Category: Features

Gaza deaths protest comes under heavy live fire from Israeli snipers

15 September 2010 | ISM Gaza

Over 100 rounds of live ammunition were fired at peaceful protesters in a Tuesday demonstration in the Gaza strip. The protest at the Erez border area near Beit Hanoun yesterday included Palestinian activists from the Local Initiative group, local residents and 4 members of the International Solidarity Movement who marched into the site of the recent fatal Israeli incursion. The demonstrators had a view of the area where only a few days earlier, a Grandfather Ibrahim Abu Sayed and his 17 year-old grandson were killed by Israeli tank shelling.

The peaceful demonstration was joined by several young Palestinians, who were also protesting their right to their land, much of which is now lost or out of bounds by the Israeli imposed “buffer-zone.” This buffer-zone is 300 metres wide and stretches along the entire border fence on the frontier with Israel. According to the recent United Nations Report “Between the Fence and a Hard Place” the violence used to restrict Palestinians from accessing their land covers areas up to 1500m from the border fence, meaning that over 35% of Gaza’s most agricultural land is in a high risk area causing severe losses of food production and livelihoods.

On a previous demonstration, the activists had managed to partly remove a barbed wire fence, which had prevented them from entering their own farm land. This was met by an Israeli incursion days later, in which tanks and bulldozers unearthed a huge trench in front of the fence, about one kilometre long, three meters deep and two meters wide.

Having marched to the wire fence, 100 metres from the border wall, the demonstrators chanted and waved flags, planting one Palestinian flag beyond the wire fence. They had brought shovels and begun to refill the trench, when the Israel army suddenly opened fire around them. Under heavy shooting with life ammunition, the participants stood their ground, communicating through a megaphone, some crouching low for cover amidst the gunfire that came within 5 metres.

“We attend these demonstration because of the huge border area that takes Palestinian land”, eighteen year-old Hussam told us. “We don’t want it to be separated from our own land, it’s farmland and people are killed for trying to harvest it. Because of that we came to make them feel secure again.”

The shooting created an atmosphere of terror and fear among the demonstrators, as they had no safe place to hide around in the forcibly neglected area. Nevertheless they managed to hold up their message to the world: “Boycott Israel”. The ongoing attacks against civilians in the buffer zone, destroying livelihoods and wiping out land, have continued for too long despite the awareness of the criminally silent international community.

“We call upon the International community not to stay idle any more, but to take their responsibility to stop the ongoing crimes against humanity, and the violation of International law”, Saber Al Za’anin, the General Coordinator of the Local Initiative stated.

The security situation in the area has been deteriorating. The three innocent civilians were murdered about 700 meters away from the fence while doing their daily check on their land and animals which graze next to the remains of his former home. They were killed instantly, Ibrahim suffered severe shrapnel injuries to his face, chest and stomach and his grandson Hossam had the back of his head blown away.

The Abu Sayed family had been victims of the violent attacks in the “buffer-zone” for decades, culminating in their death. The last decade had been the hardest as their house was destroyed in 2000 by Israeli bulldozers and their rebuilt house destroyed in the 3-week Israeli war on Gaza over the New Year of 2009 that killed a further 1400 Palestinians.

While all the inhabitants of Gaza are victims of Israel’s ‘collective punishment’, a crime against humanity according to article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention (of which Israel is a signatory), these people are the latest to be murdered with complete impunity.

Today’s demonstration, met with the same violence, was a message to the world which shows the unbreakable public resistance. “We will keep supporting the farmers here, who are suffering from ongoing attacks on their land, olive trees, thyme and lives, despite the terrorist power we are facing”, announced Saber Al Za’ain.

“We are going to return back to our farms and hold on to our rights on this land.”

Israel shells Gaza again: 3 farm workers killed including a 91 year old and his grandson

13 September 2010 | ISM Gaza

When 91 year old Ibrahim Abu Sayed left his home near Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza, yesterday morning, in order to check on his land and his animals which graze next to the remains of his former home, he took with him his 17-year-old grandson Hossam and the young boy’s friend and neighbour, 16-year-old Ismail Abu Oda. His son, Hossam’s father, didn’t want to come because it was the final day of Eid ul-Fitr, the Muslim festival that follows the holy month of Ramadan.

Ibrahim Abu Sayed, the 91 year old killed, his face mutilated by shrapnel

Despite his age, Ibrahim Abu Sayed was still mobile enough to regularly check his 3 dunums of land, as he had done for decades. The last decade had been the hardest as his house was destroyed in 2000 by Israeli bulldozers and his rebuilt house destroyed in the 3-week Israeli war on Gaza over the New Year of 2009.

