Category: Hebron - Page 95 - International Solidarity Movement

Israeli army cause fire in Palestinian home

3rd August 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil team | Hebron, Occupied Palestine

On Friday the 1st of August, at approximately 19:30 in the Gabal Gohar area of H2 (under full Israeli military civil and security control) in al-Khalil (Hebron), solders from the Israeli military caused a fire to a Palestinian apartment. The solders were shooting tear gas at Palestinian youths during clashes, when five tear gas canisters burst through the window of a Palestinians home an exploded inside.

Windows in part of the house broke in the fire. The damage is up to 20,000 NIS, for the windows alone.

The family living in the apartment consists of two adults and five children, who were all located inside when the tear gas broke the apartment and the fire started. The family managed to escape, however most of their furniture and other valuables were ruined in the fire.

Broken and burnt furniture, now moved outside the apartment.

Soot still covers most off the walls of the apartment, even after neighbours gathered to help the family clean. Electricity went out in part of the apartment and the damage is extensive, the full costs still unknown.

Soot covers part of the house from the outside, and a large part of the house inside.

The army has continued to shoot tear gas and stun grenades in the area for the past days, causing many problems for the local residents.

Palestinians protest in solidarity with Gaza

3rd August 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Vern | Bethlehem, Occupied Palestine

On Friday August 1st, Palestinians in Bethlehem demonstrated against Israel’s massacre Gaza. Between 3,000-5,000 people protested, men, women, and children. The demonstrators marched to the checkpoint, where they faced an Israeli guard tower. People were chanting and singing, and no one was throwing any stones.

Approximately 20 Israeli soldiers came out and shot tear gas into the crowd. People in the front were suffered very badly, and a few had to be taken away by ambulance due to excessive tear gas inhalation.

A small group of Palestinian youths responded by throwing rocks at the soldiers, who shot more tear gas into the crowd. After that, most of the crowd dispersed, and approximately 20 youths confronted the army, who opened fire with rubber-coated steel bullets. More people were injured.

Palestinians block settler road in solidarity with Gaza

2nd August 2014 | International Solidarity Movement | Al-Khader, Occupied Palestine

On the 30th July, approximately 40 Palestinian and international activists marched from al-Khader gate on the outskirts of Bethlehem and blocked Road 60, which connects all the illegal settlements in the area to Jerusalem, in protest over Israel’s attack on the people of Gaza. The group peacefully marched up the road leading to the junction connecting the Palestinian road and the settlement road, chanting slogans against the occupation.

When the group reached the junction, they blocked one of the roads for a short time, which involved standing in front of an army jeep, blocking its path. Around five soldiers saw the demonstration and called for reinforcements. After a few minutes, more soldiers arrived and pushed the demonstrators, first onto the pavement and then back down the road. Some of the soldiers were very aggressive and violent towards the Palestinian protestors. The soldiers then closed the military barrier at the end of that road so Palestinian traffic was obstructed. Palestinians continued to chant peacefully from the other side of the barrier and the soldiers stood and watched for a few minutes.

Then suddenly, without warning, soldiers threw and fired multiple stun grenades directly at Palestinians, in breach of military rules. Palestinians were forced to run backwards as three Israeli soldiers positioned themselves on an adjacent area and aimed sniper rifles at the demonstrators.

With the non-violent demonstration having been violently dispersed, a number of Palestinian youths went to another junction nearby and clashed with the Israeli army. The Israeli army fired tear gas canisters, rubber-coated steel bullets, and ‘skunk’ (chemical) water while Palestinians responded by throwing stones, launching fireworks and burning tires. The military also occupied a number of local houses, from which they fired weapons at youths and protesters.

Live ammo used as ‘crowd dispersal’

31st July 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Vern | Occupied Palestine

On July 29th, Palestinian activists from the Human Rights Defenders Group, as well as several ISM volunteers, went to the Almezan Hospital in Hebron, and met some of the Palestinians recently shot and injured by Israeli soldiers. Some of them were taking part in clashes; others were watching from rooftops or leaving their cars. They range in ages from 17 to 24-years-old. All of them were shot with live ammunition by the Israeli army.

Here are eight of their stories:

Abdi* is 18-years-old. He is from Beit Fajjar. He went to a peaceful demonstration, which turned quickly turned violent. The soldiers opened fire at the Palestinians, killing one person and wounding nine. Five minutes into the demonstration, the approximately 100 soldiers present began to use live ammunition. They did not throw stun grenades or use tear gas. There were no arrests. The tactic seemed to be to heavily wound or kill people and Abdi was shot in the leg with live ammunition.

Omar* is from Seiir village. He is 22-years-old. Omar was shot and wounded in Beit Anun, which is between Hebron and his village of Seiir. He was shot in the leg with a live bullet, which was fired from 30-40 meters away, and he then required surgery. Three others were also shot and injured that day. Neither Omar nor the people he was with were throwing rocks at the army. People were chanting before they were shot. The Israeli army came to the protest, with the sole purpose of inflicting harm.

