as Palestinians to return to our lands and villages, second, to claim our sovereignty over our lands without permission from anyone. Third, our actions are aimed at protecting our land from continued confiscation and threat of settlement and colonization. And Fourth to expand popular resistance as one form of resistance, out of many, that our people are engaged in everywhere.

As the action today coincide with President Barack Obama’s visit to the region, activists assert their opposition to the American Administration policy, which has been complicit in Israeli occupation and colonialism. Organizers stress: “An administration that used the veto 43 times out of 79 (between 1979 to 2011) in support of Israel and against Palestinian rights, an administration that grants military aid to Israel of over three billion dollars annually, can’t have any positive contribution to achieve justice and rights of the Palestinian people.”

The village is established on the lands of Eizariya east of occupied Jerusalem in an area the Israeli government calls E1 and where it has committed to building 4000 settlement units. The hillside falls between Ma’ale Adumim settlement and Jerusalem, and is 13 square KM in size. This land belongs to the villages of Al-Issawiyeh, Eizariya, Al-Tor, Anata, and Abu Deis.

Activists consider this area to be the lands of Bab Al-Shams where we have established today a new neighborhood called “Ahfad Younis” (Younis’ Grandchildren-after the name of the main figure in Bab al Shams novel).

Residents of the new neighborhood of Bab Al-Shams invite Palestinians to join the village and participate in maintaining its steadfastness.

Bab Al-Shams is accessible through Eizariya

Media Contact: 05991070069 or 0598914541

Facbook page: https://www.facebook.com/Babalshams2013

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Bab_Alshams

Demonstrators arrive with materials to build new village

Tent facing the Maale Adumim settlement which is the largest in the West Bank

Huge Palestinian flag is erected directly across from Maale Adumim settlement

Demonstrators hold up sign made for Obamas visit

Thirty children arrested in Hebron on their way to school

20th March 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Hebron, Occupied Palestine

By Team Khalil

Schoolchild being dragged by Israeli military

Around 30 young boys aged betweeen 7 and 15 years were arrested between 7 and 8 am this morning, the 20th of March, on their way to the Al-Khalil and the Al-Ibrahimi school in Hebron. Various witnesses reported the soldiers entered the school and arrested all boys that were present at the time. More children were arrested on the street. Soldiers claimed that they were looking for children who had thrown stones.

Inhabitants of the area surrounding the school reported that Israeli soldiers forced their way into a private appartment, moved the family to one room and took pictures of the children passing by on the street. Other soldiers hid in buildings near the school, making traps for the children. The arrested boys were violently dragged behind by the soldiers and beaten and kicked, as shown in video footage from human rights organisation B’Tselem below.

Most of the children were released to the Palestinian Authority around four hours later, but there are reports that some may still be detained by Israeli military, along with protesters who were arrested for walking down Shuhada Street wearing Obama masks, as Obama arrived into Israel today.

This continues a worrying trend of disregard for the rights of children by the Israeli authorities in Hebron.

Video by B’Tselem