Category: In the Media - Page 11 - International Solidarity Movement

Shoot First Don’t ask Questions Later

20th October 2015 | International Solidarity Movement | West Bank, occupied Palestine

A video posted on October 12th by Shehab news agency described as an attack on a Palestinian girl from Haifa in her twenties for allegedly trying to assault a taxi driver in Tel Aviv after an argument between them. The video shows a woman pinned to the ground by a man as passers-by argue about whether or not to beat and kill her. One woman claims she saw the woman had a knife and screams “Why are you playing around. They are coming to kill our children!” and demands her execution. Another bystander asks the man “Did she come at you with a knife?” and he replies “She put her hand in her pocket.” Yet Another kicks her in the head. Sharon Puwler from Haaretz Daily reported on 20th October 2015 that the woman did not carry any weapon.

While there undoubtedly are stabbings of Israelis taking place, there are also undoubtedly mistaken or false accusations and pressure from Israeli civilians to kill people they suspect of being terrorists. The latest example being the Eritrean asylum seeker Mulu Habtom Zerhom who was shot and beaten to death in the Beersheva central bus station after being mistaken for an Arab. Because Mulu was not Palestinian there will be an investigation committee looking into his murder.

Palestinians who are killed are assumed guilty by default. In the case of the Palestinian woman in the video taken in Tel Aviv, if some of the bystanders hadn’t intervened and the woman had been lynched it would have been reported as: “knife wielding terrorist neutralized”. This is how the Israeli media portrayed 23 year old Ahmed Sha’ban from Ras el-Amud in Occupied East Jerusalem. Al Quds Newspaper published a video showing an Israeli security guard shooting twice directly at Ahmed’s body after he is already on the ground. An Israeli eye witness is heard stating: “Central bus station in Jerusalem, just now, a terrorist was exterminated, bro, right in front of me! Right in front of me he shot him ten times! Ten bullets were shot at him now! It’s such a mess here! I don’t know, he didn’t touch anything… He didn’t have a knife in his hand. Everyone shouted ‘terrorist’. The security guard shot him. I am telling you the bullets are right in front of me. My head hurts.”

Israeli officials have been criticised by human rights organisations for calling on Israelis with licensed guns to carry them in public and to kill any suspect. They have made it clear that it is not necessary to determine if the suspect is holding a knife before shooting to kill. At a press conference on October 8th Israeli Minister of defence Moshe Yaalon stated “Right now it is required primarily to be vigilant, determined, to respond quickly to any local attack, to eliminate the terrorist stabber or the perpetrator, stone thrower and the like, immediately on the spot. This is the answer to this kind of terrorism.” Other Israeli officials rushed to echo the sentiment On the 11th of October MK Yair Lapid Head of the Yesh Atid party said on a televised interview,” whoever takes out a knife or a screwdriver or whatever it may be, needs to be shot to kill”, adding “don’t hesitate. Even at the start of an attack, shooting to kill is correct.”

There have been many cases of alleged knife wielders shot in the last months since the killing of Hadeel al-Hashlamoun in Hebron that Amnesty international categorized as an extrajudicial execution. They all deserve an investigative committee. Whether a suspect is falsely accused or did actually carry out an attack, shooting and/or killing people who do not constitute an immediate threat to anyone is war crime.

Settlers lay siege to Wadi Alhussein neighbourhood in Hebron (Al Khalil), Daana family under threat

18th October 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, Al-Khalil team | West Bank, occupied Palestine

Sunday 18 October

The Hebron (Al Khalil) neighbourhood of Wadi Alhussein is tonight, Sunday 18th October, under siege as armed settlers rampage through the streets with support of the Israeli forces. International human rights activists are currently standing in solidarity in the home of the Daana Family who have already suffered several physical attacks in the past few days.

As of 9.40pm, three people have been injured in the Daana house, including one young child, due to attack by fire bomb, and ambulances are being prevented from delivering aid. Tear gas has been fired extensively between Palestinian houses and many stun grenades have been used in the area. The situation is anticipated to escalate overnight as settlers from the adjacent illegal settlement of Kiryat Arba are continuing to gather around Palestinian family homes.