But early Saturday evening would be the last time Ibrahim, Hossam and Ismail would work their land. Seven hundred metres away from their land – north of Sharab Street – at the border with Israel, tanks made an incursion into Gaza. The old man, his grandson and the friend did not stand a chance when the tanks fired shells directly at them.

ISM activists met the family members at the hospital. The wife of Ibrahim was devastated, screaming in horror at the fate that had befallen her family.

“I was there half an hour before it happened”, said Mohammed Abu Oda, another relative. “I saw them by their sheep. I heard the shells from the Israeli tanks, the shells we learned soon afterwards had killed our relatives.”

The dead body of 17 year old Hossam Abu Sayed

They were killed instantly, and were dead on arrival at Beit Hanoun hospital, according to the doctor who examined them. Ibrahim suffered severe shrapnel injuries to his face, chest and stomach and his grandson Hossam had the back of his head blown away. ISM activists verified this immediately as they saw and photographed the mutilated bodies in the morgue. Ismail, Hossam’s friend, had arrived at the hospital 30 minutes after the others but had been buried before ISM arrived at the hospital; according to doctors much of his head was shot away.

The boys had been close friends, studying in the 9th and 10th grade respectively, and had expected to return to school after the end of Eid, the following day. But yesterday they still were on holidays, so they went to help Ibrahim, as they often would. Despite the struggle they endured after their house was destroyed and their land bulldozed, the family, who are Bedouins, had no other job except farming. Although they were obliged to farm their land close to the border, it was still far enough away to be outside the Israeli imposed “buffer zone”

“Israel claims that there’s a 300 meter buffer zone, but they were 700 meters away from the border”, said one of Ismail’s uncles, Majdy Abu Oda.

Majdy Abu Oda, berveaved uncle
Mohammed Abu Oda, another relative

“The people there are farmers who’ve been living there for years. We, the people here, were never dangerous for the Israelis. They have photos of the people who live and work here, the area is full of observation cameras. So they knew them.”

Because of this the family considered themselves to be relatively safe, even though there were tanks at the border. It turned out they were mistaken to feel even slightly secure. While all the inhabitants of Gaza are victims of Israel’s ‘collective punishment’, a crime against humanity according to article 33 of the Geneva Convention (of which Israel is a signatory), they are the latest to be subjected to its worst manifestation and murdered with complete impunity.

If a 91 year old man, his grandson and young boy were killed while tending to their livestock on their own farm, 700 metres from a border, somewhere else in the world, there would likely be outcry. Where is the international outrage? Where is the clamour for justice? If equal standards were applied the media uproar should at least be comparable to the condemnation over the Israeli settlers shot two week ago –  people who were living illegally on stolen land according to international law. Israeli armed forces have continued to wage a war against civilians in Gaza, long after the Israeli air and ground assault in the winter of 2008/2009 ended, yet condemnation of this state terrorism and its innocent civilian victims is rarely heard.

The family clearly posed no threat; they were known as long term residents of the area.  But Israeli soldiers knew they could kill these three men with impunity, having previously almost entirely destroyed their livelihood.

The scene of the incursion

Saber Zaneen, General Coordinator of the Beit Hanoun solidarity group, ‘Local Initiative’, released a statement following the killings, calling for justice.

“Today the occupation committed a new crime which will be added to its black list. Three martyrs now rest in heaven after the shelling and again we call on the international community and civil society to pressure the occupation forces to stop such crimes against Palestinian civilians and to start working on giving some protection to the local people in the Gaza strip,” he said.

They have also announced that tomorrow (Tuesday) morning at 10AM there will be a demonstration against the killings involving a march towards the fence, next to the Erez border. Four International Solidarity Movement activists will be there to accompany the protestors and document the likely violent repression which it may be subjected to – at the last non-violent demonstration in the area, live ammunition was used by Israeli border soldiers.

Israel bombs Gaza on the eve of Eid ul-Fitr – the second attack since peace talks resumed

Palestinians walking along the edge of the bomb crater in Gaza City - Photo: Tilde de Wandel

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

10 September 2010

Gaza City, GAZA STRIP

The Israeli military carried out air strikes on three regions of the Gaza Strip late last night, as inhabitants were preparing to celebrate Eid ul-Fitr, the Muslim holiday marking the end the holy month of Ramadan that starts today. It constitute the second missile attack by Israel on Gaza since negotiations resumed on 2 September 2010.