Hamdi* is 19-years-old. Last Friday, he was taking part in clashes in Hebron. He was shot in the right leg with live ammunition. Part of his ligament had to be removed. Live ammunition was shot at him and other demonstrators, from 13 meters away. Seven people were injured in the demonstration. When he was carried into the hospital, three other wounded people were carried in with him. Afterwards, four more were brought in. He will need to remain in the hospital for two more weeks.

Nasser* is 19-years-old, and he is from Hebron. He was injured in last Friday’s demonstration, which took part by the Halhul Bridge. A live bullet, fired by a soldier standing some 30-40 meters away, went through both of his legs. It is still embedded in his left leg. The soldiers who shot him started with stun grenades and tear gas, then moved on to live ammunition. Some of the soldiers were using silencers. Nasser lost four units of blood, and will need to spend ten more days in the hospital.

Ali* is 24-years-old, and is from Saiir. He took part in a demonstration at Beit Anun, during which clashes broke out. A bullet was fired into his leg, which exploded upon entry. The Israeli military used rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, stun grenades, and live ammunition. Ali was shot by a bullet that was fired from a silencer. He was shot from a distance of 30 meters.

Yusuf* is 17-years-old. Last Sunday, he took part in a demonstration against the massacre in Gaza, in Bab Al-Zawiye, the city center of Hebron. He was shot from the roof by a sniper, and the live bullet that entered his leg was fired from a distance of 80-100 meters. A silencer was used. Initially, the soldiers shot tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. Some of the demonstrators threw it back at them. While some of the protesters were throwing rocks, not all of them were, and the soldiers nevertheless fired at everyone. Yusuf has spent 10 days in the hospital already, and does not know when he will be able to go home.

Bukhari* is from Tarkumia, a village near Hebron. He is 20-years-old. Bukhari was injured during clashes near the Halhul Bridge, but he was not taking part in the protests. Bukhari was taking a service (shared taxi) to go home after work, when soldiers closed the bridge. He had to look for another vehicle for transportation, and as he was leaving the service, he was shot. Bukhari was shot with a live bullet that went through his leg, from a distance of 11 meter. He lost eight units of blood. Bukhari will need another 14 days in the hospital, and will need physical rehabilitation for some time, to help him walk again.

Jalal* is 20-years-old. He was injured at Bab Al-Zawiye on Monday, July 21st. That night, clashes were taking place between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers. He was shot with a bullet that went into one leg and exited through the other. He was not taking part in the clashes, but instead observing from his roof. He was shot by a sniper who was on a nearby roof. The march he was observing was the second demonstration against the massacre in Gaza, during which people marched from Hosseini Mosque to Bab Al-Zawiye. It was a very large demonstration. Jalal will need to spend at least 15 more days in the hospital.

*All names have been changed for security reasons.

Video: Free the bubbles

30th July 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil team | Hebron, Occupied Palestine

At approximately 1 pm on July 28^th, international volunteers made giant bubbles with Palestinian children to celebrate Eid, in Tel Rumeida, al-Khalil (Hebron).

Several settlers passed by in their cars and were visibly annoyed, and two stopped to complain to the Israeli soldiers present. At 1:30 pm, a group of settler youth started pushing Palestinian children who were playing on Tel Rumeida hill.

Several Palestinian women stepped in to prevent the violence. Shortly after this, more setter children and a settler woman, who identified herself as Tzippi, came down from the illegal settlement of Tel Rumeida and began aggressively photographing Palestinians.

Tzippi claimed that her children had been assaulted. She pushed several Palestinians and put her camera extremely close to several of their faces. One Palestinian girl tried to run away and Tzippi chased her up the street. Meanwhile, Israeli soldiers pushed Palestinians an attempted to force some of them into their houses. Eventually, Tzippi chased the Palestinian girl into her own garden. She was then joined by more settlers. An international volunteer blocked her path, by standing with his back to her with his arms outstretched. Soldiers then rushed into the garden and started shouting at Tzippi.

After a short time the Israeli police arrived. The settlers wrongly accused several Palestinians and the international activist of pushing them. These lies were contradicted by several videos that showed what happened and were shown to the police.

Nevertheless, five Palestinians and the international volunteer were arrested by the Israeli police. They were held for around seven hours, and interrogated. One of the Palestinians remained in handcuffs and leg chains throughout his detention.

Meanwhile, the settlers wandered around the police station pointing out Palestinians who they claimed had assaulted them. These Palestinians were all together in a room with no other Palestinians, and were either in chains or behind an interrogation desk in connection with this case. The “identification” process was therefore of no evidential value.

During his interrogation, the police told the international activist that the settlers were very angry and had filed a complaint about the bubbles. The police officer said that he was not taking that particular complaint further because, “it is not illegal for Palestinian children to play.” The police also accepted his account of the incident. However, they police nevertheless took the fingerprints and DNA of those who had been arrested and only released them subject to strict conditions.