Hebron (Al Khalil) has been in a state of borderline lockdown by Israeli forces for over 24 hours now, following the murder of Palestinian 18 year old Fadel Al-Kawasmeh by illegal settlers on Shuhada street yesterday morning. Following this Bayan Ahmad Aseeleh, 16, was shot by Israeli forces outside the Ibrahimi Mosque on allegations that she attempted to stab a soldier. Settlers were then witnessed dancing on the site of a third shooting and lying in front of the ambulance carrying Tarek Al-Natsheh who died soon after.

Immediately following this, a group of approximately 200 settlers tore down the fence between the Kiryat Arba settlement and the H2 neighbourood of Wadi Alhussein, throwing stones and fire bombs at Palestinian houses. Ten Palestinians were injured in the attack, including 13 year old Abdullah Nasser Dana, who was hit in the chest with a molotov cocktail, and Basil Khaled Dana, 16, who was hit in the ankle with a stone while helping Abdullah. 25 year old Emid Sayeed Dana, who was hit with a stone on the wrist, said earlier today ‘I think they will come again tonight.’ An unidentified Palestinian was also shot with live ammunition by a settler.

Dezeray, an international activist from the US who has been living in Hebron, is currently in the Daana house. She stated: ‘this situation is an absolute violation of peoples’ basic rights. The Daana family are just one example of daily life for Palestinians and the escalating settler violence of the past few weeks.’

Italian human rights defender Orion added, ‘Israel must be held accountable for soldiers’ extrajudicial attacks on Palestinians, as well as their support of settlers’ arbetrary attacks on innocent Palestinian families.’

The Daana family have been victim to attacks by illegal Kiryat Arbar settlers in the past, including a 2008 fire bombing of the house. In 2003 they were detained in their home for a week, with food being delivered by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. They have also had 5 horses poisoned by settlers in the past 10 years.

Nine families are living in the house, with 50 people, the majority of which are women and children.

Photo Credit: Youth Against Settlements. Ambulance carrying dying Palestinian prevented from leaving Shuhada Street by frenzied settlers. — Photo Credit: Youth Against Settlements. Ambulance carrying dying Palestinian prevented from leaving Shuhada Street by settlers 17-10-15.

Ruthless killing of Palestinian youths in al-Khalil (Hebron)

17th October 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

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UPDATE 9pm:

No stop to violence, settlers are taking over the streets
The Tel Rumeida neighbourhood of al-Khalil is on lockdown for Palestinians. Palestinian residents and internationals are not allowed to be on the streets, on their own roofs or at the windows of their houses. Israeli forces on the street are yelling and pointing guns at them if they see anyone. Settlers on the other hand are allowed to freely roam the streets.
Hundreds of settlers came to the spot of the killing of 18-year old Fadel al-Qawasmeh, executed by settlers this morning, to celebrate his death. The settlers, armed with machine guns are intimidating Palestinians living nearby, blocking the streets. Soldiers are not able to protect anyone anymore, a small group of Palestinians wanting to go home from a visit had to run back and lock the door behind them in order not get harmed by the settlers. Two internationals were first stopped by soldiers and ordered not to move and then yelled at to leave as fast as possible as settlers were approaching.
An Israeli ambulance with the dying Palestinian youth shot at Shuhada checkpoint by Israeli forces for allegedly attacking a soldier with a knife, was blocked by the group of settlers. An elderly Palestinian, suffering breathing difficulties had to wait for over an hour to be allowed to be carried away towards an ambulance, as the ambulance was not allowed to pass on segregated Shuhada street.

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Today, 17^th October, 2015, Israeli forces and Israeli settlers in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron) murdered two Palestinian youth within three hours.

