Category: Press Releases - Page 22 - International Solidarity Movement

UNWRA: Update on Israeli forces use of live ammo in refugee camps

22th September 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

UNRWA is concerned about the Israeli forces’ increased use of live ammunition against Palestinian civilian demonstrators in Palestine refugee camps since July 2016.

Since July 2016, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of live fire against Palestinian civilian demonstrators, especially in refugee camps. According to figures gathered by the UN, while the total number of Palestinian civilian injuries across the West Bank went up from 328 cases (April-June) to 408 (July and August), the number of injured Palestinians in refugee camps increased from 34 (April – June) to 130 (July and August). Further, among these 130 injuries, 91 people, or 70 percent, were shot with live ammunition, this is extremely high, given that the average of live ammunition injuries among all injuries from previous three years combined (2013-2015) had been approximately 20 percent.

Most of the 91 injuries by live ammunition from July and August occurred in three refugee camps: Fawwar Camp (33 injuries), Qalandia Camp (23), and Dheisheh Camp (19).

On 16 August, Israeli forces conducted a large scale military operation in Fawwar Refugee Camp, south of Hebron. A large number of Israeli troops entered the camp in the early morning between approximately 3 to 4 am. The forces occupied a number of homes to use them as vantage points, searched dozens of houses and remained in the camp until after 8 pm. A large number of tear gas and stun grenades were used during the operation. Much of the teargas was deployed in narrow alleyways among residential areas, causing refugees to suffer from tear gas inhalation inside their houses.
During intensive house searches, Israeli forces caused extensive damage to residents’ homes and private property, including six recorded incidents where security forces, including snipers, made holes in the walls of homes to use as cover to fire from. Camp residents told UNRWA that it was the largest operation in years, possibly since the second intifada. More than 30 camp residents were shot and injured, and a 18 year-old male was killed. At least 16 people were shot with live ammunition, and 3 by rubber coated steel bullets. 18 people were shot in the lower limbs. Many of the injured were shot in the inner side of their lower legs, either right under their knees or near their ankles.

Dheisheh Refugee Camp has continuously been a area of multiple operations carried out by Israeli forces, which has resulted in many live ammunition injuries. In July and August 2016 alone, Israeli forces carried out at least seven search operations in the camp, all of which turned into violent confrontations between Palestinian youths and Israeli troops. At least 20 youth were shot by live ammunition, the majority in the lower limbs. UNRWA is still in the process of collecting and verifying further information in the camp.

It is important to put this information into context. The first half of 2016 saw a reduction in the number of searches and arrest operations conducted in the West Bank compared with the second half of 2015, as well as a substantial decrease in the number of Palestinians who were injured mainly during confrontations with Israeli forces in the course of such operations.

UNRWA continues to raise its concerns on the alarming use of live ammunition with the Israeli authorities.

Israeli authorities, as the occupying power, have a responsibility first to protect the civilian population in the West Bank, including the Palestine refugees residing there. In conducting “security” or “law enforcement” operations international legal standards require that Israeli forces exercise restraint, act in proportion to the legitimate objective to be achieved, minimize damage and injury and most importantly respect and preserve human life.

Source: UNWRA

Call to action: Olive Harvest 2016

9th September 2016 | International Solidarity Movement | Ramallah, occupied Palestine

At a time of increasing settler violence in the West Bank, the International Solidarity Movement is issuing an urgent call for volunteers to participate in the 2016 olive-harvest on the invitation of Palestinian communities.

The olive tree, a national symbol for Palestinians, is an affirmation of Palestinians historical connection to their lands. Israeli Forces and settlers have tried in numerous occasions to disrupt this special relationsship between the Palestinians and this thousand-year old crop. Thousands of olive trees have been bulldozed, uprooted and burned by Israeli settlers and the military, but Palestinians farmers refuse to be intimidated – under the Israeli occupation harvesting has become more than a source of livelihood; it has become a form of resistance.

Despite efforts by Israeli settlers and soldiers to prevent them from accessing their land, Palestinian communities have remained steadfast in refusing to give up their olive harvest.

Palestinian farmer and internationals discussing picking permit with Israeli forces.