Just before 11PM (midnight Israeli time) last night (9 Sept. 2010) Israel dropped two missiles on Gaza City, three on Rafah, one on Beit Hanoun and a further missile on Deir Al Balah, a second central Gaza location.

Following the Gaza City bombing, which witnesses on the scene said landed inches from the spot of a previous missile attack near Arafat’s Compound one month ago, only two slight injuries have been reported so far.

However in Rafah, in south Gaza, it is feared that there may be casualties as there are currently reports of missing persons, predominantly among men who work in the tunnels connecting the besieged Gaza Strip to Egypt. The Jerusalem Post reported that Palestinian security forces had announced at least five injured.

As well as the missile dropped from the air on Beit Hanoun, in the north of the Gaza Strip, an Israeli tank also fired six shells. The target was a military training site of the armed wing of Hamas.

There are also unconfirmed reports of missiles in Khan Younis.

At the time of writing, one hour after the attacks, war planes were still hovering over Gaza, and residents said they feared further attacks.

Background

Media contacts:
ISM Gaza, Adie Nistelrooy: 05977 176 96
ISM Media Office, Ramallah: 05461 800 56

A bomb crater in Gaza City - Photo: Tilde de Wandel

West Bank protests against Israel’s many crimes violently dispersed by military: ten arrested

5 September 2010 | ISM Media

Al Ma’sara

At around midday on Friday, thirty demonstrators including around ten international and Israeli activists, met to protest against land-theft by the nearby illegal Israeli settlement of Efrat and against the illegal military occupation.

The marchers carried a banner saying there should be “No Peace Show” until the occupation ends and international law is upheld in Palestine – referring to the negotiations that began in Washington the previous day (September 2nd). Still within the village boundaries, they were met by five Israeli army jeeps. An officer showed the group an order declaring the area a closed military zone and gave them one minute to disperse. A soldier immediately threw a salvo of three sound bombs into the crowd.

The soldiers continued throwing sound bombs while border police pushed the demonstrators several metres backwards, as they shouted out clearly in response that they were peaceful and the army had no reason to use force. After some minutes, the group began to march forwards again, but were met with a further series sound bombs. In total, around 30 sound bombs were used in the demo. Since some activists were undeterred, the soldiers also threw tear gas.

The demonstrators sat in the road and chanted. After some minutes, the jeeps drove off – one soldier giving the Palestinians the middle finger. The protest leader, Mahmoud, declared that the demonstration had been a victory, the dissidents remaining peaceful, and the aggressive soldiers once more being exposed as the thugs they are. The group shouted “Free Palestine!” and walked back into the village.

The agricultural village of Al Ma’sara has been holding weekly nonviolent demonstrations since November 2006, when construction of Israel’s Apartheid Wall began in the area. They are a means to voice opposition to the expansion and construction of the nearby illegal settlement bloc of Gush Etzion – including Efrat – and the annexation of thousands of dunams of stolen Palestinian land.


Ni’lin

Ni’lin’s Friday protest, which began as always, with a prayer under the olive trees, was quickly shut down by the Israeli military this week. Around 30 Palestinians and eight internationals gathered and began marching through the village’s land towards the Apartheid Wall, when the military began throwing teargas at the demonstrators. The demonstrators carried pictures showing images of the crimes committed by Israeli soldiers against Palestinian prisoners. In protest against the wall and settlements which prevent them farming their land – some of which was set on fire by Israeli soldiers 3 weeks ago – the demonstrators from the village set fire to some rubber tyres in front of the Apartheid Wall.

The soldiers came through the gate in wall in pursuit of demonstrators, who retreated towards the village. Two internationals, a man and a woman, were detained, beaten by soldiers and threatened with arrest but were released after half an hour. There were no injuries, although one Australian activist was tackled by soldiers as she attempted to take pictures near the wall. The popular committee also reported that 6 demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and needed medical attention. The demo was finished at 2pm.

The people of Ni’lin village continued their struggle this Friday – despite the advanced stage of Ramadan – and have been doing through weekly protests since May 2008. In attempting to crush and deter peaceful protests against the wallm Israeli soldiers have killed 20 Palestinians since Februrary 2004 including 5 from Ni’lin village, where an American solidarity activist was also critically injured. The illegal settlement of Mod’in Illit is one of the biggest in the area and is in the process of expanding and constantly attempting to annex Palestinian land to this end.


