Category: Hebron

Hebron: Seven weeks after the murder of Wael Fatah Ja’aberi by Israeli Forces, family still awaits his body for burial.

28th Oktober 2018 | International Solidarity Movement, Al-Khalil Team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

On Monday October 22, the family of Wael Fatah Ja’aberi gathered in Ibn Rush square in downtown Hebron to protest the murder of their son and the decision of Israeli forces not to return his body to their family for more than a month. In September, Ja’aberi was killed in a combined settler and soldier ambush. His body has still not been returned to his family, who have erected an information/communication tent in the main square of downtown Hebron in protest.

A week after the Ja’aberi family erected their protest tent downtown, fathers who lost their sons in similar incidents, gathered in the tent and showed their solidarity.

October 28: fathers gathering in the tent, showing their solidarity.

The Ja’aberi family demanded the body of slain Wael, but is waiting in vain for any answer since September 9, 2018 – the day of the brutal incident.

On Monday evening 9/9/2018, Wael Fatah Ja’aberi, a 37 year old father of two children, was shot down close to his home, near the intersection of the Hebron H1/H2 area division, from the entrance of the illegal settlement Givat Ha’avot, by a settler and a soldier.

According to witnesses, Wael and his 9 year old son were walking from their home to a nearby shop, for which they had to pass the road close to a the entrance of the illegal Israeli settlement Givat Ha’avot .

When they approached the location of the entrance, still 20 meters away from it, a settler together with a soldier ambushed and killed the 37 year old father.

His 9 year old son was lucky to escape and could run back home, in shock of the cruelty he went trough. As it seems, the armed settler fired at Wael and his son, after which a soldier, present at the checkpoint, continued the shooting with several live bullets.

Israeli forces left Ja’abari bleeding to death, without giving or allowing him any kind of medical assistance.

No health care was given or allowed. The Israeli ambulance belongs to Ofer, a paramilitary settler of Kyriat Arba – not a medic.

Video recordings of this fatal incident were posted on the internet. (here, here and here)

The Israeli military claimed afterwards, that it was self defense against a stabbing attack, and did not contact the family. This claim is disputed, however, given Israeli forces’ history of planting knives on murdered Palestinians and given the fact that Ja’abari was walking with his 9 year old child. No footage of the many security cameras on that location has ever been released.

Stealing corpses in the aftermath of a unlawful execution, is a standard procedure of the Occupation. Between 2008 and 2018 Israel held back more then 280 corpses.

More info on the incident:

Residents and schoolchildren blocked at the Tel Rumeida checkpoint for 30 minutes

21st October 2018 | International Solidarity Movement, Al-Khalil Team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

This morning, schoolchildren and other passers-by encountered the Eastern Tel Rumeida checkpoint blocked in both directions and had to wait 30 minute to pass it on their way to school or workplace, while a young man was detained inside for 30 minutes.

At 7:10 on Sunday, October 21, a young man entered the Easter Tel Rumeida checkpoint and went in the concrete check-cabin inside it. ISM volunteers heard the soldiers inside this concrete check-cabin, shouting in Hebrew language very loud and aggressively to this young man from behind their bulletproof glass window. He was then ordered to wait, possibly for remote identity check. They kept him detained inside for half an hour, until 7:40.

Schoolchildren and other residents could not enter and pass the checkpoint while the young man was being detained inside. Some of hem tried to slip trough a hole in the barrier gate, but the Israeli forces inside strongly forbad them to do so. They all had to wait until 7:40 before they could pass the barrier, and were therefore late for school and work.

The outgoing turn-gate was blocked too. An old man and a female schoolteacher could not pass it.

First, the occupation forces inside blamed it on the electricity, and then on the unwillingness of the detained man inside the concrete check-cabin to pass the security scan inside, but ISM volunteers witnessed that it was plain harassment of the young man inside and of all the others who had to wait outside.

For blocking the outgoing turn-gate, there was no reason at all.

Tel Rumeida is located inside H2—under strict Israeli military control—and home to multiple and constantly expanding illegal settlements. Palestinian citizens of Tel Rumeida are are subject to constant harassment, delays and humiliation in the checkpoints around the area. Tel Rumeida’s settlers frequently carry weapons and intimidate Palestinian residents.