In solidarity with Palestinians farmers, ISM volunteers help with the olive harvest each year. If you join ISM over the olive harvest you will work with other ISM’ers in Palestinian olive groves especially exposed to violence and harassment from Israeli settlers and military. Our presence can make a big difference. It has been proven in the past to deter the number and severity of attacks as well as harassment, hence supporting the Palestinians universal right to be and work on their lands. International solidarity activists engage in non-violent intervention and documentation and this practical support enables many families to pick their olives. In addition, The olive harvest also provides a wonderful opportunity to spend time with Palestinian families in their olive groves and homes, there is nothing like sipping tea under a olive tree after a long days work.

The harvest will begin in start-October and run until mid-November. We request a minimum 2 week commitment from volunteers but stress that long-termers are needed as well. We kindly ask that volunteers start arriving in the first week of October, so we are prepared when the harvest begins.

Training

The ISM will be holding mandatory two day training sessions which will run weekly on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Please contact palreports@gmail.com for further information.

Ongoing campaigns

In addition to the olive harvest, there will be opportunities to participate in grass-roots, non-violent resistance in Palestine.

ISM maintains a constant presence in Hebron, where settler harassment and violence is a regular occurrence. Lately, Israeli army violence has escalated for Palestinians living in proximity to the illegal inner-city settlement. Israeli forces have used the Palestinian neighborhoods for military training. Harassment, humiliations and violence is an almost daily occurrence. A valuable part of the ISM’s work in Hebron is to monitor checkpoints near Palestinian schools. In the morning and afternoon schoolchildren have to pass through the checkpoints, which often lead to violent situations. From time to time young Palestinian boys throw stones on the occupying forces, which leads to collective punishment by the Israeli Forces as they lob dozens of teargas canisters and stun grenades, onto the schoolchildren. ISM is present at these checkpoints to document these extremely violent responses to boys throwing pepples, and to serve as an protective presence.

ISM also has an apartment in Nablus from where we work on a number of projects including resisting demolitions in various villages, and supporting Palestinians resisting settler theft of their lands. In addition to these activities, we participate in the weekly demonstration in Kafr Qaddum, where protesters face excessive force by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF).

Come! Bear witness to the suffering, courage and generosity of the Palestinian people under Israeli occupation.

Experiencing the situation for yourself is vital to adequately convey the reality of life in Palestine to your home communities and to re-frame the debate in a way that will expose Israel’s apartheid policies; creeping ethnic cleansing in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem as well as collective punishment and genocidal practices in Gaza.

In Solidarity,

ISM Palestine

Letter of affirmation to Black Lives Matter

The world watches as Black and Brown bodies continue to be gunned down by a racialized, hyper-militarized US police force. And we are indignant.

We affirm Palestinian solidarity with Black liberation and support their struggle for the swift and long absent application of justice against police officers who commit heinous, extrajudicial murders of Black people and the systems that create and overpower policing systems.

We affirm Palestinian solidarity with the Movement for Black Lives as they protest in the streets against the rising count of marginalized bodies at the hands of police who kill with impunity. We further call for a complete disinvestment in weapons and the business of war and in investment in human rights of Black, Brown, indigenous and Palestinian people anywhere on this planet.

We affirm Palestinian solidarity with the families of the victims of racist police violence and with the communities that struggle to rebuild after these murders.

As Palestinians continue to live under and resist the Israeli occupation, siege, and racial violence by an army that trains the US police force, border control, and homeland security agencies, we affirm our intersectionality and our common struggle with The Movement for Black Lives.

We who believe in Freedom will not rest.

Palestinian solidarity with Black liberation.

Your struggle is our struggle
‪#‎SayTheirNames‬ #‎BlackLivesMatter‬ #NoDAPL

In solidarity

The Nabi Saleh committee against the wall and settlements
African community old city Jerusalem
The Bil’in committee against the wall and settlements
The Hebron Defence Committee
International Solidarity Movement Palestine
The One democratic state group – Gaza
Palestinian student campaign for the Cultural and Academic Boycott of Israel
Youth against Settlements

Statement concerning Israeli measures against activists

8th August 2016 | International Solidarity Movement

Palestinian and international activists hold signs in support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement by the buffer zone in Zeitoun on 9 February 2013. (Photo by Desde Palestina)

The International Solidarity Movement is a Palestinian-led movement with a mandate to support Palestinian nonviolent popular resistance to Israeli military occupation and apartheid. Palestinian-led nonviolent resistance includes the Palestinian call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions of Israel, until it adheres to its obligations under international law.