Bil’in
Palestinians in Bil’in marched against the wall and settlements on September 3rd, the fourth Friday of Ramadan, along with dozens of peace activists, Israelis and internationals. The demo was smaller than usual the participants were as spirited as always, raising flags, and holding pictures of prisoners of the popular resistance, as well as placards bearing slogans condemning the occupation, settlements, Apartheid Wall, and the siege on the Gaza Strip. The demonstrators also called for Palestinian national unity, for the release of all political prisoners and for an end to ethnic cleansing in East Jerusalem.

The army set up barbed wire in between the village and the wall, and soldiers positioned themselves several metres behind it. The demonstrators gathered behind the barbed wire, here there was also a sign declaring the area a ‘closed military zone’ and soon removed it in order to continue marching to the wall. This provided an excuse for the army to start shooting gas, and most demonstrators were forced to retreat. Although the soldiers themselves were treated to a little taste of their own medicine, inhaling some gas “blow back” due to the shifting winds, they fired towards protesters relentlessly as well as using rubber-coated steel bullets and sound bombs, until all the protesters began to head back to the village, with soldiers in chase. Dozens suffered tear gas inhalation but no further injuries were inflicted this week (since last week a young Palestinian was hit in the knee with a rubber-coated steel bullet.)

Israel started building the separation wall through the village in 2005, completeng it in 2007 and cutting off 230 hectares of land belonging to the village. Demonstrations have been held every week since February 2005 to protest against the wall and the confiscation of land. In April 2009 Bil’in resident Bassem Abu Rahma was killed, when a high velocity tear gas canister was fired directly at his chest by an Israeli soldier. Last week Abdallah Abu Rahmah, the head of the popular committee was imprisoned by Israel in December 2009 and just last week convicted of “incitement” and organizing “illegal demonstrations” as part of Israel’s ongoing criminalization of peaceful protest.


An Nabi Saleh

The people of Nabi Saleh village were joined by around 12 international activists for the weekly protest on Friday, including 3 ISM volunteers. Those not from the village trying to reach it for the demonstration sighted a flying checkpoint The soldiers claimed the area was a closed military zone (and had paperwork displaying the correct dates) so after being refused entry, international protestors disembarked out of sight of the roadblock and followed the road around to reach the village and join the demonstration.

When crossing the main hill to meet the Palestinian protest organizers, a soldier pointed a gun (without attachments) at the group of internationals. Shortly afterwards soldiers got out their closed military zone papers and tried to get the group’s attention, but the children on the demonstration noticed and surrounded the soldiers in question and started chanting (if a CMZ order has not been displayed, you cannot be charged with violating it).

During the demonstration soldiers detained a Palestinian youth (22 years old). The children mobbed in front of the jeep that he had been put in, chanting and shouting and jumping on the jeep to stop it leaving. After moving the detainee to a second jeep, the children repeated their performance. Finally the soldiers threatened the children and advanced towards them enough to make them move out of the way, and drove away with the young Palestinian inside. No one had seen him commit  any crime.

Later on in the village a number of women heading warned the internationals to flee with shouts of “Jeesh! Jeesh fii al-bayt” (“Soldiers! Soldiers in the house!”) One international had also been detained at this point and signs indicated that the soldiers were aiming to remove all of the internationals from the protest. At last count, there were 7 internationals arrested (about 4 of which were Israelis) and one Palestinian – he was released later on that day and it is believed that the 7 internationals and Israelis were too.

Today and every Friday since January 2010, around 100 un-armed demonstrators leave the village center in an attempt to reach a spring which borders land confiscated by Israeli settlers. The District Coordination Office has confirmed the spring is on Palestinian land, but nearly a kilometer before reaching the spring, the demonstration is routinely met with dozens of soldiers armed with M16 assault rifles, tear gas, rubber-coated steel bullets and percussion grenades.

The demonstrations protest Israel’s apartheid, which has manifested itself in An Nabi Saleh through land confiscation. The illegal Halamish (Neve Zuf) settlement, located opposite An Nabi Saleh, has illegally seized nearly of half of the village’s valuable agricultural land.


Iraq Burin

Five ISM activists headed to Iraq Burin for the Saturday demo yesterday but on arrival, they met a friend in the village, who informed them that the protest had been cancelled that week.

The army had phoned up the popular committee the previous day and told them that the settlers from the nearby settlements were angry following the killing of four settlers in Hebron, and that if the demo went ahead, Palestinians would probably be killed and that “the army wouldn’t protect them.”

