Category: Hebron - Page 27 - International Solidarity Movement

“If your students want an education…” – Right to education violable under occupation?

2nd February 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

On Thursday morning Israeli forces detained Palestinian teachers and students from Qurtuba school for over two hours at Shuhada checkpoint in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron) without reason and despite the fact that students and teachers always have to pass the checkpoint to reach school. Israeli forces have again denied students their right to education by preventing students as well as teachers from reaching their classes.

Palestinian students, teachers, and 3 officials from the NGO, Safe the Children, on their way to the Qurtuba schools, are being denied entry through Shuhada Street Checkpoint. — Israeli forces deny entry to Palestinian students, teachers, and 3 officials from Save the Children through Shuhada check point on their way to Qurtuba school.

Qurtuba school is located in the H2 neighborhood of occupied al-Khalil, under full Israeli military control. All students and teachers coming from the H1-area, supposedly under full Palestinian control, are forced to pass both the Shuhada checkpoint and another checkpoint just a few meters down the street, in order to reach their school. Whereas a major part of the teachers and students were allowed to pass Shuhada checkpoint as they do every morning, a group of 5 teachers, including the director, and 3 students were detained at the checkpoint and not allowed to pass. The group was kept waiting inside the checkpoint box, as Israeli forces tried to force them to pass through the metal detector, even though there’s an official decision that teachers and students on their way to school do not have to pass through the metal detector. After the group pointed out this agreement–insisting that the soldiers respect it–Israeli forces closed the checkpoint to all other civilian Palestinians, telling everyone that no one would be allowed to pass as long as the teachers were ‘making trouble’.

After some time the teachers were allowed to pass and hurried to school. Because of this harassment, they arrived at class more than half an hour late. The director stayed outside the checkpoint, waiting for her students and was told by a soldier, ‘if you’re students want an education, then they have to pass the metal detector’. The soldiers insisted that they can’t depend on a ‘precedent’, even though there’s an official agreement that students and teachers don’t have to pass the checkpoint. They kept pretending that they ‘knew the law’, which they clearly didn’t. A group of 3 Palestinian officials from ‘Save the Children’ were denied to pass the checkpoint by the Israeli forces. In the end, after more than two hours of co-ordination with officials, Israeli forces finally allowed the 3 students, standing outside in the freezing cold, to pass and reach their school – in accordance with the official agreement in which they do not have to pass the metal detector.

Earlier that day, when internationals attempted to pass the same checkpoint in the morning, Israeli forces were already adjusting the law according to their whim. First, they let the internationals pass. Just a few minutes later, they ran after the internationals up a hill, demanding their passports. Israeli soldiers are not allowed to physically take and photograph international passports. The soldiers, though, insisted. When reminded of the law he just replied ‘It’s my checkpoint, I do whatever I want”. In the end, they let the internationals go, but not without promising them that the next time they will not allow them to pass.

Israeli Soldier checking ID and searching the bag of a Palestinian woman, who was bringing her children to school. — Israeli soldier checking ID and searching the bag of a Palestinian woman, who was forced to wait a few meters away from the checkpoint in the freezing cold with her three children

A few meters up the hill, another group of soldiers stopped the internationals, as they were ordered by the other soldiers to not allow them to pass the checkpoint. Israeli forces when denying them passage, argued that they’re responsible for the ‘security’ of the internationals and it would be ‘dangerous’ for them to pass the checkpoint. The irony of the situation though, is that the internationals, who have been harassed, stopped and yelled at by the soldiers (all heavily-armed with machine-guns) are assured by the same soldiers that it was actually their duty to protect them. They are the ones Palestinian civilians and internationals need to be protected from.

Israeli Forces harassing international activists, taking pictures of them with his private phone.

Collective punishment on the way to school – the Israeli forces’ ‘job’

1st February 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

On Wednesday, 1st February 2017, Israeli forces intimidated school-children on their way to school. In the process, they closed one of the main checkpoints delaying teachers and school-children as they were on their way to school.

As groups of children were passing the checkpoint in both directions to reach their schools, a few children ran up to the checkpoint throwing pebbles at the big metal structure. These children were immediately stopped by Palestinian adults and shortly after ran off. Despite the fact that the checkpoint is fenced off with metal and it is therefore impossible to actually hit anyone, the Israeli forces immediately came out of the checkpoint-box, as the children ran away.

