The 2nd of July 2018 is four years to the day since the kidnapping and murder of Mohammed Abu
Khdeir, a 16 year old Palestinian boy from Shu’fat in East Jerusalem. The shocking nature of his
murder and its context, occurring only 6 days before Israeli bombing campaigns in Gaza, make it a
painful memory for Palestinians.
Mohammed was waiting for friends to eat the pre-dawn meal in Ramadan and was outside his home
at 3.45 in the morning. He was dragged into a car by two or three settlers. He screamed “father, save
me!”. The four settlers who took part (two of whom were minors) then proceeded to beat
Mohammed, covered him in petrol and set him on fire while he was still alive. The autopsy confirmed he had inhaled the burning material confirming he was still alive when he was set on fire and that he suffered internal as well as external burns covering 90% of his body.
Relatives of Mohammed Abu Khdeir hold pictures of him outside his home in Jerusalem (photo: the Guardian)
While many in the Israeli government expressed condolences the violence against the boy’s family
was not yet at an end. His cousin Tariq, a US citizen, was beaten and arrested by police in east
Jerusalem only a few days later. He recalled “they hit me, and they kept hitting me and then I fell
asleep and then I woke up in the hospital.” The police said there he had been involved in violence
but journalists noted that there was no mention of this accusation at the court hearing. He was 15 at
the time.
While the killers were eventually sentenced (although the minors may be released in under 15 years)
the horrific incident must not be viewed as an isolated outbreak. Instead it should be located within
a collection of sentiments coming from the settler community, the military, the media and the
government of Israel. The inevitable result is terrorism against Palestinians. From Mohammed’s killer
Ben-David to the settlers who spat at the Abu Khdeir family when they arrived in court, to even the
Israeli government, the Palestinians and their children are “little snakes” and “Wild Beasts” and
legitimate targets for violence. At 16 Mohammed Abu Khdeir was training to be an electrician.
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.
This is a call for all those who believe in justice, equality and freedom to come to Palestine and support the Palestinian struggle for liberation.
Palestinian women flying kites at The Great March of Return in Gaza (Mohammed Asad, via Mondoweiss)
The International Solidarity Movement is looking for volunteers from now until the end of August to join the Summer of Return campaign. Volunteers will assist actions across Palestine that raise global awareness of the Great March of Return, large-scale popular protests in Gaza, consisting of thousands of demonstrators each Friday demanding to implement their right to return to their land and homes. While the brutal siege of Gaza has transformed the strip into an open air prison camp, it is almost impossible to enter the isolated strip. However solidarity actions with the Great March of Return are taking place across Palestine. Volunteers will support nonviolent actions of popular resistance against Israeli occupation and apartheid. Human rights defenders will also offer accompaniment to Palestinians and their communities who face daily harassment, risk of physical violence and arrest by occupation forces and settlers.
Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip attempted to cross the highly fortified fence separating the enclave (Al-Jazeera)
Since the start of the Marches, at least 135 unarmed protesters have been shot dead and more than 14,000 wounded by Israeli forces (UNOCHA), including children, medical staff, journalists, and the disabled. Gaza’s health system has been pushed to the brink of collapse, as hospitals struggle to handle an influx of serious and life-threatening injuries. Palestinians under siege in Gaza are marching home to the villages and cities from which they were expelled. They are marching out of the concentration camp that Israel has transformed Gaza into. They are marching to claim the international human right of refugees to return. Because of this, the Israeli occupying forces are murdering them in cold blood. The courage and sacrifice of this March demands all to stand up and end Israeli impunity and apartheid..
Palestinian youth play during the mass rally on April 11, 2018 (Xinhua/Stringer)
The ISM is a Palestinian-led movement which is committed to non-violent action. We will provide further information on our principles and other necessary information in a two day training course in our Ramallah office from the 2nd to the 4th July and from the 2nd to the 4th August.
Israel’s parliament is to consider a law banning the photographing or filming of soldiers. The proposed legislation is entitled the “Prohibition against photographing and documenting IDF Soldiers”.
“Anyone who filmed, photographed, and/or recorded soldiers in the course of their duties, with the intention of undermining the spirit of IDF soldiers and residents of Israel, shall be liable to five years imprisonment. Anyone intending to harm state security will be sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment”, says the bill, proposed by Robert Ilatov, a member of the Knesset and the chairman of the right-wing nationalist Yisrael Beiteinu party.
On Sunday 17th June, the Israeli government endorsed the proposal, if the aim is “hurting a soldier’s spirit” or “harming national security.” The bill will now undergo four full rounds of votes in the parliament before it becomes a law. The first round was scheduled to be held on Wednesday.
This is a dangerous, totalitarian attempt to undermine scrutiny of the violations of international law carried out by Israeli forces. Haaretz has condemned the bill, saying its aim was to “to silence criticism of the army, and in particular to prevent human rights organisations from documenting the Israeli army’s actions in the territories. The immediate result of such a prohibition is serious harm to the possibility of protecting human rights and overseeing the army’s activity. The bill does serious harm to freedom of the press and the public’s right to know what the reality is and especially what the ‘people’s army; is doing in its name and on its behalf.”
Israeli forces have long been targeting journalists in Palestine, from directly shooting tear gas and bullets at press and human rights activists (including children) in the West Bank to the recent murders of Yasser Murtaja and Ahmed Abu Hussein during the ongoing Great Return March in Gaza. The number of journalists killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank and Gaza Strip since 2000 has reached 43.
Please join us in condemning the proposed bill and calling on the Knesset to oppose this law by signing the petition.
An Israeli soldier escorts a Palestinian journalist during a weekly demonstration against the expropriation of Palestinian land by Israel in the village of Kfar Qaddum, near Nablus in the occupied West Bank, on May 11, 2018 (Getty)
12th June 2018 | Mondoweiss | Nabi Saleh, occupied Palestine
This interview with Bassem Tamimi was recorded on May 4, 2018 in the occupied village of Nabi Saleh, by International Solidarity Movement activists.
His daughter Ahed Tamimi, 17, is serving an eight-month prison sentence for slapping an Israeli soldier on the family’s property on December 15 of last year, after Israeli soldiers shot her cousin in the face.
Bassem reflects on his daughter’s choice:
‘I think more than 300 times they raided inside my house… They took my electronic devices several times. They broke the windows several times. They shot most of my children several times. My son was arrested two times. My wife was arrested five times. I was arrested nine times. I was tortured and be paralyzed for a period of time. My wife was shot in her leg, two years she couldn’t walk. My home is under a demolition order. After all of that somebody asked, why Ahed slapped a soldier? She must slap the soldier. Sometimes I feel there is a triple standard or more than in dealing with the Palestinian issue.’
Also check out Tamimi’s comments on the two-state solution (a project of the Israeli left, and the Israeli left has disappeared) and the heart of the issue: a colonization project. Till the colonization project ends, the Palestinian resistance will not cease. And notice at the beginning when he shows visitors the surveillance balloon over Nabi Saleh.
‘You see that balloon watching us? It’s a camera for watching everything.’
