Category: Hebron

A day of violence and intimidation in Hebron

By Anna Conroy

September 12, 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

On the morning of September 10 in south west Hebron, at Checkpoint 56, a Palestinian man was shot with live ammunition by the Israeli military. Residents and army officials reported that Molotov cocktails were thrown at the checkpoint, and in response the soldiers fired with live bullets. Kamal al-Batsh, aged 31, was shot in the leg and was eventually transported to a hospital in Jerusalem, although Palestinian ambulances were prevented from arriving at the scene.

Soldiers move through the old city of Hebron

With ongoing strikes and protests taking place across Hebron, the army was deployed heavily throughout the city and schools were declared closed. A group of six soldiers were seen patrolling the market in the old city, brandishing their semi automatic rifles around corners and through the windows and doors of Palestinian houses. At 10 A.M. the situation at Checkpoint 56 became increasingly volatile, with soldiers shooting teargas, affecting innocent children and passers by. Checkpoint 56 divides the Palestinian city of Hebron in two areas H1 and H2. Special area H2 is a shared area, where over 500 settlers live, and Palestinian movement is heavily restricted.

Soldiers fire tear gas from the roof of a building in the Palestinian city of Hebron

Those throwing stones from the street faced the Israeli military wearing full combat gear and armed with semi automatic weapons and tear gas. At least 14 soldiers were seen on the rooftops surrounding Checkpoint 56, where later in the afternoon multiple rounds of tear gas were shot into the streets. In the old city, eyewitnesses reported that a fire was set by the Israeli military.

Palestinian camerawoman suffers after being shot in the stomach with a tear gas canister

In the afternoon the situation around the Checkpoint 56 area became progressively more violent. Despite several internationals and media activists being present on the streets documenting the scene, rounds of tear gas continued to be fired directly at protesters. Dozens suffered injury and asphyxiation from the teargas, including a Palestinian camerawoman who was hit in the stomach with one of the five-inch metal canisters. A second tear gas round fired immediately afterward barely missed her foot. She had been standing in an isolated group with several international activists, all of whom were filming and photographing the soldiers peacefully. As there was no one else in the vicinity, international activists suspected that it was a targeted attack by the military.

The woman was taken away by an ambulance after sustaining the injury. Witnesses also saw many protesters affected by inhalation of tear gas, including children who were walking alone in the area. It was during this time that several checkpoints were closed, trapping individuals in the midst of the violence. 

The events described at Checkpoint 56 were separate to the widely reported protests against the Palestinian Authority (PA), which occurred in a different area of the city. The demonstration witnessed by international volunteers appeared to be sparked by the shooting of Kamal al-Batsh the night before and targeted Israeli occupation rather than the PA.

 

Anna Conroy is a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement (name has been changed).

Hebron man walks down street for first time in years

By Ben

10 September 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

Hashem Azzeh in front of the graffiti on his door. Photos: EA Phelie Maguire.

On Sunday 9th September, Hashem Azzeh walked down the street outside his house for the first time in years.

Hashem lives with his artist wife Nasreen and their four children (14, 9, 4 and 2 years old) on a hillside in the Tel Rumeida district of Hebron. The street outside Hashem’s house is barred to Palestinians and overseas visitors, with an army checkpoint at the end of the street to enforce the ban. To reach their house, the family have to go via a treacherous back route, clambering over walls and around other properties on the way.

Despite all the harassment and violence, Hashem remains determined to stay in his house, and today said he wanted ‘an adventure’. Hashem and five ISM volunteers from the UK, Italy and the USA clambered up from the house to the street, then walked the 200 or so metres to the checkpoint at the end of the street. The Israeli soldier at the checkpoint appeared astonished to see Hashem and international volunteers come along the street from the ‘wrong’ direction and immediately started radioing for back-up. When the soldier asked Hashem why he was walking on the street, Hashem replied, ‘I am walking to my house’.

Hashem’s family have faced years of harassment from residents of the illegal Israeli settlement on the hillside just above their house. The settlement happens to be home to some of the most fanatical settlers in Hebron, including American-born extremist Baruch Marzel.