The soldiers immediately locked the turnstiles, the one leading into the checkpoint box and the one allowing people that have passed the checkpoint to go out onto the street. Three boys, after having passed the metal detector, were locked inside the checkpoint, as soldiers prohibited them from passing the turnstile, keeping it locked. When asked by ISMers to allow the boys to leave, a female soldier told them that she’s ‘doing her job’, and they will have to wait till everything is over. This was after the boys throwing the stones had already left the area. She refused to let the boys go even though they clearly were not involved–insisting that it was ‘her job’. This constitutes a form of collective punishment illegal under Art. 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention and is considered a war crime.

A group of Palestinian school children exiting the checkpoint, were locked inside and kept waiting. When the soldier who was suppose to operate the checkpoint was confronted by international activists, her response was: "I don't care. It's my job." — School-children locked inside the checkpoint as Israeli forces deny them to pass and leave – collective punishment of school-children discounted by the soldiers as ‘their job’

Shortly after, people were gathering at the turnstile at the entrance to the checkpoint. A total of two men, two school-boys and one school-girl were trapped on this side of the checkpoint. When they asked the soldiers to open, they were yelled at and told to ‘shut up’. Several left, but others patiently waited for the Israeli forces to allow them in – one by one only, a process that goes very slowly.

Several Palestinian are standing in line at the entry of the checkpoint, as israeli forces stand by and do nothing. — Several Palestinian are standing in line at the entry of the checkpoint, as Israeli forces stand by and deny them the right to pass.

Shortly after, a group of Israeli forces went through the gate at the checkpoint, walking towards the cluster of schools located behind the checkpoint.

A group of frightened palestinian school children are standing by, as Israeli forces invaded the palestinian neighborhood of Salaymeh. — A group of Palestinian school children waiting for their school-bus, as the heavily-armed Israeli forces stand by watching a group of children outside their schools.

As the Israeli forces approached the schools, teachers made sure that their students would get to school, safely past the Israeli forces.

Israeli forces invaded the Palestinian neighborhood of Salaymeh, looking for school children involved in throwing rocks at Israeli military checkpoint. — Israeli forces watching school-children as they go to school.

The soldiers pointed their live-ammunition assault-rifles several times at school-children: a form of intimidation used on school children regardless of their age.

Israeli soldier, carrying weapon with live ammunition, pointed his weapon several times at a large group of school children, standing outside of their school. — Israeli forces pointing their guns and aiming at school-children.

Photo story: Gilbert checkpoint impeding Palestinian daily life (January 2017)

31st January 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

In the old city of occupied al-Khalil (Hebron), Palestinians’ freedom of movement is impeded by a large number of Israeli checkpoints. In the Tel Rumeida neighborhood, many school-children and teachers are forced to pass at least one, often more, checkpoint daily on their way to school. The Israeli occupation seriously disrupts the right to education for Palestinians in al-Khalil.

One of the checkpoints that Palestinians have to pass in the Tel Rumeida neighborhood is the ‘Gilbert’ checkpoint in the heart of the Tel Rumeida neighborhood. This checkpoint divides the neighborhood, enforcing the Israeli forces’ checkpoint regime on Palestinian residents only. Israeli settlers enjoy full freedom of movement and rights in and around the illegal settlements. This photo-story of the Gilbert checkpoint illustrates what this limitation of movement means to Palestinian civilians in every day life.

Palestinian journalists were denied entry through the checkpoint, as they were on their way to Shuhada Street, to document Palestinian school children walking through checkpoints on their way to school. — Palestinian journalists were denied entry through the checkpoint. They were on their way to Shuhada Street to document Palestinian school children walking through checkpoints on their way to school.

Palestinian child is stopped on his way to school is stopped at the checkpoint, as the soldier decides to check his schoolbag. — Palestinian school-boy has to pass his school-bag for a bag-search, before being allowed to continue on his way to school.

Tel Rumeida, Gilberts Checkpoint — Israeli soldier searching the bag of a Palestinian woman. Officially, these bag-searches are for ‘security purposes’, but Israeli forces often arbitrarily search only some bags. At this checkpoint they mainly search women’s bags, while allowing men to pass without being searched. Palestinians are robbed of even the tiniest bit of privacy at the Israeli forces’ checkpoints.