In the morning, Israeli settlers from the illegal settlements within al-Khalil, walked past the 18-year old Palestinian youth Fadel al-Qawasmeh in segregated Shuhada street, cursing him as an ‘Arab’ and then pulled a gun shooting him from point blank range. The settler fired four shots at the Palestinian youth from his pistol, one shot directly in the head. This execution was entirely unprovoked. Israeli soldiers rushed to the scene, but prevented a Palestinian ambulance from treating the critically injured Palestinian youth who was lying on the ground bleeding. Whereas the area around the execution was immediately closed for Palestinians and international observers by the Israeli forces, settlers at all times were allowed to freely stroll alongside the scene of the murder, with soldiers taking pictures with their private phones.

Israeli settlers standing right next to the scene of the execution

Later on, Israeli forces blocked all entrances to a Palestinian house nearby where activists where trying to document. In the meantime, settlers from the nearby illegal settlement of Beit Hadassah, watching from down on the street close by a checkpoint where enjoying tea and biscuits, brought from the settlement, with the soldiers and the police. After Israeli forces washed off the blood from the street, they broke into the house where Palestinians were filming before, with 11 children, the youngest only a year old, present. Heavily armed Israeli soldiers searched the house and confiscated all phones and cameras. Once they left the house, they were checking all the photos and videos taken after the execution of Fadel, and showed them to the settlers nearby.

Israeli settlers and soldiers sharing tea at the scene of the execution of Fadel al-Qawasmeh

Israeli soldiers having tea brought by settlers

Palestinians and international human rights observers trying to document this violent attack on a family home were repeatedly forced by Israeli forces to move away from the incident, whereas the settlers were allowed to freely walk around and curse and hurl insults at them, even threatening them that they will be the next to be killed. One Palestinian man was forced by Israeli soldiers to pass through a checkpoint even though soldiers were throwing stun grenades right outside the checkpoint. 23-year old Abed al-Salaymeh was detained in Tel Rumeida for one and a half hours, after soldiers prevented him from going back to his home in segregated Shuhada Street. Different soldiers repeatedly ordered him and internationals to either move up the hill from the checkpoint, or when further up to move back down, all the time prohibiting him from going back to his house. Once up the hill, he was detained for one and a half hours, with soldiers freely admitting that this is because he ‘annoyed’ them before. Settlers passing by were threatening him and internationals that ‘tomorrow they would be the ones to be killed’.

Israeli forces blocking the entrances to a Palestinian house

Only three hours later, Israeli forces shot and killed 16-year old Palestinian teenager Bayan Eiseleh at the Ibrahimi mosque. Her parents, rushing to the scene of her killing, were brutally attacked and beaten by Israeli forces. International human rights observers trying to document this senseless killing were detained by Israeli forces and then one of them was arrested for ‘taking pictures and posting them online’. She is still being held at the police station in the illegal settlement of Kiryat Arba.

Israeli forces encroaching on every-day live in occupied Jerusalem

16th October 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | al-Quds (Jerusalem), occupied Palestine

The Old City of al-Quds (Jerusalem) in the last few weeks has witnessed an explosion of Israeli forces’ presence, supposedly for ‘security reasons’. But having a closer look at – or just opening your eyes for – the multitude of restrictions, hindrances and fears aroused by this, proves that all of this has nothing to do with ‘security’ – but everything with instilling fear in the Palestinians still resisting the manifold ways the Israeli forces are trying to expel them not only from the Old City of Jerusalem, but all of Jerusalem in general.

Just two days ago, on Thursday 14^th of October, Israeli forces shot and killed a 20-year old Palestinian youth. Immediately after he was shot, bystanders were forced to move back by Israeli forces, while the young man was lying on the ground bleeding to death, with no-one administering first aid. Whereas Israeli settlers from settlements within East Jerusalem, illegal under international law, where allowed to get closer to take trophy-photos of yet another killed Palestinian, Israeli forces suddenly stormed towards a group of Palestinians, threatening to beat them with their rifles and batons. Palestinians, thus, were between a rock and a hard place: run and risk being shot multiple times with live ammunition for the simple act of running away from a heavily armed trigger-happy militarised force that just killed another Palestinian, or walk away slowly and be attacked by the same army. Being forced away, Palestinians held on to their phones in their hands – prevented to take photos of the Israeli forces’ crimes – with fear high that if someone reaches into a trouser-pocket or bag to take out anything, including a phone, they would receive multiple fatal gun-shot wounds by the Israeli forces closely watching every movement of the Palestinian bystanders. Israeli settlers, on the other hand, were free to approach the body of the youth, who, in the meantime has died without ever receiving any medical attention, to take photos. The Palestinian Red Crescent Ambulance Crew right outside Damascus Gate was physically pushed back to the ambulance and then forced to leave by the Israeli forces.