The last time that a similar threat was made (the army phoned up and saying “if the protest goes ahead tomorrow, Palestinians will be killed”), border police shot and killed two local youths that had no connection with stone-throwing: one in the head, and one in the heart, from a distance of around 30 metres away. Even though some shebab apparently still wanted to attend the demo, the protest was ultimately cancelled.

ISM activists stayed a while in the village nevertheless, and left just before Iftar.

One hundred settlers gather to violate construction freeze; Israeli soldiers threaten besieged Palestinian family

2 September 2010 | ISM Media

Baqa’a valley, HEBRON

Last night (1 Sept. 2010) around 150 to 175 Israeli settlers, many armed, constructed an illegal outpost at a new location in the Baqa’a valley, east of Hebron, and attempted to harass a Palestinian family.

A large group of settlers constructing an illegal near Road 60

The Israeli army did not attempt to disperse the settler gathering but later did partially raze the area on which the makeshift outpost buildings had been built – near the illegal Israeli settlements of Kiryat Arba and Givat Harsina, on the opposite side of Route 60, the road where four settlers were killed the previous night.

ISM activists were staying in the house of Palestinian farmer Atta Jabr and his family, who have been subjected to numerous attacks due to the proximity of the illegal Harsina settlement and the nearby “Hill 18” outpost. The last incident was just two weeks when Atta and his pre-teen daughter were attacked by six settlers.

From the house the family and the activists could observe the settlers’ activities a very short distance away.

At 17:00 six settlers arrived with a truck carrying a large water tank. Three soldiers approached them and spoke to them but took no action and left. Around half an hour later, a truck came carrying timber and other building supplies. It was unloaded by twelve settlers.

By 17:45, around 100 settlers had congregated at the site, including many armed with pistols and M16s. A digger arrived carrying around 40 bags of cement in its scoop.

By 18:30, around 175 settlers had arrived, many taking part in construction.

The home of the Jabr family which was besieged for three hours

Some settlers approached the Palestinian house, located about 40m up the hill, no doubt with the intention to harass the Jabr family again. Around 20 settler youths walked around the house. A settler family car stopped outside the front porch of the Palestinian house for a short period of time while the driver looked inside – however they took no further action. The family was effectively under siege for about three hours.

Shortly afterwards the Israeli army arrived, led by the same Captain who two weeks earlier had harassed peaceful internationals instead of removing a large group of settlers from the Palestinian Baqa’a.

A squad of six soldiers walked up to the Palestinian house. The Sergeant shouted in Hebrew demands for the windows to be shut and the lights to be switched off. The internationals didn’t understand so the Sgt lifted up his rifle and cocked it. The soldiers then climbed onto the roof.

By 19:00 it appeared that some settlers had started walking away back to Harsina.

At 20:00, some Israeli activists including Rabbis for Human Rights, AATW and ICAHD tried to access the area but been denied by the army. They reported that the outpost seemed to have been demolished, apparently by the civil administration. The soldiers came down from the roof.

Meanwhile across the valley at Al Buwayra tension was high and a settler attack was fully expected due to the village’s extremely close proximity to the outpost and it’s history settler violence. Three members of CPT and one ISM activist stayed at a house in the village that often bears the brunt of these attacks. At 11.30 news came in that settlers were stoning a nearby house. On arriving near to the house it was apparent that 4-5 settlers were throwing stones from behind the security fence at a Palestinian house. Not far from the scene  the chanting and yelling of  party of settlers probably numbering 30 -40 people could be heard. Not long after the internationals arrived the settlers left and the Palestinians and internationals returned to the house.

When activists went to investigate the location of the Baqa’a valley outpost construction attempt this morning they found a 3×3 metres square of cement, covered in boot prints. Palestinian Atta Jabr told them that the settlers had already come up with a Hebrew name for the outpost they wish to illegally build on Palestinian land – ‘Navi Hevron’.

This incident occurred following an announcement by the settlers that they would unilaterally violate the freeze on settlement construction – deemed illegal under international law – which is not due to expire until September 26th.

The settlers carry out so-called “price tag” attacks on Palestinians whenever the Israeli authorities prevent settlement expansion. The resumption of construction comes after the shooting of four Israeli settlers in Hebron two days ago, an attack which the militant wing of Hamas claimed responsibility for.

Atta Jabr and his family have lived in the area for more than three generations. Their house has been demolished twice. Members of the family appeared in the acclaimed 2006 documentary Occupation 101 – (clip below)  – speaking about their experiences of life under Israeli occupation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VV8N9J9gJ9c&feature=related