29th September 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine
On Friday afternoon, the 29th of September, protests erupted in Al-Khalil near Bab al-Zawiya at approximately 2:00 PM. The military countered the protests with sound bombs and advanced into H1, shooting rubber-coated steel bullets, out of which at least three hit protesters, in the neck, in the stomach and respectively in the arm. During their first incursion into H1, the soldiers detained a young Palestinian.
During the rest of the afternoon, there were multiple confrontations between the Israeli Army and the protesters in intensely circulated areas of H1, lasting until approximately 7 PM.
22nd September 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine
On Friday, September 22, the usual small scale and unorganised protests next to the Shuhada checkpoint elicited an exaggerated response from the Israeli military. At 2:00 PM approximately 15 soldiers went into H1 in pursuit of the protesters, firing tear gas and sound bombs. Subsequently, the military jeeps spread into multiple focal points of the city, where they continued their assault.
At approximately 3:00 PM, the soldiers fired live ammunition for the second time in one week in the Manara square of occupied Hebron, one of the most densely circulated areas, thus putting at risk passers-by of all ages. Traffic was also disrupted, as roads leading to the square were blocked. Manara is one of the main junctions in the city, therefore drivers were forced to take alternative routes, which created additional havoc in the city.
Throughout the day, the soldiers made nine arrests, of which eight were young Palestinians. Some of the people who were detained did not seem to have been involved in any manner in the protest.
During the afternoon and evening, the soldiers advanced into H1, which according to the Hebron agreement is under full Palestinian control. If so far the army used to enter the area of H1 surrounding the Shuhada checkpoint, during their latest actions, they have begun to invade more and more of the city, thus severely interfering with people’s daily lives and causing financial losses for business owners in the main commercial areas of Hebron.
The soldiers retreated after six hours inside of H1, after 8:00 PM, leaving behind streets covered in bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs.
20th September 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine
During the patrol around the old city, on Wednesday the 20th of September at 4 PM, the Al-Khalil team ran into a group of about 20 soldiers and followed them through the market in the Old City. The armed forces surprised the merchants, who were confused as to why they were there.
The soldiers were stationed in front of the market and the situation escalated quickly, with sound grenades being used in a crowded and highly circulated area – in an attempt to diffuse the crowd. This disrupted the normal activity of the shop owners, who needed to rapidly close their businesses and seek shelter, which definitely resulted in financial losses.
The actions of the Israeli military were met with resistance by locals and the soldiers quickly resorted to firing rubber coated steel bullets. They progressively advanced towards the commercial center of Al-Khalil, which was filled with people of all ages; exposing them to stun grenades and tear gas. The inhalation of tear gas, a supposedly “less-lethal” weapon, causes severe tearing and suffocation and if untreated can lead to death. Its longterm effects are also unknown and it’s extremely dangerous for people with respiratory conditions.
The Al-Khalil team witnessed four arrests of young Palestinians. One of the arrests was particularly violent, with four soldiers trying to detain an unarmed man. He was eventually put to the ground and was later hospitalised with multiple injuries inflicted during the arrest.
The actions of the military lasted for approximately two and a half hours, until approximately 6:30 PM, during which the center and other areas of Al-Khalil were an insecure environment.
15th September 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine
On Friday the 15th of September, after noon prayer, a Palestinian demonstration started by the Ali al-Baka mosque within the old city of Hebron. People gathered to protest against the establishment of a new settler municipality within the H2 area of the occupied city. The planned municipality is illegal according to the Hebron Protocol and will separate the two parts of the city even more.
The demonstration started at 12:30pm in front of the mosque next to the old city of Hebron and went to the entrance of the Israeli military camp within H2. They continued their peaceful protest in front of the gates to the military base . The soldiers started to push back the protesters, forcing them to leave the market area. The protesters tried to stay in the market which led to physical and verbal confrontations between the two sides. The Israeli forces called for additional soldiers and military vehicles to outnumber the protesters. In the end, the protesters were forced to leave the old city area and to stop their demonstration. One of the Israeli military vehicles was a skunk truck which spreads a chemical liquid that causes a strong and unpleasant smell. This chemical weapon wasn’t used that day but threatened the participants of the demonstration as well as the residents of the area, as the smell from skunk water can last for many days.
After the demonstration, the soldiers stayed present in H1 and more confrontations erupted between the soldiers and other protesters, making the H1 area of the city an insecure environment until around 6pm the same evening. The Israeli forces used plenty of stun grenades and tear gas projectiles against these protesters.
(The ‘skunk’ truck which the Israeli forces used as a threat)
The idea to expand municipal powers to settlers in the H2 means that the government of Hebron loses a significant part of their power and influence in H2 and could result in two fully separated cities within Hebron. The new municipality is planned to be established at the 21th of September, right at the celebrations of the Jewish new year.
14th September 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, Al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine
(Military vehicles entering the H1 area through a guarded checkpoint)
On Thursday evening, at around 6:40pm, the Al-Khalil team was patrolling the city and came across Israeli forces stationed by the Tareq roundabout, in the Altahta area south of the city. The military teams consisted of two groups of around six soldiers, several military vehicles and more soldiers stationed on the roof tops.
The tension was high since the area is a highly active traffic hub in Hebron, with large amounts of Palestinian residents in the streets.
The situation escalated when the crowd got larger and military forces used sound grenades and tear gas canisters to suppress the crowds. This was met with successful resistance from civilians, and the soldiers were forced to go back into the Salameh checkpoint.
Although nobody suffered from direct injuries, one Palestinian individual lost consciousness due to the stressful situation, and had to be carried away from the area.
The general situation in occupied Hebron has become more tense, due to the recent decision by the Israeli army to extend municipal powers to settlers in H2. The Israeli forces going into the H1 area of the city are common provocations towards the Palestinian people. Thursday nights are spent relaxing and enjoying the night off as Friday is a holiday. There was no threat or protest on the Palestinian side before the soldiers had entered, meaning that the Israeli forces’ decision to illegally enter the H1 area was unnecessary.