Israel’s military control of Hebron consists of settlements, settler-only roads, checkpoints and military bases. Because of this, restricted access, collective punishment and lack of freedom of movement is a part of daily life for Palestinians in the Old City of Hebron, who face settler harassment and looming Israeli military presence on a daily bases.

VIDEO: ISM Volunteers in Al-Khalil forced to show their passports during protest in Al Khalil

17th August 2018 |  International Solidarity Movement, Al-Khalil Team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

After Friday prayers at around 2pm, Palestinians gathered in front of checkpoint 56 to protest against the military occupation. Around 4o soldiers and border police officers entered H1, the Palestinian controlled part of the city, where they shot excessive amounts tear gas and stun grenades at protesters for around 6 hours. They invaded the streets around Bab el-Zawiye and went up to the rooftops of several houses to intimidate residents, who as a result could not continue their daily routine. In addition to intimidating the residents all day, the police officers also went up to ISM volunteers, forcing them to show their passports and threatening to deport them if they were “disrupting the border police’ work”. Watch the video below.

Friday demonstration violently repressed in Hebron

11th August 2018 | International Solidarity Movement, Al-Khalil Team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

 

Yesterday, on the 10th of August, the Friday demonstration in the city of Hebron (Al-Khalil) was violently repressed by Israeli forces. Unarmed protestors gathered after Friday prayers, around 13:30, to protest against the occupation and in solidarity with Gaza. During the first hour of the demonstration the soldiers held back, staying around checkpoint 56, but eventually stormed out from the checkpoint and into H1, the Palestinian controlled part of the city.

First, they stormed Baba Zawya, trying to capture and arrest youths protesting against the occupation. The soldiers shot large amounts of tear gas and stun grenades at the demonstrators during their break into H1, with the result of two young children suffering excessive tear gas inhalation. ISM activists followed the soldiers to witness their actions, and while they stood close, watching defiantly, the soldiers shouted at the activists and violently pushed them. Israeli forces arrested three youths and two men. Four of them were eventually but released, but the whereabouts of the fifth is currently unknown. The demonstration ended at 19:30.

The Friday demonstrations in Hebron are an important part of the inhabitants’ resistance against the apartheid and occupation of their city. Checkpoints, restricted access, collective punishment and lack of freedom of movement is a part of daily life for Palestinians in Hebron. As an example, al-Shuhada street used to be the heart of the old city, but was closed to Palestinians in 1994 after a settler from a nearby illegal settlement, named Baruch Goldstein, murdered 29 Palestinians and injured over a 100 inside the Ibrahimi mosque. After that shops were forced to close down and it became known as a ghost town. Palestinians are restricted from walking or driving down al-Shuhada, and Israeli forces have welded the doors shut on Palestinian homes facing the street. Meanwhile, settlers face no such restrictions.

ISM speaks to ‘Aref Jaber about the increase of raids by Israeli forces in his neighborhood

23rd June 2018 | International Solidarity Movement, Al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

‘Aref Jaber lives in the Jaber neighbourhood in the H2 area of occupied Hebron, under Israeli control. He is a local activist and works with Human Rights Defenders filming and publicising the violations of international law committed by Israeli forces in his city.

On June 2nd, ‘Aref witnessed and filmed the murder of Rami Sabarneh, a 37 year old construction worker and a father of three, by Israeli forces just outside his house. The Israeli army said in a statement that Sabarneh had attempted to ram his vehicle into Israeli forces.

Straight after the murder, a commander who had been part of the group that killed Sabarneh, along with seven other soldiers who were present, confronted ‘Aref, telling him to delete the video and pointing their rifles at him. When he refused, the commander violently assaulted him whilst saying, “you recorded the soldier who shot the terrorist. If you continue recording or taking photos of the army, I will put a bullet in your head. Do you understand me?”

Soon after, a group of Israeli intelligence officers came to speak with ‘Aref, trying to intimidate him into changing his statement to say that Sabarneh had been under the influence of alcohol when he was shot. ‘Aref refused. That night, his home was violently raided by Israeli forces, ending in both ‘Aref and his wife being rushed to hospital after being physically assaulted.