Group of Palestinian school children passing through israeli military checkpoint — Group of Palestinian school children passing through Israeli military checkpoint. Children are not exempt from the Israeli forces policies and are forced to pass metal detectors daily. On their way to school. Israeli forces sometimes search their bags or force them to wait while checking another Palestinian.

Palestinian child passing through checkpoint and a large group of israeli forces on his way home. — Palestinian child passing through checkpoint and past a large group of Israeli forces on his way home. An ‘innocent’ childhood is denied to Palestinian children living under Israeli military occupation. Sadly, they have to pass large groups of heavily-armed soldiers on the way to school. The practice of soldiers conducting exercises of how to shoot Palestinians to death at checkpoints in civilian Palestinian neighborhoods are the norm rather than the exception.

Palestinian school children passing israeli military checkpoint on their way to school — Palestinian school children passing Israeli military checkpoint on their way to school. These checkpoints often are the reason for Palestinian school-children to reach school late, as they might be delayed, denied to pass or searched.

Palestinian man is kept waiting for several minutes in front of the checkpoint, as israeli forces are checking his ID, violating his freedom of movement. — Palestinian man is forced to wait at the checkpoint, but forced to move several meters back, as Israeli forces check his ID, violating his freedom of movement.

Israeli forces are detaining a Palestinian woman at the checkpoint, unaware that a member of UN delegation is present. — Israeli forces are detaining a Palestinian woman at the checkpoint, unaware that a member of a UN delegation is present. According to international law and the recent UN resolution, Israeli settlements in the Israeli occupied West Bank are illegal.

Israeli forces trespassing Palestinian owned shop located in front of the checkpoint in Tel Rumeida. — Israeli forces ‘checking’ Palestinian shop located near the checkpoint. All commodities and general necessities have to be bought on the other side of the checkpoint, as the area locked up within the checkpoints has no shops. So, whenever a Palestinian needs to buy groceries, he or she must pass the checkpoint.

The checkpoint regime: Israel and the fragmentation of Palestinian society

31^st January 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

There are 17 permanent checkpoints in the H2 area under full Israeli military control in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron), manned by Israeli forces and impeding Palestinian freedom of movement. The official rhetoric of the Israeli government is that these checkpoints serve ‘security purposes’.

In total contrast to this ‘security rationale’, Israeli forces within al-Khalil have often illustrated how the checkpoints rather serve the purpose of humiliating the civilian Palestinian population and dictating their movement. Whereas most of the checkpoints are theoretically in operation 24hrs a day, a checkpoint near Ibrahimi Mosque is closed every evening around 9 – effectively imposing a nightly curfew on the Palestinian population in this area; in order to circumvent the checkpoint, Palestinians would have to take a half-hour long, extremely hilly detour.

Over the last few weeks, soldiers at Shuhada checkpoint have been observed twice sleeping inside the checkpoint. On 12th January 2017 Israeli forces were fast asleep in the checkpoint, thus effectively shutting down any kind of movement for Palestinians, who were stuck outside the turnstile as they waited for the soldiers to wake up and manually open it for every single person. On January 30th, one of the two soldiers supposedly ‘working’ in the checkpoint was asleep again. Both of the soldiers were sitting behind the bullet proof glass, with one of them obviously asleep, in plain sight of anyone crossing the checkpoint. When asked in surprise, if the soldier is sleeping, the soldier that was awake just shrugged his shoulders.

The official rationale of ‘security reasons’ for the implementation of this checkpoint-regime seems pointless. If soldiers are asleep at checkpoints, unaware of their surroundings, how are they really maintaining security? Instead, the checkpoints serve the purpose of fragmentation and humiliation. They lead to the fragmentation of Palestinian civilian neighborhoods: dividing neighborhoods in the same city from each other by fenced off checkpoints, separating families from work, schools, medical care, basic necessities such as cooking gas or a pack of rice. Additionally, the checkpoints perpetuate the all to common humiliation of Palestinian civilians by the Israeli forces; they force Palestinian men to take off their belts ‘for security reasons’ when they pass through the metal detector at the checkpoint – the soldiers clearly know that the belt is setting of the metal detector and even say so – but force everyone to take it off anyways, merely to humiliate innocent people. The long lines in the rain, where Palestinians are forced by the Israeli forces to ‘wait’ to be allowed to pass the checkpoint without reason destroys their sense of worth and dignity. They often have to stand in the pouring rain with no shelter indefinitely. In this system of humiliation, even a less than a month old baby is a ‘security threat’ and treated as such, without any regard for humanity.