Over the years, Hashem’s family have faced attacks on their property by settlers, with Israeli soldiers standing alongside doing nothing to intervene. Settlers have also poisoned his water supply, and killed his olive trees, fruit trees and vines. When Hashem installed his own water tank, the settlers shot it full of holes in yet another attack.

As well as attacks on their property, the family have faced regular physical violence. Hashem’s nephew had his teeth knocked out by rocks, and his brother was also smashed in the face with rock and suffered damage to his teeth and nose. Nasreen has had two miscarriages. An ISM activist, 77 year old Australian academic Mary Baxter, also faced violence in the past, when accompanying Hashem’s children to school in 2005. She and the children were attacked, and Mary had four bones in her back broken and is now disabled as a result.

Ben is a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement (name has been changed)

 

House demolitions and forced displacments in Area C

By Abu Sarah

2 September 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

Demolishing tents donated by the UN

Caterpillar Bulldozer demolishing tents donated to the residents of Susiya as emergency aid by the U.N.
Caterpillar Bulldozer demolishing tents donated to the residents of Susiya as emergency aid by the U.N.

On August 28 Israeli occupation forces demolished tents donated by the United Nations (UN) in the Palestinian village of Susiya in the South Hebron hills. This is the second similar demolition within three months.

Caterpillar Bulldozer demolishing tents donated to the residents of Susiya as emergency aid by the U.N.
Caterpillar Bulldozer demolishing tents donated to the residents of Susiya as emergency aid by the U.N.

Displacement in Zenuta

Israeli bulldozers entered the Palestinian village of Zenuta in the South Hebron Hills Tuesday morning and demolished water cisterns, residential dwellings, and sheep stables, devastating the small community of only 7 families.

In total, 4 water cisterns, 2 caves, 2 houses, and 6 stables were destroyed. Zenuta is a small village of 7 families with a herd of 400 sheep. The army destroyed the houses of 2 families, each with 7children, as well as 6 stables holding sheep.

Perhaps most devastating of all in a region starved for water, the army bulldozed the village’s cisterns, holding water collected from winter rains. The cisterns cost NIS 15,000 each, an incredible toll amounting to about a year and half’s wages for the average Palestinian worker in the area. For more information click here.

Palestinian children n front of their destroyed home in Zenuta, August 28 2012 (Operation Dove)
Palestinian children n front of their destroyed home in Zenuta, August 28 2012 (Operation Dove)

Displacement in the Judean Desert

On the 29 of August, 4 Bedouin families were targeted. They live far inside the Judean Desert, east of Deis Salah and near Bethlehem. They also faced demolitions 2 months ago. All their structures were demolished including tents provided by international agencies. Israeli authorities said they had to leave because they lived in the Israeli firing zone 914.

Abu Sarah is a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement (name has been changed).

Hebron: settler illegally enters Palestinian home

By Lucy Diamond

9 August 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

On the evening of August 2, an Israeli settler illegally entered a Palestinian home in Hebron, drawing the presence of the Israeli army which encouraged her to leave. Rather than face any consequences, the settler left the scene and a Palestinian man was arbitrarily arrested.

A Palestinian man is detained at Checkpoint 56 | Flora Alnur

Around 9:45 p.m., an illegal Israeli settler stopped her car in front of Checkpoint 56, one of the barriers between H1 area (Palestinian-controlled) and H2 area (Israeli-controlled) in Hebron. Immediately after, the woman forcefully entered a Palestinian home. Israeli soldiers intervened and took the woman outdoors, urging her to leave.

Hebron is a Palestinian city, but several illegal Israeli settlements have occupied both the center town and surrounding areas. The settlers enjoy a series of benefits, such as the exclusive right of driving in H2, or the wide dismissal of complaints of violence from them. When settlers illegally occupied a downtown area of Hebron, rather than comply by international law, the Israeli government supported the theft by closing the central commercial street to Palestinian access. Palestinian shops were closed and people forced by circumstance from their homes as a result of the illegal settlement.

