12th October 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil team | Susiya, Occupied Palestine
Today Palestinians and international activists participated in a Palestinian village community action which involved reaching an area of their land which has been declared a closed military zone. The action also consisted of dismantling a new illegal settlement outpost built by settlers. Over the past month the settler outpost has been dismantled by the Palestinians and rebuilt by settlers three times.
According to Palestinians living in the area, Israeli forces have permanently stationed a military jeep in this area to survey and protect the illegal settler outpost. The illegal outpost is right next to a water well which the Palestinians rely on for daily use and livestock. Each time the Palestinians go near this piece of land the area is declared a closed military zone by Israeli forces and the Palestinians have been prevented from reaching it many times in the past.
Palestinians from the local community and international activists successfully and peacefully dismantled the outpost. A Palestinian child also removed an Israeli flag from a military outpost nearby. Settlers were present in small numbers watching and shouting at the Palestinians and activists. After a short time, the Israeli armed forces forced the Palestinians and international activists to leave the area, declaring it a closed military zone.
9th August 2014 | International Solidarity Movement| Occupied Palestine
All over the world, from Cape Town to London, people have taken the streets for Gaza!
Valencia, Spain (https://twitter.com/RESCOP1)Thailand (https://twitter.com/NalanSarraj)London, UK (https://twitter.com/pjbodenham)Dublin, Ireland (https://twitter.com/RoryHearne)London, UK (https://www.facebook.com/londonpalestineaction)Marseille, France (https://twitter.com/toufika13)Cape Town, South Africa (https://twitter.com/olafbrinkmann)Paris, France (https://twitter.com/Campagnebds)Amman, Jordan (https://twitter.com/nosh15)Helsinki, Finland (https://twitter.com/OutiPopp)Tokyo, Japan (https://twitter.com/LoveForGaza_jpBerlin, Germany (https://twitter.com/norashalaby)Melbourne, Australia (https://twitter.com/rafiqa65)Delhi, India (https://twitter.com/kramdas)
13th June 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah team | Bil’in, Occupied Palestine
Today, Bil’in held its weekly protest in solidarity with the Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike. As part of the protest, and in support of the current situation in Brazil, due to the football world cup, some of the protesters dressed as prisoners and decided to hold a game of football, using the apartheid wall as the goal. The Israeli army then shot large amounts of tear gas canisters and rubber-coated steel bullets, trying to prevent the “prisoners” from playing the game of football.
Three journalists were injured today, two by tear gas canisters and one by a rubber-coated steel bullet. Last week at the Bil’in demonstration, Israeli soldiers attacked one journalist and stole his camera, another journalist also had his camera confiscated by Israeli forces.
Protesters gather as demonstration begins (photo by ISM).Photo by ISMPhoto by ISMPhoto by ISMThe football match begins (photo by ISM).Photo by ISMPhoto by ISMPhoto by ISMPhoto by ISMPhotographer was injured after being shot with a tear gas grenade (photo by ISM).Photo by ISMPhoto by ISM
31th May 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus team | Tulkarem, Occupied Palestine
On the morning of the 31st of May, several buses filled with Palestinian and international activists from across the West Bank gathered in Tulkarem to march towards the Natanya checkpoint, used only by the Israeli military forces.
Political groups, Palestinian civil society and Popular Resistance Committees named this action as the “March of Return”. Their aim was to defend their right of return and were united under the following slogan: “Our return is inevitable: Freedom for Al Aqsa (Jerusalem) and the prisoners”.
Once the buses arrived in Tulkarem, the activists marched several hundred meters to arrive at the checkpoint. Several protesters gathered at the gates of the checkpoint and began chanting, others spray-painted messages onto the apartheid wall [declared illegal by the International Court of Justice in 2004], while other activists used heavy craft hammers to damage it.
A few tear gas canisters were shot soon after the demonstration reached the gates of the checkpoint, enough to break up the protesters into two groups. One of these tear gas canisters caused a fire in a nearby field. Then, several “warning” shots were fired into the air with live ammunition and Israeli forces then fired large amounts of tear gas canisters. Tear gas projectiles were fired at the crowd.
Political groups, Palestinian civil society and Popular Resistance Committees marched together to defend the right of return (photo by ISM).Among the organizations involved there were also women’s unions (photo by ISM).Activist carries a heavy craft hammer that was later used to damage the apartheid wall (photo by ISM).Public speeches and chanting in front of the military checkpoint (photo by ISM).Palestinian women and men chanting at the gates of Natanya military checkpoint (photo by ISM).
Two heavy craft hammers were used during the action to damage the apartheid wall near the checkpoint. Other protesters also had enough time to spray-paint messages onto the wall (photo by ISM).Israeli soldiers leave their positions at the checkpoint to fire teargas projectiles and canisters at the demonstrators. At least two people received a direct impact from teargas projectiles that were fired at the crowd (photo by ISM).Highly concentrated teargas was fired frequently during the demonstration. Eye irritation was commonplace and as many as 20 people had to be attended by paramedics due to suffocation (photo by ISM).Tear gas canisters being shot at protesters (photo by ISM).Photo by ISMProtesters regrouping after a first attack by Israeli soldiers. The man on the left is holding an “ice pack” underneath his arm, he was shot with a tear gas projectile and his arm was visibly swollen after the demonstration (photo by ISM).Photo by ISMPalestinian youth attempted to build tire barricades but were soon ambushed by Israeli soldiers. Jeeps and armored vehicles drove at high speed from behind and surrounded some protesters, at that point one youth (20 years old) was arrested (photo by ISM).
On the 26th of May, more than 500 people joined a demonstration in Nablus in solidarity with Palestinian political prisoners and hunger strikers. Starting from the city’s main square, they then marched through some of the main streets of Nablus.
On the 24th of April, over 100 Palestinian political prisoners, many of whom are held under administrative detention, started an open-ended hunger strike. Their hunger strike continues and is entering the 33rd day. More prisoners have joined the campaign, adding up to 125 Palestinian political prisoners currently in hunger strike. Palestinian prisoners are protesting in order to stop the practice of administrative detention, which involves detention orders that can range up to six months and renewed indefinitely. These orders are based on secret information that neither the detainee nor the lawyer have access to, and the widespread use of this practice is against international standards.
Protesters march handcuffed through the streets of Nablus. (Photo by ISM)Many children participated in the march, handcuffed and blindfolded to symbolize the brutality of Israeli authorities. (Photo by ISM)(Photo by ISM)(Photo by ISM)(Photo by ISM)Mothers, sisters and wives. Almost every Palestinian woman has or has had at least one relative in jail. (Photo by ISM)(Photo by ISM)(Photo by ISM)According to Addameer (Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association) there are currently over 5,200 political prisoners under Israeli custody, 186 of them are held under administrative detention. The hunger strike is a protest aimed at ending the use of administrative detention. (Photo by ISM)“Water and salt”. These are the essential elements necessary for prisoners to undergo a hunger strike. However the Israeli authorities refused to give salt to them for the first three weeks of the strike. (Photo by ISM)People carrying a coffin. As many prisoners said, they will lead their protest until the Israeli government ends the practice of administrative detention, even if this means death. According to Palestinian media, several detainees have already been taken to hospitals due to critical health conditions. (Photo by ISM)
In the city of Nablus, a tent was erected several weeks ago as a permanent sit-in protest in solidarity with Palestinian political prisoners and hunger strikers. Protests are held almost on a daily basis and provide a forum for both relatives and political parties to have their voices heard.