‘Aref in hospital after he was attacked by Israeli forces (photo: Human Rights Defenders)

Before Sabarneh’s murder, the Jaber family home had recently been raided, in an attempt to threaten ‘Aref to stop his non-violent activism work. Israeli forces threw sound grenades inside the house, and the family were forced to replace the windows and doors. ‘Aref and his wife have five children, some of whom are very young.

On the 23rd of June in the early hours of the morning, ‘Arefs family home was raided yet again. Later that morning, ‘Aref told International Solidarity Movement activists about the experience and the affects on him and his family. (Aref’s statement was translated for ISM by Badee Dwaik, another local activist and member of Human Rights Defenders).

“At a little past 2.30am, I was woken by a knock at the door, so I went to see who it was. Suddenly, around twenty five heavily-armed soldiers pushed inside without explaining the reason for their invasion or giving me and my family time to get dressed. They immediately separated us into different rooms, and the commander told me to wake up one of my younger sons, who was sleeping on the sofa in the living room. They then told me to wake up the remaining members of my family who were still asleep.

“The soldiers then forced us into the living room whilst they collected all of our cameras and phones. They kept them hidden for the whole time they were present, making it impossible to call for help or document the raid. Luckily, they didn’t take them when they left. After this, the soldiers began ‘searching’ my home room by room, turning furniture upside down, destroying several parts in the process, and throwing out clothes from cupboards.

“Dozens of Israeli soldiers storm the house of the activist of the group of human rights defenders, Aref Jaber, at one o’clock in the morning. They search the house and damage some of his furniture. They raise an atmosphere of terror among the children and the entire family.” – Human Rights Defenders


“It was obvious that they weren’t searching for anything – they were just trying to make a mess and ruin parts of our home. It’s a form of collective punishment against me, my family and other activists for filming the soldiers.

“When the Israeli forces left my home, they blindfolded and handcuffed my 16 year old son Baraa, and took him with them. I asked why they were kidnapping my son, but the commander just answered, “you will know later”. Then they left, and we had no idea where they were taking Baraa.

“Later this morning an investigator called. He disclosed no information about the reason for my son’s abduction, his wellbeing or his whereabouts. Instead, he told me, “if you want your son to be free, you must pay a thousand shekel.” [Read more about child arrests and bail here.]

“I don’t have this kind of money at the moment. Two of my sons are getting married in mid July so most of our income is going towards preparing for the weddings. We managed to borrow the money from friends and family, and my son was released earlier today.

“When Baraa arrived home, he told me that he was beaten, humiliated and taken from place to place whilst still blindfolded and handcuffed during the 10 or 11 hour period he was away from us. They never took him to a specific place, just dragged him around throughout the night as part of their torturing policy.”

This was the seventeenth time that Baraa had been arrested by Israeli forces, the first time being when he was just eight years old, and ‘Aref says that most of his children have been arrested at least once. His wife also spent four nights in jail for filming the soldiers.

Recently, he has been working on making two apartments for his sons who are getting married and their new families, but Israeli forces came to stop the work for months at a time.

A representative from the UN high commission visited ‘Aref after the raid to discuss the possibility of putting CCTV cameras around his house, and have said that they will support him. ‘Aref told International Solidarity Movement activists, “the raids and attacks are about putting pressure on me and my family to stop us filming the occupation. This is not random work. Usually when these attacks happens it’s not just soldiers, but commanders in higher positions. They are ‘warning’ us to stop our work with the camera.

“Without the support of the international and local communities we won’t be able to continue this work. I accept the worst is to yet to come, and can still happen. I’m scared they will do something before or during my children’s weddings.”

‘Aref in his home in the Jaber neighborhood of occupied Hebron (photo: ISM)

 

In the early hours of the 23rd June, the houses of Mohammed Jabari and Behaa Jabari were also violently raided.
“The occupation army storms the house of Mohammed Jabari, the secretary of the old town of Fatah movement, and destroys the contents of the house.” – Human Rights Defenders
Sign the petition calling on the Knesset to oppose the law criminalizing the documentation of soldiers here.