Several Israeli soldiers crowd around a detained Palestinian man | Flora Alnur

Before the settler left the scene, she aimed a camera against the faces of all people present. While Israeli soldiers remained impassive, a Palestinian man raised his hand to the camera to hide his image. At this moment, soldiers chose to intervene and stop the man, Sami Abo Rumeli, from raising his hand to the settler’s camera. Soldiers detained Sami and demanded his documents, simultaneously allowing the settler woman to leave without consequences to her actions.

International Solidarity Movement (ISM) volunteers and other Palestinians were present and documented the happening with photos and videos. Soldiers unsuccessfully tried to turn them away.

This unequal treatment of the settler who forced her way into a home, and Sami who attempted only to hide his face from her camera, caused a controversial reaction. Many people arrived to observe and document the event, causing several soldiers to group. Some 13 soldiers were surrounding Sami as he was detained. Eventually Sami was handcuffed and taken away. Before being released later that night, he suffered hits and mistreatment in the soldiers’ hands.

Video taken depicts the moment when Sami Abo Rumeli is surrounded by soldiers, to be detained without reason.

Lucy Diamond and Flora Alnur are volunteers with the International Solidarity Movement (names have been changed).

Hebron: Palestinian streets closed for Israeli settlers

By Jonas Ravn

6 August 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

In Hebron on the evening of July 29, almost 100 Israeli settlers from the illegal settlements occupying the centre of the city crossed into the Palestinian-controlled area H1. The settlers illegally entered H1 supported by a heavy Israeli military presence.

Earlier that evening, 4 Israeli military vehicles were witnessed driving through H1 area. At the same time, some 60 Israeli settlers gathered at Checkpoint 56 which marks the border between H1and H2 (the Israeli-controlled areas of Hebron). Several of the settlers, besides being armed with assault rifles, were also carrying compact tables and large bags of food.

Shortly before 7 p.m., Checkpoint 56 was closed to all Palestinians. Soon after, the Israeli military escorted the settlers through the checkpoint into the Bab al-Zawiyeh neighbourhood of area H1.

After the group of settlers passed through, Checkpoint 56 was reopened to Palestinians but the streets of Bab al-Zawiyeh were closed to Palestinian pedestrians and cars who were told to use a parallel street. The 4 military vehicles seen earlier were now parked and soldiers forced Palestinian shops to close down. Thus the otherwise lively Bab al-Zawiyeh was almost deserted.

The Israeli brigade commander declared that the street was a Closed Military Zone (CMZ), and when

asked for the CMZ paper permit he replied,“this is a Closed Military Zone because I say so.” The same commander pushed several International Solidarity Movement volunteers in the chest for their inquiries.

Several Palestinians attempted to enter to their homes in H2, as they regularly would, but were aggressively refused at the checkpoint and directed to a lengthy detour. The detour is made kilometres longer by the fact that Palestinians are denied access to Shuhada street.

At 7:30 p.m., just before eftar when most Palestinians would be breaking the day’s fast, a group of about 30 settlers gathered at Checkpoint 56. A short while later, this group was escorted down the closed-off street to join the other settlers now numbering almost 100.

20 minutes later, a group of 20 settlers returned back towards H2. As they passed the empty square of Bab al-Zawiyeh they clapped their hands and started chanting in Hebrew, celebrating the empty Palestinian streets. Several pointed, laughed, and made rude gestures at the few Palestinians remaining on the edges of the street.

At around 8:30 p.m., the settlers returned to H2 in smaller groups and escorted by soldiers. Again they pointed, laughed, and took photos of Palestinians they passed. At 9 p.m., the last soldiers packed up and left the area. Immediately, shops reopened and Palestinians returned to the streets. Slowly, Bab al-Zawiyeh began to look like itself again.

More than 50 soldiers and almost 100 illegal Israeli settlers were participating in what is a yearly event. Annually, dinner is had at a site in Bab al-Zawiyeh which they consider a sacred place in Judaism. In practice, this dinner serves as an aggressive reminder of who is in charge. That Israel with more than 4000 soldiers stationed in Hebron, can do as they please despite what the lawful agreements may dictate.

It is noteworthy that this occurred in a week that has been rampant with military night raids, harassment and abuse against Palestinian residents of Hebron who are celebrating the month of Ramadan.

Jonas Ravn is a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement (name has been changed).