Category: Nablus - Page 38 - International Solidarity Movement

Shelter and water tank demolished in the village of Tawayel

20th November 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Tawayel, Occupied Palestine

Today, 20^th of November, the Israeli army entered Tawayel, a village next to Aqraba, south of Nablus, to demolish a well and a shelter belonging to two families.

At approximately 6:00 in the morning, for the third time this year, around 30 soldiers arrived with seven military jeeps and three bulldozers to further demolish this side of the village where families have been living and farming the land for more than 200 years. These demolitions come just three weeks after the same family was victim to the destruction of another water tank and sheep shelter.

The families, with help from the municipalities in Aqraba, have attempted to challenge the demolition orders in the Israeli court several times since 2009 without success. The only exception was when the Israeli army wanted to destroy the electricity system which was funded by the Belgian government. With the diplomatic pressure of the Belgium consulate in Jerusalem, the electricity network was allowed to stay.

The demolition of the water tank today will prevent the harvest of vegetables; the major source of income for the family who built the tank ten years ago. Their income is now restricted to their sheep, which used to drink water from the now demolished water tank. The rain season, which usually starts in November, is late this year, it will hopefully begin soon but the wells will not be filled. The destruction of the shelter leaves the sheep and goats without a safe place during the winter months.

The homes and agricultural structures that the families currently use in Tawayel need reconstructing, and in order to do this the farmers sent several applications for planning permission, they did not receive a response from the Israeli government and this is why the administration declared those constructions as illegal. To this date the Israeli government has not approved any plans for refurbishment in Tawayel and therefore it is most likely that the families cannot build new water tanks and shelters without repeated demolitions.

Home demolitions in this village are strategic. Tawayel is located adjacent to the Jordan Valley in Area C where the soil is very fertile, provided that the farmers have access to water. Israel has many so called “economical settlements” in the Jordan Valley which produce vegetables and fruits for export, and these continue to expand, encroaching on Palestinian land.

According to international laws and the Geneva Convention, these settlements are illegal, but European countries still import products from these settlements. This summer the European Union issued guidelines to restrict commercial relations with Israeli settlements, it has yet to be seen whether this will have any impact.

Morning settler attack triggers clash with serious injuries in Qusra

18th November 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Qusra, Occupied Palestine

Early yesterday morning, a Palestinian family was attacked by approximately 20 settlers on their fields in Qusra village, southeast of Nablus. 30 olive trees were also destroyed. Following this incident, a clash broke out between Israeli forces and Palestinian youth in the village where a house was raided and Israeli soldiers fired many tear gas canisters, rubber-coated steel bullets and injured eight Palestinians.

At 10:00 yesterday morning a family from Qusra entered their olive grove. Shortly afterwards a group of approximately 20 settlers from the illegal settlement of Migdalim arrived and began to threaten the family, uprooting between 30-50 olive trees. This land stretches across 50 dunams and borders the Israeli controlled Area C portion of the West Bank, it is the fifth time this family’s land have been attacked by settlers. Half an hour passed before Israeli soldiers arrived and removed the settlers to limit the damage, however when an international activist arrived to document the incident, Israeli forces had already entered Qusra village.

A group of 50 young Palestinians threw stones to try and prevent an Israeli military vehicle from invading the village; however Israeli forces then began firing tear gas canisters and rubber-coated steel bullets. After one hour passed, five Palestinians were shot with rubber-coated steel bullets and the Israeli soldiers were extremely aggressive in their attack. They then withdrew from the village only to enter from another part of Qusra, proceeding to raid a house in the centre of the village and from the roof of this house continuing to fire many rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas canisters.

The invaded house belongs to the same Palestinian family who was attacked by settlers early in the day, whether this was a sign of warning to the family is unknown, however much tear gas entered the house during the raid and several family members suffered from tear gas inhalation. Two children, ages six and seven, were unconscious for several minutes and required medical treatment from the Red Crescent ambulant service that was present during the raid. Muhammad Nashad, the uncle of these two children, was beaten by the Israeli soldiers, who forced him to his knees and fired a stun grenade directly in front of him. 21-year-old Ali Farid, another family member, attempted to block the soldier’s entrance into the home when he was shot in the arm with a rubber-coated steel bullet.

