Category: Photo Story - Page 15 - International Solidarity Movement

Photo story: newly expanded Shuhada checkpoint is even more difficult to traverse

January 6th 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil Team | al-Khalil, occupied Palestine

At the end of December Israeli forces re-opened the newly expanded Shuhada checkpoint in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron). The checkpoint had been closed since December 7th, when Israeli forces had declared they would be conducting “renovations” for a then-unknown period of time.

Officially known as Checkpoint 56, Shuhada checkpoint separates Bab al-Zawiye, a Palestinian neighborhood in the H1 (nominally Palestinian-controlled and administered) part of al-Khalil and Tel Rumeida, part of Israeli military-controlled H2 and currently covered in part by a closed military zone order first issued on November 1st.

walking through wm — Palestinian family leaving Tel Rumeida, crossing toward Bab al-Zawiye

The checkpoint was rebuilt with a high fence blocking the entire street and additional turnstiles and metal detectors. The turnstiles make it very difficult for anyone carrying heavy, bulky luggage or even several bags of groceries to pass. Israeli authorities also added a completely closed off room in the center of the checkpoint, where Palestinians are questioned and searched entirely out of site of any onlookers, media, or human rights monitors.

As in previous versions of the checkpoint, there is no possibility for any car or truck – even an ambulance responding to an emergency – to pass; any vehicle larger than a baby carriage must take a time-consuming detour in order to enter or leave Tel Rumeida.

woman walking high view wm — Shuhada checkpoint as seen from a nearby window in Bab al-Zawiye, an imposing barrier Palestinian families living in Tel Rumeida must navigate

The new checkpoint has already become a flashpoint for Israeli military aggressions against Palestinians, which include the arrest of 38-year-old Wafa’ Sharabati on Monday afternoon by Israeli forces who first claimed she had a discrepancy in her ID then accused her of being a troublemaker and threatened to plant a knife on her. Wafa’s family and local activists staged a sit-in outside Shuhada checkpoint to protest her treatment and the continued humiliation and harassment faced by Palestinians forced to endure the checkpoint and the closed military zone.

family waiting for release copy — Wafa Sharabati’s family staged a sit-in awaiting her release

ppl in front of shuhada wm — A large group of local activists and residents gathered after Wafa’s arrest in front of the checkpoint, which has has been the site of countless demonstrations against the Israeli occupation of al-Khalil

rubber coated metal soldier wm — He never fired, but this Israeli soldier spent much of Monday afternoon on the roof of Shuhada checkpoint, prepared to attack nonviolent Palestinian demonstrators with potentially deadly rubber-coated metal bullets

A sign on the H1 side of the checkpoint explains the protocols for passing through: metal detector, bag search, no animals allowed through, checkpoint closed if there are any clashes. The 4th instruction reads “wait until the soldier will allow you to pass.” Sometimes people can pass in six minutes; sometimes they must wait for over an hour, outside and exposed to any weather, before being allowed to pass the few meters of turnstiles, metal detectors, fences and walls between them and the streets leading to their homes.

Lines on Monday evening left many, including young children, waiting for nearly half an hour in the cold night. Only Palestinians who are registered in the closed military zone can ever pass through the checkpoint; family members of residents, journalists, human rights defenders and internationals have all been barred. Even Palestinians who are registered have reported being forced to wait for over an hour only to be harassed and threatened by the soldiers inside the checkpoint.

Activists have planned another protest for Thursday morning to continue the struggle against the closed military zone, the even harsher regime at the newly reopened checkpoint, and the continued closure and Israeli military occupation of al-Khalil.

boy fire wm — A young Palestinian boy enthusiastically fanned the fire local residents and activists gathered around on Monday night to protest the checkpoint and all it represents

Israeli forces injure 3 Palestinians before shooting tear gas at bypassers in the market of Hebron

December 20th, 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, al Khalil team | Al Khalil, occupied Palestine

Sunday, 20^th December 2015, Israeli forces shot and injured three Palestinians at Shuhada checkpoint in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron), before arbitrarily firing towards civilians and journalists in the area.

Israeli forces shot a girl in the head with live ammunition. A Palestinian bystander, trying to help the girl and pull her towards the Palestinian side of the checkpoint right after she was shot, was shot in the mouth by Israeli forces. The man was trying to help, knowing that Israeli forces would most likely deny the girl any medical aid if the Palestinian ambulance was unable to reach her. Another Palestinian bystander was shot. The Palestinian girl, according to eye-witnesses, did have a knife, but instead of trying to disarm her, Israeli forces directly shot her in the head.

The ambulance was denied access to the injured Palestinian girl

Israeli forces used the roof of a Palestinian family's house to shoot — Israeli forces used the roof of a Palestinian family’s house to shoot

Whereas the Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance, at the scene after only a few minutes, was denied access to the girl in order to deliver first aid, the two Palestinians injured were taken to hospital. After this happened, the Israeli forces threw stun grenades and shot tear-gas at passer-bys and Red Crescent medics to prevent them from coming any closer and seeing what happened. Journalists that arrived at the scene were also attacked with stun grenades and threatened by Israeli forces with rubber coated steel bullets.

Israeli forces entered the H1-side of al-Khalil, that is under full Palestinian control, running into the Palestinian market and indiscriminately shooting tear gas at civilians going about their everyday life. They entered the roof of a Palestinian family’s home to use it as a base for shooting tear gas and rubber coated steel bullets at Palestinians in the street. A 5-year old boy was injured when Israeli forces fired directly at a school-bus passing by the checkpoint.