In the end, the checkpoint-regime is solely implemented for this kind of humiliation and fragmentation: aiming to create a coercive environment that will facilitate forcible displacement of the Palestinian population. The checkpoints facilitate the expansion of existing illegal settlements. It allows Israel to eventually grab enough land to connect a consistent stretch of illegal settlements that are free of the indigenous population, the Palestinians.

A Day in the life

26 January 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, Al-Khalil team| Hebron, occupied Palestine
Al-Khalil is unique from other villages, towns, and cities in the West Bank. Illegal Zionist colonial settlements are situated right in the center of the Old City. Whereas, elsewhere the illegal settlements are outside of the Palestinian towns and cities. This makes life here extremely difficult for the Palestinians. Freedom of movement is extremely limited and it is difficult to put it mildly.
The city is divided into H1, administered by the Palestinian Authority, and H2, controlled by the illegally occupying Israeli military forces. There are scores of roadblocks and around 20 checkpoints a. At the checkpoints Palestinians are subjected routinely to having to present their ID, go thru metal detectors, have their bag searched, and body searches by heavily armed Israeli Occupation Forces. They are also frequently detained if the soldiers don’t believe the ID is in order and denied access, preventing them from going to work, getting home or carrying on their normal daily lives. Entire streets are closed to the Palestinians, such as Shuhada Street which was the main market place until 1997. Nearly 500 shops and most homes, and all Palestinian foot traffic as well as vehicles were shut down and out by the Israeli forces . Approximately 4000 school children must pass the checkpoints daily on their way to and from school and are often subjected to tear gas being fired at them for being accused of or suspected of throwing stones at the checkpoints. Ambulances and other emergency vehicles are also denied access as well.
Israel says it is all for “security reasons”. In reality it is all about harassment and intimidation of the Palestinians and to make their lives more difficult than it already is living under the illegal colonial Occupation. If a Palestinian is denied access thru a checkpoint they can generally walk (often some distance however) to another checkpoint and get thru. Soldiers may just check women’s hand bags and not ID cards and a man who sets off the alarm walking thru the metal detector may not be stopped. Two hours later or the next day every ID is checked or sometimes none are checked. The same holds true with Internationals. Some days we are denied access if we do not give the soldiers our passports so they can photograph them, which is illegal under their own Israeli law. Only a member of the Border Police can legally, physically take our passport or arrest us. Other days they don’t even ask to see our passports. Sometime the soldiers make up their own rules as they go along. When we were confronting soldiers regarding the arrest of a youth, their commander told us he would arrest us if we talked to his soldiers because he said so and he was the law. Another time it was no photographs because he is the law and makes the rules and says so. Unfortunately, he is partially right. The soldiers are the law. They have all the loaded guns and tear gas and rubber coated steel bullets and the rest of their equipment. They can even get away with outright murder of Palestinians. Most of the soldiers are barely out of high school and drafted into the military, heavily armed and look scared to death because they truly believe that every Palestinian wants to kill them and their family. The vast majority of Palestinians just want the illegal Occupation to end and be able to have some peace in their lives.
The Old City market place once full of shops, shoppers and tourist now only see a small percentage of the business it once had. Many of the shop owners cannot afford to stay in business but stay open because it is the only form of resistance to the illegal Colonial Occupation.
Twenty Palestinians were murdered by the Israeli military forces between October 2015 and February 2016. Amnesty International called these killings extra-judicial executions and the Tel Rumeida area was declared a “closed military zone” by the Israelis in 2015 with further restrictions on the Palestinians who live in this area.
As Internationals our day starts at about 6:45 A.M. we head out to various checkpoints for the morning school runs. We have to walk a little over 100 meters to the nearest check point. Wait to go thru the turnstile gate, then into the small concrete bunker and thru metal detector, sometime we don’t even empty our pockets and just ignore the soldiers behind their 2-3 inch bulletproof glass and try to continue out the next door back into the caged area and exit thru another turnstile. Some days we win. Some days we don’t and have to empty pockets, remove belt, sometimes shoes, show our passport, etc. before we can continue on our way. If we refuse to give them our passport they can turn us back which means a taxi ride to another checkpoint to get thru. Sometimes we can argue with them and they let us pass. But this gets more and more difficult as time passes. The repression by the illegal Occupation forces increases bit by bit daily. Palestinians aren’t so lucky, they have no choice. They must comply or risk being detained, arrested, or even shot for non-compliance.
After we get thru the first check point it is on to a second open-air checkpoint where we monitor numbers of men, women, children, and teachers passing thru and the amount of difficulty they have, numbers of people denied. The female teachers more often than not refuse to go thru the metal detector. Sometimes they win-sometimes they don’t. But all are subjected to ID checks, bag and or body searches depending on the will of the soldiers. Again, so much for “security concerns”. There are about 10 checkpoints that are monitored by three of the International groups mornings and afternoon when school is in session. Most of the Palestinians are glad we are here and greet us. Some of the kids may stop for a few minutes and practice their English. One teacher even stops occasionally and gives us an apple.
This afternoon we were asked to come to the South Hebron Hills to meet with one of the local village committees about what they need. There are home demolitions, as well as night raids by the illegal colonizing Israeli Occupation Forces, and farmers being attacked by settlers from the nearby illegal colonial settlements. They are working with other International organizations to get tents for families when homes are destroyed but need protective presence in homes at night and in the fields during the day. This is only one of hundreds of villages in the same or similar situation and it is near impossible to do it all. We offer what help we can.
Meeting with a family who had a home invasion several nights ago by the soldiers and hearing the story of the trauma and terrorization of this family because of the Occupation, I couldn’t help but wonder what was going thru the mind of the five year old sitting in his living room where 14 people had (also invaded, in a sense) gathered to hear the family story. He has to pass thru two check points to get to and from Kindergarten, his home is invaded in the middle of the night and family locked in one room while the Occupation forces ransacked the home for no good reason. He lives right next to a settlement and is not safe to be able to play in his own yard. This is only one child, one family in one city in all of illegally occupied Palestine.