ISM volunteers also accompany children to school and farmers to harvest their olives in areas where they face ongoing settler and military violence. We find that our presence sometimes results in reducing the level of lethal force used by the Israeli military against unarmed Palestinians. Further isolation of Palestinians by denying access and/or deporting human rights activists aims to make Palestinian communities already vulnerable and suffering from abuse even more vulnerable.

As a civilian population living under military occupation Palestinians in the occupied territories are promised protection under international law. All parties signed to the fourth Geneva Convention have the obligation to insure that others, including Israel, adhere to international law. Civilians are being called on to fill in the gap created by the failure of governments and official international bodies to provide protection and fulfill their obligations.

Israel’s isolation of Palestinians both by denying Palestinians and their supporters access to Palestine as well as by denying Palestinians including human rights defenders the right to leave Palestine is not a new strategy. It is most brutal and lethal in the besieged Gaza strip but all parts of Palestine are under some degree of siege.

We condemn Israeli suppression of Palestinian nonviolent resistance. The recent announcement by the occupation authorities that they will attempt to further isolate Palestinians indicates the occupation authorities unwillingness to do the only thing that will actually bring an end to Israel’s isolation – to adhere to international law, end the occupation and grant Palestinians their rights.

See the statement By the Boycott National Committee here:

Petition to free Shadi Farah

20th July 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, East Jerusalem | East Jerusalem, occupied Palestine

ISM encourages everyone to copy and paste the letter below and send it to your Members of Parliament, Congresspeople, and other political representatives.

To support Shadi and his family financially during this very difficult time, please see: https://palsolidarity.org/donate/

Dear Sir/Madame:

I am writing to urge you to act and condemn the violations on children’s rights that are being enforced by the Israeli government against Palestinians. I am extremely concerned about the situation in Palestine, where children are repeatedly arrested, abused and imprisoned by the Israeli forces.

At the moment, the youngest Palestinian child who is being detained in Israel is 12 year old Shadi Farah. He has spent more than six months away from his family already, and the court keeps prolonging his case and the final decision. Evidence against Shadi is very poor. He is accused of attempted manslaughter – allegedly he carried a knife with the intend to stab an Israeli soldier, yet no one was ever hurt by his hand. His interrogation was inhumane and abusive, it lasted for days and neither his parents or lawyer were present.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child was ratified by the Israeli government in 1991. Thereby the Israeli government committed to providing all children with a safe childhood, with the care, protection and opportunities that are needed to ensure that childhood is a time free from insecurity, violence or abuse.

This commitment is not being fulfilled by the Israeli government. At the moment, more than 400 Palestinian children are being kept in Israeli prisons. Three-quarters of Palestinian children jailed between 2012 and 2015 endured some form of physical violence following arrest.

According to Defence for Children International Palestine, in 179 of 429 cases, the Israeli military arrested children from their homes in the middle of the night. In 378 out of 429 cases, Israeli forces arrested children without notifying parents of the reason for arrest or the location of detention. In 97 percent of the cases, children had no parent present during interrogation or access to legal counsel. Furthermore, Israeli police did not inform children of their rights in 84 percent of the cases. DCI Palestine informs that 66 children were held in solitary confinement, for an average period of 13 days, during the reporting period. More than 90 percent of children held in solitary confinement provided a confession. This confession is often being used as the only form of evidence to convict the child, as is the case with Shadi.

I beg you to express your concern about this in the Parliament/Congress/EU/UN and make sure that the grave issue of violations of Palestinian children’s rights is being brought to the attention of the Israeli government. Please remind Israel that by ratifying the UN Convention they are obliged to protect every child, in the state of Israel as well as in occupied Palestine. No child deserves the treatment that Palestinian children face every day.

Yours sincerely,

Shadi’s mother, holding a photo of her son.

Shadi with his best friend, Muhammad, and with his father, Anwar Farrah.

Shadi with his father, Anwar.