Israeli forces entered the market into the H1-area of Hebron

Shuhada checkpoint has recently been closed for ‘renovations’, stopping Palestinians from accessing the Palestinian neighbourhood of Tel Rumeida, located in the H2-area under full Israeli control. This neighbourhood, including the small stretch of Shuhada Street that Palestinians still had access to, has been declared a ‘closed military zone’ on November 1^st. With the closure of the checkpoint, the restricted freedom of movement of Palestinians, has been completely brought to a halt.

Photo story: daily harassment by Israeli Forces on the way to school

December 18th, 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, al Khalil team | al Khalil, occupied Palestine

On Thursday, 17th December 2015, Israeli forces yet again body-searched every male adult – and also youth – passing Ziad Jaber school in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron). Most female adults were also searched by male soldiers, a clear violation of their privacy. Various female students were also searched or had their bag searched.

These body-searches by Israeli forces are humiliating and often conducted aggressively with soldiers kicking the legs of the Palestinians and pushing them in the kneepit almost making them fall.

Not even children and youth – especially protected by UN-Conventions and international law, are exempted from these rigorous, frightening and humiliating searches. All of this hapens regularly both on the way to and from school thus also infringing on the children’s basic right to education.

Israeli soldier checking trash-bins before allowing the care-taker to dispose of the trash just five meters past the military gate

School-children walk past soldiers and infamous settler Ofer on their way to school

A school-boy looks on as his teacher is body-searched by Israeli forces right outside the school

Israeli forces body-searching elderly man at gunpoint

Israeli forces body-searching teenage boy

Israeli forces aggressively body-searching teenage boy

Teenage boy empties his pockets before body-search by Israeli forces

Teenage boy aggressively body-searched by Israeli forces

A group of school-children looks on as Israeli forces body-search a teenage boy

Palestinian youth body-searched at gunpoint by Israeli forces

Two boys watch Israeli forces body-searching their father

Palestinian workers forced to cross overcrowded checkpoint everyday

17th of December, 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, Tulkarm team | Tulkarm, occupied Palestine

In the early morning of the 17th of december, Israeli security guards kept parts of the al-Tayba checkpoint closed, causing tension and frustration among the waiting Palestinian workers.

Every morning, 8000 to 10 000 Palestinians have to cross the al-Tayba checkpoint, located in the outskirts of Tulkarm, to be able to go to work in Israel. For them, commuting to work is frustrating, time-consuming and dangerous.

Crossing the Al Tayba checkpoint near Tulkarem in the morning. Photo credit : ISM

One of the Palestinian workers that ISM-activists spoke to this morning explained that under normal circumstances, it would take him a maximum of one hour to go from Tulkarm to his work in Tel Aviv. But with the checkpoints, it adds multiple hours to his daily commuting. Every morning he leaves his home before three, and after spending several hours at the checkpoint, he arrives in Tel aviv at around 6-7 o’clock, just in time to start working. Not knowing how long it will take him to get through, or if he even will be allowed to cross at all, is for him worst part.

When the security guards open the checkpoint at 4 o’clock, workers have already been waiting for hours. All workers goes through four lanes leading to four separate turnstiles, that they have to pass one-at-a-time, before finally passing metal detectors and being ID-checked by the staff.

Workers also complain that the turnstiles often remain closed for no reason. Between 4:00 and 5:15, each turnstile was open for an average of 21 minutes. At one point, one turnstile was closed for 40 minutes, leaving the Palestinians to choose between climbing over to the next lain, risking to upset other workers, or having to go back to the entrance, and start the process all over again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCx9S5axBjQ

Many people suffer from the overcrowded checkpoint. The owner of a coffee stand located next to the entrance says that people get injured almost every day. According to Maannews, 2 Palestinians were squeezed to death at this checkpoint in 2014.

Even though Israel needs Palestinian workers, as they are cheap labor, the Israeli forces are still forcing workers to cross these deadly checkpoints everyday. The economical situation of the West Bank often leaves no other choice for Palestinians than to go and work in Israel, despite all the challenges they face as doing so.

Attack on Khadouri university continues

16th of December, 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, Tulkarm team | Tulkarm, occupied Palestine

Today, on the 16th of december, Israeli forces, yet again, entered the center of the campus at Khadori university, leaving several students injured.

“I am so afraid! The situation here is so bad, the soldiers open fire at anybody” says a student, who wishes to be anonymous, as he wipes away tears from his face caused by the tear gas.

According to medics on the ground, several people were injured during this afternoon raid on campus, both by live ammunition and rubber coated steel bullets. ISM-activists estimate that more than 200 students suffered from inhalation of the tear gas, some of whom needed medical attention.

Earlier this morning, at the outskirt of the campus, a student was shot with live ammunition on his left foot by the Israeli soldiers.

As we have reported earlier, the attacks on the university started in October, when Israeli soldiers from the nearby checkpoint begun entering the campus. The Israeli forces have also caused severe damage to the university buildings. Multiple windows have been shattered. The greenhouses located close to the military training area have been badly damaged by the tear gas canisters and were put on fire, last week, by the Israeli soldiers.

Almost every day, students witness Israeli soldiers using a small military training field, built on the university ground in the 90’s, as a base from which they sit and aim at students. Since october, ambulances are parked on campus every day, being ready to take the next injured student to the hospital. To this date, Israeli forces have injured more than 400 students.