Author: Yara

Gaza Under Attack: International eyewitnesses call for action

November 14th, 2012, By International Solidarity Movement, Gaza Strip

Beginning at 3:35 pm today, the Gaza Strip has been shaken by several Israeli army attacks from drones, apaches, F-16s, and naval vessels. One of the first people killed was Ahmed al-Jabari, chief of staff of Hamas’ military wing. Palestinian factions vowed revenge, and their armed wings have fired dozens of rockets towards Israel. Since the first attack this afternoon, Israeli forces have carried out more than 50 airstrikes across the Gaza Strip resulting in at least eight fatalities, including two young children and a woman pregnant with twins. The Ministry of Health also reports that more than 90 people have been injured.

Fears are growing that Israel may launch a large-scale ground offensive, a fear fuelled by the dropping of Israeli leaflets in North Gaza warning of an imminent overland invasion in the area, as well as the ongoing attacks.

Israel launched its ‘Operation Pillar of Defence’ this afternoon with the targeted killing of al-Jabari in an airstrike on a car in the Thalatin area in the east of Gaza City. Al-Jabari’s aide, Mohammad Al-Hams, who was also travelling in the car, suffered injuries and later died in hospital. Following this attack, a series of airstrikes was launched, targeting civilian areas throughout the Gaza Strip.

In the early evening, Israeli warships encroached into the Gaza sea and took position close to the shore, firing towards land. At approximately 8:00 pm, Israeli naval forces fired between 12 and 15 shells northwest of Beach Camp in Gaza City.

Many expect that the offensive will continue for several days, since the Israeli Prime Minister has declared that he is prepared to expand the operation. In a news conference earlier today, Israeli Defence Minister, Ehud Barak, said, “[t]he provocations we have suffered and the firing of rockets to the southern settlements within Israel have forced us to take this action. I want to make clear that Israeli citizens will not suffer such actions. The targets are to hit the rockets and to harm the organisation of Hamas.” However, the majority of the victims of these attacks have been civilians. People in Gaza have stocked up on food and fuel and taken shelter in their homes, and the staffs of most international organisations have been placed under curfew.

Hospitals throughout the Strip have been inundated with victims of the attacks. Speaking in a press conference outside al-Shifa hospital, Dr. Mafed el-Makha el-Makhalalaty, the Minister for Health, explained that hospitals are suffering shortages due to the ongoing closure of the Gaza Strip and the increased attacks over the last week, in which several children were killed. Today’s attacks have left hospitals depleted of medicines and medical supply.

We call on people of conscience around the world to stand up against this unlawful aggression against Palestinian civilians.

The international community must take urgent action to put a stop to these violent attacks.

First published on Mondoweiss.net

Settler harassment at Khan al-Luban [Update: Video added]

By Stephen Alexander

11 November 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

On Friday, the house at Khan al-Luban, south of Nablus was trespassed by settlers from the illegal settlement of Ma’ale Levona. The settlers attempted to destroy the water supply at the house.

Settlers film and take photos at Khan al-Luban Friday
Settlers from the Ma’ale Levona take photos and video at Khan al-Luban

Earlier in the morning, house-owner Khalid al-Hamed, his two sons and two international activists spent some hours lifting rocks out of a pit outside the house where the major water pipes are. Settlers have previously thrown those rocks down into the pit attempting to break the pipes.

At around 12:15 one settler arrived and filmed this activity from the road.

Later, at around 14:15, the same settler returned with three others. The men filmed and photographed the house. They also made threatening moves towards the international activists.

One of the settlers, who was armed with an automatic pistol, then located the only other functioning water supply to the house and grounds and tried to destroy it by pulling the pipes from the wall. He also attempted to break the tap. The water supply for the house is an outside tap that sits around 50 meters up the hill from the house. Settlers have previously attacked and damaged the water supply and the other buildings on the property.

The settlers left the immediate area as the homeowner arrived on the scene.

Minutes later, two Israeli military vehicles arrived containing five soldiers. They continued to harass Khaled who was visibly distressed about this latest intrusion to his home and the damage caused. This harassment lasted another 45 minutes until the soldiers finally left, having taken no action.

For more background information on the situation at Khan al-Luban see here.

Stephen Alexander is a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement.

Settlers destroy olive trees in Hebron

November 7th 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank
Several olive trees and one apricot tree were destroyed on the morning of November 5th in a section of Khalil (Hebron) called Jales Mount, which is near the illegal settlement of Kiryat Arba.
Rashed Zaroo showed the damage to internationals that afternoon. He explained that the land is owned by his father and uncle Fayez, before that his grandfather acquired the land in the early twentieth century. The trees were planted forty years prior and were some of the strongest in a large grove that produced olives and fruit. Five months ago Shakel Zaroo was attacked and gassed by settlers that he caught damaging his property. In addition five hundred square meters of the Zaroo family land was confiscated to build the Route 60 settlers highway.
The neighboring families’ land has seen even more devastation, the Abu Rmela and Abo Sunina families had approximately 400 olive trees burned by settlers last year. The land was so unsightly that the Israeli government brought heavy equipment to remove the debris and then redistribute the uneven ground caused by the massive uprooting.
These practices come under the protection of the Israeli army. The illegal settlers who live in Hebron are of the most dangerous fanatics in all of the West Bank.
There is a spiritual link between these trees and the Palestinians and  the right to live with dignity on their land has been violated by the occupying forces. The trees are rooted in this land both physically and culturally.
by Team Khalil

Settlers set ground on fire in Salman Valley, Burin [Update: Video added]

By Stephen Alexander November 6th 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

Today at around sundown, settlers from the illegal Israeli settlement of Yitzhar set fire to the ground in the Salman valley in Burin. The fire was in the same location where two ISMers and two members of the Michigan Peace Team (MPT) had been picking olives only hours before in the Najjar family groves.

The fire service attended and with the help of around 10-15 villagers the fire was finally put out after about 90 minutes. The inability of the fire truck to reach that part of the slope meant that the fire needed to be put out by beating it down with shovels. While it burned it devastated both upper slopes of the valley and destroyed some olive trees in the valley as well as at least one tree on the upper slope belonging to the Najjar family. 

This small village of approximately 3,000 people deal with a constant threat of settler attacks and Israeli army harassment.  Two illegal settlements and one illegal outpost surround Burin: Yitzhar, Bracha, and Givt Arousa.  The residents of these illegal colonies make it clear that they will do whatever it takes to force the Palestinians out of their homes. Their criminal acts range from burning olive trees, to shooting home made rockets at the village. In 2011, approximately 4000 trees were destroyed, burned and uprooted, by the settlers’ violence.
Stephen Alexander is a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement (name has been changed)

House Demolished in Deirit, South Hebron Hills

November 6th 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

On the morning of November 6th, 2012, a house in the village of Deirit in the South Hebron Hills was demolished by the Israeli Army amidst most of the town watching and a significant amount of media coverage. The military started moving towards the location at approximately 6 am with two excavator cranes and one bulldozer. This heavy equipment was accompanied by multiple army vehicles and border police personnel who woke up the family and forced them from their residence.
The Israeli military gave no forewarning written, verbally or otherwise as to their homes destruction. The building of the house began three years ago and was on land that was perfectly acceptable and legal to build on. At that time the Israeli military said the digging of the foundations would be problematic but had not discussed anything further with a family that merely wanted to make a place to exist on using property they own.
The building was a solid concrete structure with steal reinforcement and was obviously well built and maintained.

Mohammad Moussa Abuarram was the home owner, he and his family of eight are now being sheltered at one of his brothers houses.

by Team Khalil

Villagers from Deirit sit on the debris after the demolition.