With the recent escalation of killings of Palestinians in al-Quds (Jerusalem) by Israeli forces, this is hardly an exception. This in itself, is already a message: when the killing of a Palestinian youth is no longer something ordinary, but something that just happens, something that will not be investigated under any circumstances, something that enjoys wide acceptance and often even provokes cheering by Israeli bystanders, – is it something that became ‘normal’? Various news networks have decided that instead of bringing their equipment over and over again, it’ll be easier to leave it at Damascus Gate all the time. Sanitation workers were ordered by the Israeli forces to clean off the blood of the Palestinian youth from the ground to erase every spot of the crime just committed. Police barriers are kept outside Damascus Gate, ready to close off the entrance at any time.

Sanitation workers ordered to clean off the blood from the ground

The Old City of al-Quds (Jersualem) is ‘fortified’, at least two, or groups of four to ten Israeli forces, are at every corner or alleyway. Every-day life for Palestinians was forced to a halt, while Israeli forces are comfortably occupying plastic chairs kept outside of shops for tourists to rest, languishing on porches where people used to play cards, or sit in front of locked shops closed in fear of the constantly rising threat of settler and police violence against Palestinians. The omnipresence of Israeli forces and restrictions, though, seem to be geared only towards Palestinians. The persons asked to pass through the metal detectors set up in the Old City are always Palestinians, ordered to lift up their shirts and trousers, take off their shoes and empty their bags even after passing through, from time to time with their children looking on in horror, children’s faces distorted by fear. For Palestinian children, there’s no place to be a child and play, with an occupying army, waiting just around every corner, shouting at children for accidentally exploding a balloon they were playing with in their parents’ shop. Parents try to keep an eye on their children at all times, simple tasks like sending them out to buy bread might result in them going missing and a frantic search – just to find out that the Israeli police arrested minor children and did not even bother to inform their parents. There is no regard for Palestinians basic human rights, or even respect for them as human beings. Whereas Israelis and tourists are free to roam the streets of the Old City, Palestinian residents are often stopped at any or even various of the checkpoints, forcing to explain again and again that they are residents, arguing for being allowed to do the most normal thing in life: trying to go back home.

Watch a video of Israeli forces body-searching Palestinian youth in Jerusalem (video credit: Ramallah city)

Gaza – a bloody Friday

9th October 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, Gaza team | Gaza, occupied Palestine

UPDATE – 8pm: 8 martyrs and close to 100 persons injured at today’s demonstration in Shijaia

Palestinian man shot in the stomach by Israeli forces

Injured Palestinian carried to an ambulance

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UPDATE – as of 6 pm today: From Osama al Jaro, Public Relations head at Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza: 6 dead, 60 injured, 11 injured under the age of 18. Israeli forces are using exploding bullets, fired at the chest and head.

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The situation in Gaza this Friday has taken an even more dramatic turn, when this morning a large group of young people were demonstrating in support of Jerusalem and against the occupation, near the border of the Strip, in Shishaia.

The unarmed rally was cowardly and violently attacked by Israeli snipers, killing at least four people and injuring more than forty. In some cases the gun shots were fired directly at the heads of the demonstrators.

Also in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, another rally was brutally repressed, this time two adolescents, 15 and 19 years old, were killed and the number of injured is around twelve.

This is cruelty towards the unarmed young people, exercising their right to protest against the brutal actions of the illegal Israeli occupation, as the Gaza Strip is surrounded by military turrets, tanks, drones and fences equipped with high technology. Therefore the Israeli soldiers, from their hidden and protected distance, set about to kill unarmed and defenseless Palestinian adolescents in cold blood – just for the pleasure of killing.