Afternoon and evening patrols of the Souk (marketplace in the Old City) and around some of the residential areas near the checkpoints can be calm (some of the time) except for the armed Isreali forces asking to see your passport or what you religion is. Al Khalil is a beautiful city built on a group of hills and the views can be spectacular and can sometimes make you forget (for a minute)you are in the middle of the longest illegal military occupation in history by a Country that is committing genocide on an entire group of people.
Afternoon patrol last week was spent walking thru the Souk and visiting with several of the merchants. You are invited in (with no expectation to buy anything) and make your presence known and talk about how bad business is because very few tourists come to Khalil anymore. Toward the end of this patrol (there were 3 of us) we encountered a Palestinian girl of about 10 years old. She was extremely frightened and distressed to put it mildly. She was talking so fast we couldn’t figure out what she was saying and even a phone call to an Arabic teacher couldn’t figure out what the problem was. She was all but in tears. There were a half dozen Israeli soldiers close by working on installing another barrier near a school we just walked by. Then she said something about “settlers”. She thought we were settlers. We had removed our Kafeyas earlier to avoid problems on Shuhada Street with settler youth. As soon as we took out our Kafeyas and put them on and said “we love Palestine”, she almost melted into relaxation and wanted to walk with us to the checkpoint on our way home. But since we had to walk down Shuhada Street and Palestinians are not allowed there we had no choice but to send her in the opposite direction. Never saw her again or what happened to her.

Last night before we even began our night patrol we received a call about soldiers in the Souk. When we arrived along with a team of Internationals from another organization soldiers were arresting a 14 year old boy for allegedly throwing stones. At least three soldiers wrestled him to the ground and tried to put plastic ties on his wrists behind his back while other soldiers approached us and prevented us from photographing the incident and took cameras and deleted the photos already taken. They also threatened us with arrest if we continued to photograph or even talk to them. We followed the soldiers to the army base where the child was held, to be held until let go or charged.

Some of these stories are unfinished simple because the illegal Israeli Occupation isn’t over and the stories will continue. And for every story you see, hear about, participate in you are pretty much guaranteed that there are probably another 100 or 500 or thousand you don’t hear about that are far worse than these.
This is not a story about Internationals. It is the story of some of the people of Al Khalil. Every once in a while it turns out we end up being a small part their story But we are here to support them in their struggle, because our struggle is directly connected to theirs.

Last words. The other day visiting a shop keeper in the Souk she said, “ You come, you go, we live, we die, you still come, and we still here living and dying. Inshallah!”