Israeli army invades West Bank village

Soldiers use a 16 year old boy as human shield and beating 2 women, including one 8 months pregnant
By IWPS

HARES, WEST BANK At approximately 1:00 a.m. on Thursday July 7, an estimated 60 Israeli soldiers entered Hares, a village in the Salfit district of the West Bank, on foot. Beginning at approximately 2:00 a.m. they entered at least 5 houses, breaking windows, firing sound bombs and live ammunition. They forced families including small children to sit outside at gunpoint while they searched the houses using dogs.

At least 13 jeeps and one large military vehicle were observed entering the village. During the operation soldiers used 2 people as human shields, including one 16-year old boy. They also beat several residents, including a woman who is 8 months pregnant. The army captured and took four men. The location and reason for the detentions are unknown. The incursion lasted approximately 5 and one half hours, from 1:00 a.m. to 6:30 a.m.

Soldiers committed several acts that are in contravention to international law including the use of civilians as human shields. Additionally they ordered a Palestinian woman to take off her clothes, but she refused. They threatened to kill her if she didn’t tell where her husband was.

In another home a woman reported that the army took a gold ring and over $1,000 Jordanian dinars from her handbag.

Five boys from Marda village held by army, still not released

By IWPS

MARDA VILLAGE, WEST BANK On the afternoon of Monday, July 4, several Israeli army jeeps entered the village of Marda and Israeli soldiers ambushed Palestinian youths as they were descending from the hill above the village, after they had attempted to stop work on the separation fence.

Marda village, home to 2,000 residents, is 22 km to the East of the Green Line, underneath the Israeli settlement of Ariel, population 20,000. Construction of the fence on land belonging to the village began in early June and already over 1,000 trees belonging to village families have been uprooted.

There have been five major nonviolent demonstrations of village residents since work began, and several days out of every week a coordinated group of Marda youth ascends the hill to attempt to stop the work and are frequently met with tear gas and sound bombs from the Israeli army.

On July 4 the army rounded up seven boys and young men ranging in age from 13-22. The residents were detained at the Western entrance of the village in the sun for over an hour before being taken away. One Palestinian boy was reportedly hit in the head and leg with glass by one of the Israeli soldiers. The boys were first taken to Ariel police station and later to Qedumim military prison.

On July 5, two of the boys were released after questioning. One was told he would be fined 3,000 NIS if he didn’t appear for a court date. The remaining five, including a 21 year old who is in remission from cancer and needs medication, are still in custody at Qedumim.

IMEMC: Demonstration against the wall in Azzun

Dozens of residents from Azun Village together with Israeli and international peace activists protestors chanted slogans against the Wall, settlements and Israeli polices of land grab and annexation, and demanded Israeli to implement the international resolutions and the decisions of the International High Court of Justice during a demonstration in Qalqilia district.

Saturday evening, a medical source in Qalqilia reported that protestors suffocated after inhaling gas fired by the army, The WAFA news agency reported that soldiers fired gas bombs, and rubber coated bullets while the protestors were attempting to reach a gate installed between the villages of Azzoun and Kafer Thuluth, east of Qalqilia.

At least five residents were badly bruised after the soldiers attacked and clubbed them, and were transferred to local clinic in Azzoun.

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