Category: Photo Story - Page 14 - International Solidarity Movement

Photo Story: Friday Prayer at Ibrahimi Mosque- Running the Gauntlet

22nd July 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | al-Khalil, occupied Palestine

Every Friday, many Palestinian Muslims come to Ibrahimi Mosque for prayers. To get to their place of worship, and home afterwards, they must run a gauntlet of Israeli military checkpoints. The Israeli Border Police invest their time and effort into making this a difficult and challenging experience for people whose only purpose in coming is to worship God.

Palestinian Muslim worshipers coming from the Souq are forced to wait in a cage. How long this will take- or whether they will get in- depends on the soldier who controls the gate.

They are then forced to stand in a metal detector, as they are searched for weapons. Some are patted down and frisked.

Some people are lucky and are ignored or waved through.

Others are forced to show their documents and open their bags before being allowed in.

Others are humiliated and made to wait and stand against the wall as the Border Police hold their IDs. From a very young age, children experience this humiliation as well.

This elderly man tried to go to his home, but permission was denied. He had to take the long way around.

While Palestinians in Hebron are forced to run a series of checkpoints and humiliations, the settlers have no such worries. They can go wherever they want.

Stopping, harassing and humiliating people can be a tedious job. The Israeli Border Police manning the checkpoint relax with smokes and drinks.

What is a humiliating and demeaning ordeal for the Palestinian residents of Khalil is just another day on the job for them.

Photo Essay: Women in Hebron

12th July 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

The current al-Khalil team were privileged to visit the Women in Hebron centre located in Idna, just outside of al-Khalil city.

Women in Hebron-1 — Two women making a rug that takes approximately two weeks to complete

Women in Hebron-2 — Nursery at the centre to facilitate the women bringing their children while they work

Women in Hebron-3 — Different designs of kafias

Women in Hebron-5 — The centre was full of laughing and smiles

Women in Hebron-6 — Detailed embrodiery work

Women in Hebron-7 — A beautiful, social atmosphere is fostered at the centre

Women in Hebron-8 — After your pillow cases are handmade, they’re hand ironed as well

Women in Hebron-10 — Make Apartheid History

Women in Hebron-11 — It took a few takes to get a photo of the women, but we love all of the photos

Make sure you visit Women in Hebron and support them and other local organisations in al-Khalil who suffer greatly from the ongoing occupation which reduces the number of tourists and locals alike who visit the beautiful old city of al-Khalil.

Photo story: Living under occupation in Jerusalem

28th April 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, Al-quds Team | Jerusalem, occupied Palestine

Young men are constantly being stopped, interrogated and searched by occupying forces in front of Damascus Gate and in the old city. In the top left corner you can see a snipers post on a building overlooking Damascus Gate. This post was placed without permission from the Palestinian owners.

The body searches are harsh and humiliating. Young men are required to remove belts and shoes and pull up their shirts and trousers in full view of the passing public.

Armed to the teeth border police are a very intimidating presence.

Young men are stopped, apparently at random, to be searched on the outskirts of the old city.

People going about their everyday business must negotiate the military and police presence that is everywhere in the old city.

Jewish Israelis and tourists wait at the Morrocan Gate to go up to Al Haram al Sharif.

Jewish Israelis attempting but failing to get up to Al Haram al Sharif.

According to Torah law, entering the Temple Mount area its strictly forbidden for Jews because of the holiness of the site, but this does not stop the settlers.

Inspite of all the problems they face, children can play peacefully in the beautiful gardens of the Noble Sanctuary.

Sami Janazreh enters 46th day of hunger strike

17th April 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, Al-Khalil Team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

Today volunteers from ISM attended a demonstration in Al-Khalil for Prisoners’ Day. Once the main demonstration had ended in the city a group of young Palestinians invited the volunteers to the Fawwar refugee camp outside the city.

Prisoner's day demonstration in occupied Hebron — Prisoner’s day demonstration in occupied Hebron

At the camp they were greeted by the Janazreh family, relatives of Sami Janazreh who invited the volunteers into their home for tea so they could tell us his story. Sami’s brother Haitham explained that Sami was detained on the 15th of November 2015 from his home in front of his family. The Israeli military brought no charges against Sami, but he was brought before a military court, with no jury or media present and sentenced to 4 months in a military prison. Once the 4 months were up he was brought before the military court again and sentenced to a further 4 months, without charge.

Three young demonstrators hold images of Sami

On the 3rd of March 2016 Sami was left with no option but to begin a hunger strike in protest at his detention. He is now 46 days into his hunger strike, and for the last 20 days his family has had no contact with him. The last information they received was that his kidneys were failing, his teeth had begun to fall out and he was unable to walk. The family have made concerted efforts to contact the prison to get updates on his condition but to no avail. They have had no contact from the Israeli government and there have been no official reports made.

On April 3rd 2016 two other prisoners, Adeb Mafaga and Fuouad Asse also began a hunger strike in protest at their illegal detention. The three men are striking in the hope that the Israeli government will release them to their families with signed papers to say they will no longer be detained without cause.

Sami's brother Haitham — Sami’s brother Haytham

Sami’s home is within the Fawwar refugee camp where he live’ with his wife, 3 children, Feras (13), Mahmod Darwesh (7), Marya (4) and other relatives including his brother, Haitham. The family has accepted that their father will die in prison without them having the chance to say goodbye. They asked the human rights defenders from ISM to highlight the plight of these men and raise awareness in the international community to give Sami the strength to continue his protest. As the hunger strike on its own has not been successful, it is now vitally important that we highlight this issue and put worldwide pressure on the Israeli government to release the men and save their lives.

On this Palestinian Prisoner’s Day we urge you to show support for Sami, Adeb and Fuoud by tweeting #FreeSami and by spreading his story through social media as much as we can.

Non violent protest in Ni’lin once again met with violence

15th April 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Ni’lin, occupied Palestine

On Friday, the 15th of April 2016 – and as part of a West-Bank wide protest for Prisoner’s Day – the villagers of Ni’lin held their weekly non-violent demonstration. They were protesting against Israeli apartheid politics, the theft of the villagers land through the building of the apartheid wall and illegal settlements. The protestors were also showing their opposition to the continued collective punishment that the village of Ni’lin suffers at the hands of Israeli forces.

Prayers take place before the protest in Ni'lin — Prayers take place before the protest in Ni’lin

After the midday prayers some of the Palestinian demonstrators walked up towards the road to the gate in the apartheid wall. Whilst another group of began walking down to a different part of the wall to start a fire with rubber tires in an attempt to draw the Occupation Forces away from the main demonstration. At the main clash the demonstrators were met with tear gas near the entrance to the village, but thankfully no rubber-coated metal bullets or live-ammunition were used by the Israeli forces this week. A main concern for the villagers was the shooting of tear gas in the outskirts of the city where two houses were hit. This show of collective punishment meant that the the villagers in those two houses, not taking part in the protest, were extremely badly effected by tear gas. The demonstrators, supported as ever by Israelis and Internationals showing their solidarity, were quickly forced back by the sheer volume of tear gas and the demonstration began to wind down.

Fire at the Apartheid wall away from the main protest

The excess use of force in denying Palestinians their right to peaceful protest and the use, once again, of long-range, potentially deadly teargas canisters, ended with 5 Palestinians injured as well as the damage suffered by the two houses hit by the tear gas canisters. On this occasion there were no fatalities and the medical team of the 101 Palestine Red Crescent Society were there to help the injured protesters.

If the Israeli Occupying Force continues to use the long-range, wall-piercing tear gas canisters, which cannot be seen as they are fired, it can only be a matter of time before there are further serious injuries to protestors or worse.