Category: Photo Story - Page 12 - International Solidarity Movement

Political Prisoners absent during Palestinian Mother’s Day

23^rd March 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah Team | Kafr ad-Dik, Occupied Palestine

On 21st of March, Palestine celebrated their Mother’s Day. A group of Palestinian and international activists visited the village of Kafr ad Dik in the Salfit municipality. The activists delivered roses to the mothers and relatives of political prisoners and sat down with them to hear their stories. The action was organised by three Palestinian groups: Target Association for Rural Development – Burin; Handala Center for Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners; and, Retaj Foundation for Women.

The following is a summary of their stories, a glimpse into the 6,500 political prisoners (January 2017) that are imprisoned in Israeli prisons.

ISM/Yusuf Zidan — Hamidan Family: His sentence of 6 years was imposed on 20th March 2017, he is 20yo

ISM/Charlie Donnelly — Ratib Family: All 5 sons have been arrested at some stage, the father was arrested recently for the third time for having hunting rifle. Currently has one son in prison.

ISM — Hamidan Family: 37yo, has already served 13 years for 20 year plus a life sentence (20-35 years or open-ended)

This action was the first day of a longer campaign to show solidarity with the families of those imprisoned by the Israeli state. The act of imprisonment places a huge strain on families, both emotionally and financially – it is important for us to show them that they are not forgotten.

Hebron’s eighth annual demonstration to open Shuhada Street: in pictures

2nd March 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

The eighth annual demonstration against the closure of the Tel Rumeida and Shuhada Street districts of Hebron was dispersed by Israeli violence within five minutes of setting off this year. Nearly a thousand attended from all over Palestine, and included Israeli and international activists. Many were injured by tear gas. Here are the pictures of the day:

Dismantle the Ghetto banner in Bab al-Zawiya, near entrance to the closed zone

The demo sets off peacefully with hundreds of demonstrators chanting and marching towards the military base

Israeli forces begin to shower protesters with teargas and stun grenades

Palestinian protester enveloped in teargas

In an act of collective punishment, Israeli forces bring out a skunkwater truck, and spray houses in the old city with foul smelling chemical water

After the protest is disrupted, clashes erupt in Bab al-Zawiya between Palestinian youth and Israeli forces

Photo story: Gilbert checkpoint impeding Palestinian daily life (January 2017)

31st January 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

In the old city of occupied al-Khalil (Hebron), Palestinians’ freedom of movement is impeded by a large number of Israeli checkpoints. In the Tel Rumeida neighborhood, many school-children and teachers are forced to pass at least one, often more, checkpoint daily on their way to school. The Israeli occupation seriously disrupts the right to education for Palestinians in al-Khalil.

One of the checkpoints that Palestinians have to pass in the Tel Rumeida neighborhood is the ‘Gilbert’ checkpoint in the heart of the Tel Rumeida neighborhood. This checkpoint divides the neighborhood, enforcing the Israeli forces’ checkpoint regime on Palestinian residents only. Israeli settlers enjoy full freedom of movement and rights in and around the illegal settlements. This photo-story of the Gilbert checkpoint illustrates what this limitation of movement means to Palestinian civilians in every day life.

Palestinian journalists were denied entry through the checkpoint, as they were on their way to Shuhada Street, to document Palestinian school children walking through checkpoints on their way to school. — Palestinian journalists were denied entry through the checkpoint. They were on their way to Shuhada Street to document Palestinian school children walking through checkpoints on their way to school.

Palestinian child is stopped on his way to school is stopped at the checkpoint, as the soldier decides to check his schoolbag. — Palestinian school-boy has to pass his school-bag for a bag-search, before being allowed to continue on his way to school.

Tel Rumeida, Gilberts Checkpoint — Israeli soldier searching the bag of a Palestinian woman. Officially, these bag-searches are for ‘security purposes’, but Israeli forces often arbitrarily search only some bags. At this checkpoint they mainly search women’s bags, while allowing men to pass without being searched. Palestinians are robbed of even the tiniest bit of privacy at the Israeli forces’ checkpoints.

Group of Palestinian school children passing through israeli military checkpoint — Group of Palestinian school children passing through Israeli military checkpoint. Children are not exempt from the Israeli forces policies and are forced to pass metal detectors daily. On their way to school. Israeli forces sometimes search their bags or force them to wait while checking another Palestinian.