Israeli forces eventually left the village, leaving behind damaged property and at least 8 injuries, including 18-year-old Hamada Rida who was shot in the chest with a rubber-coated steel bullet and was taken to hospital to receive medical treatment.

Israeli forces injure 8 Palestinians during aggressive Kafr Qaddum demonstration

15th November 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Kafr Qaddum, Occupied Palestine

Today, Friday 15th November, the Israeli army detained four children before the weekly demonstration in Kafr Qaddum. Israeli soldiers then invaded the village during the protest, firing many tear gas canisters and injuring 8 Palestinians.

At approximately 9:00 this morning, a group of children were playing in the village, when Israeli forces arrived with military jeeps. The soldiers threw stun grenades and detained the four children, all of whom were extremely young, 5, 7, 8 and 9-years-old. After questioning them about their family and who sent them there, the soldiers released the children.

When Palestinians and international activists began gathering for the demonstration before the Friday prayers, the Israeli army once again stormed the village from the main road leading towards the illegal Israeli settlement of Qedumim. As they entered the village, they fired tear gas canisters directly at the group before the demonstration had even began.

At 12:00 when the demonstration officially started, Israeli soldiers were already in the village, accompanied by three military jeeps and a bulldozer. Many tear gas canisters and stun grenades were fired directly at demonstrators while another group of soldiers moved to a position on the top of the hill overlooking Kafr Qaddum. The Israeli forces then began to shoot tear gas canisters directly into several homes. Six children of the same family suffered from tear gas inhalation; three were evacuated by ambulance. They are between 8 and 14-years-old.

As the local media were filming the scene, a journalist from Palestine TV was injured by a tear gas canister. Seven other Palestinians were injured and one of them was evacuated to hospital in Nablus to receive medical treatment.

Protest against demolition orders in Izbit Tabib

14th November 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Izbit Tabib, Occupied Palestine

Several years ago the village of Izbit Tabib, east of Qalqiliya was served with demolition orders by the Israeli Army. The orders would mean destruction of 33 houses (73% of the village) and the village school.

The school of Izbit Tabib (photo by ISM).

Two houses have already been demolished and the school which has 52 students is vital to the village and its future.

One of the demolished houses (photo by ISM).

The villagers have been striving to get the order quashed in the Israeli courts, but the threat remains and hangs over the village like a black cloud.

Yesterday the villagers organised a demonstration against the threat and were supported by representatives of the Palestinian Authority, groups of international activists, Israeli activists and a TV camera team. The school children joined the protest and made several speeches.

Trees were planted at the site of a proposed new school and the demonstrators then marched into the village with banners flying and heard speeches condemning the Israeli army’s intended action.

Israeli army assaults Arafat memorial march

12th November 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Kafr Qaddum, Occupied Palestine

The residents of Kafr Qaddum held their annual anniversary demonstration marking Yasser Arafat’s death, despite strong repression from the Israeli army.

At approximately 2:30 pm, Palestinian demonstrators and international activists assembled in front of the illegal settlement of Qedumim. After about 30 minutes, the Israeli army began shooting a huge amount of tear gas into the fields and on the main road, trying to prevent the demonstrators to exercise their right to protest and express their opinion.

After one hour of sustained tear gas fire, part of the demonstration slowly moved back to the middle of the street as the soldiers were taking position on the top of the hill in order to better target the demonstrators. A few demonstrators stayed on the road, facing the rest of the soldiers. Suddenly, the Israeli army started throwing stones, followed by more stun grenades and tear gas rained down on the Palestinians citizens of Kafr Qaddum.

Despite the continued Israeli assault, the demonstration lasted until 5:00 pm. Two Palestinian citizens were injured, both on the legs. One of them, directly hit by a tear gas canister, has been admitted to Nablus hospital.