Palestinian child passing through checkpoint and a large group of israeli forces on his way home. — Palestinian child passing through checkpoint and past a large group of Israeli forces on his way home. An ‘innocent’ childhood is denied to Palestinian children living under Israeli military occupation. Sadly, they have to pass large groups of heavily-armed soldiers on the way to school. The practice of soldiers conducting exercises of how to shoot Palestinians to death at checkpoints in civilian Palestinian neighborhoods are the norm rather than the exception.

Palestinian school children passing israeli military checkpoint on their way to school — Palestinian school children passing Israeli military checkpoint on their way to school. These checkpoints often are the reason for Palestinian school-children to reach school late, as they might be delayed, denied to pass or searched.

Palestinian man is kept waiting for several minutes in front of the checkpoint, as israeli forces are checking his ID, violating his freedom of movement. — Palestinian man is forced to wait at the checkpoint, but forced to move several meters back, as Israeli forces check his ID, violating his freedom of movement.

Israeli forces are detaining a Palestinian woman at the checkpoint, unaware that a member of UN delegation is present. — Israeli forces are detaining a Palestinian woman at the checkpoint, unaware that a member of a UN delegation is present. According to international law and the recent UN resolution, Israeli settlements in the Israeli occupied West Bank are illegal.

Israeli forces trespassing Palestinian owned shop located in front of the checkpoint in Tel Rumeida. — Israeli forces ‘checking’ Palestinian shop located near the checkpoint. All commodities and general necessities have to be bought on the other side of the checkpoint, as the area locked up within the checkpoints has no shops. So, whenever a Palestinian needs to buy groceries, he or she must pass the checkpoint.

Demonstrators demand return of martyrs bodies in Bethlehem

15th January 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Bethlehem, occupied Palestine

The Prisoners Club held a demonstration and march to the illegal apartheid wall on Sunday afternoon to demand the return of the bodies of martyrs held unjustly by the colonial occupying Zionist State of Israel.

The Zionist Israeli forces often take the bodies of murdered Palestinian martyrs and hold them, usually for long periods of time, threatening to bury them in unmarked graves in the cemetery of numbers if Palestinian resistance continues. The families want the bodies of their loved ones returned for funeral and burial.

The demonstration and march was attended by well over 150 Palestinian men, women and children along with several internationals.

After the march to the illegal colonial apartheid wall, as the group was leaving, the Israeli occupation forces opened the gate in the wall with several military vehicles and began to fire tear gas, sound grenades and rubber coated steel bullets into and at the crowd. A handful of people were minimally affected by teargas with no medical treatment needed and no other injuries reported. The clash lasted about one and half hours.

Over 150 demonstrators demand return of martyrs bodies in Bethlehem.

Children out in force at Bethlehem demonstration demanding return of martyrs' bodies — Children out in force at Bethlehem demonstration demanding return of martyrs’ bodies.

Demonstration continues after march to apartheid wall in Bethlehem.

Demonstrators carry symbolic coffins, demanding return of martyrs' bodies — Demonstrators carry symbolic coffins, demanding return of martyrs’ bodies in Bethlehem.

Demonstrators call for support from upcoming Paris conference.

Protesters at the apartheid wall in occupied Bethlehem — Protesters at the apartheid wall demanding the release of martyrs’ bodies in occupied Bethlehem.

A boy runs after tear gas canister and throws it back at Bethlehem demonstration.

Tear gas fired by Israeli forces fills the street in Bethlehem following demonstration.

Villagers continue to resist settlements in Kafr Qaddum

13th January 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil Team | Kafr Qaddum, Occupied Palestine

The Friday demonstration against the illegal wall in Kafr Qaddum was attended by over 100 Palestinians along with numerous pro-Palestinian Israelis and other internationals.

Two days prior to the demonstration, the villagers were told if there was the usual demonstration on Friday, everyone would be arrested.

There were two surprises this Friday. A high ranking female member of the Palestinian authority (PA) attended the demonstration. Prior to the march she spoke to those gathered about the importance of continued activism and protests against the illegal colonial settlements and apartheid wall.

The second surprise was the Israeli occupation forces made no arrests and in fact only a handful of soldiers were seen about 500 metres from the demonstration. It is only speculation on the part of this writer but this may have been due to the PA official being present at the demonstration. There were no shots fired and no injuries reported.

At the Friday demonstration a week earlier in Kafr Qaddum, a 7-year old boy was kidnapped by Israeli forces and interrogated before being returned to his family a couple of hours later. The boy has said that soldiers threatened to kill his father if he did not cooperate.