Category: Reports - Page 276 - International Solidarity Movement

Protests spread to every city for hunger striking prisoners

22 February 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Occupied West Bank, Palestine

Palestinians demanding the release of all political prisoners and especially hunger-striking prisoners confront the Israeli army through out the West Bank and east Jerusalem on Friday.

The Huwwara checkpoint near Nablus saw around 300 people protesting, in solidarity with the hunger strikers. There were many tear gas related injuries, rubber coated steel bullets were fired and at least one activist was hospitalised as confrontations continued into the evening. Similarly violent episodes were also reported in Tulkarm, Jenin, Bethlehem and of course Ofer which has seen protests almost everyday this week.

Following Friday prayers worshipers at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem confronted Israeli Occupation Forces. Israeli forces then stormed the area surrounding the mosque and used undercover police to make arrests.

Statistics from Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association show that as of 1 January 2013, there were 4,743 Palestinians political prisoners being held in Israeli jails. Addameer claim, as of the 22nd February, the length of time the following prisoners have been on hunger strike is:

Samer Issawi – 206 days

Ayman Sharawana – over 200 days

Jafar Azzidine – 87 days

Tarek Qa’adan – 87 days

The four men are struggling not only for themselves but for the freedom of all Palestinians who are living under occupation. Issawi wrote …

“My battle is not only for individual freedom. The battle waged by me and by my heroic colleagues, Tariq, Ayman and Ja’affar, is everyone’s battle, the battle of the Palestinian people against the occupation and its prisons. Our goal is to be free and sovereign in our liberated state and in our blessed Jerusalem”

Elsewhere there were also weekly protests in Kufr Qaddoum, Nabi Salah, Bilin, Nilin, Jayyous as well as the annual Open Shuhada Street protest in Hebron.

No peace without justice; protesters return to Ofer for the fourth day in a row

22 February 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Occupied West Bank, Palestine

Hundreds of protestors again returned to Ofer prison today despite heavy repression. This week’s protests are in solidarity with Palestinian hunger strikers and political prisoners including Samer Issawi who has now refused food for over 210 days. The protest began with prayers in front of the prison, as soon as they were finished the Israeli army began firing huge quantities of teargas and rubber coated steel bullets directly at those who had gathered.

Yesterdays demonstration, 21th February 2013, was the biggest of the week, around 1000 protesters marched towards the prison to be met by approximately 100 Israeli soldiers and border police. During the protest teargas canisters, rubber coated steel bullets and live ammunition were shot directly at protesters.

The Israeli army and Border Police used indiscriminate weaponry; they fired grenades which fire out multiple rounds of rubber coated steel bullets in all directions. These and other weapons were responsible for numerous injuries; two people were hit with rubber coated steel bullets on the head, and one narrowly missed hitting an activist’s eye. Four others were also hospitalised as a result of rubber coated steel bullets injuries, two of them were medical relief staff.

The Israeli army broke their own laws by firing teargas canisters directly at people. Two protesters were hit by these canisters, one of them hit a female activist in the head, causing her to need stitches. Whilst running away, a young male was shot in the lower leg with live ammunition, he collapsed and was taken away by the ambulance’s crew. Sources at the hospital confirmed his situation to be stable. Many other demonstrators suffered from minor injuries and tear gas inhalation.

Despite heavy repression the mood of the protestors is defiant, today protests have spread to every major city across the West Bank.

Al-Manatir three, have been released

14 February 2013| International Solidarity Movement, Burin, Occupied Palestine

Waheeb, Ashraf and Diaa were released on the 14^th of February 2013 after spending 12 days in an Israeli prison following the al-Manatir protest village in Burin.

During the al-Manatir action, the 3 Palestinian activists were detained by the Israeli military and then arrested by the border police. The 3 of them were pepper sprayed and Waheeb was severely beaten and kicked by the Israeli military as shown in the video evidence below:

The reason for arrest given was that they participated in an illegitimate protest as well as allegedly throwing stones. 2 of the 3 men, Waheeb Qadoos and Ashraf Abu Rahma, were also potentially facing an extra charge of assaulting the soldiers. The trials for the 3 were delayed twice and they were finally released, having their charges dropped after their lawyer adel Samara submitted video footage of the proving that it was the settlers and soldiers who attacked the demonstrators. A welcome party was held in the village of Burin, where residents, Palestinian and International activists welcomed the released detainees.

Al-Manatir protest village was established by Palestinian activists, with the support of International activists, in a hilltop located in the northern village of Burin, which has been inaccessible for residents of Burin for the past few years due to the surrounding illegal settlements of: Adei Ad, Bracha, Yitzhar, and Mitzpe which encircle the Palestinian village.

The protest village was simultaneously being dismantled by the Israeli military and border police at the same time it was being established. There was an excessive use of tear gas canisters and stun grenades fired upon the residents and activists, causing many to vacate the area. Illegal Settlers from the nearby Bracha and Yitzhar settlements showed up at the scene and proceeded to steal the metal huts from the protest village and attacked Palestinian houses injuring 17 year old Zackariah Yasir Nijar, on the outskirts of Burin.

Clashes between Palestinian youth and the Israeli military and border police continued until sunset, ending when the Israeli forces retreated from the village.

Fishermen arrested and boat confiscated

19 February 2013 | Palestinian Center for Human Rights, Besieged Gaza, Palestine

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns the Israeli Navy’s escalation of attacks against Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip and expresses its deep concern for such escalation, which resulted in arresting two fishermen and confiscating their boat today.

According to PCHR’s investigations, at approximately 10:15 on Monday, 19 February 2013, an Israeli gunboat attacked a Palestinian fishing boat, boarding 2 fishermen, sailing 1 nautical miles off al-Sundaniya shore in the northern Gaza Strip. The Israeli soldiers fired directly at the boat, cordoned it and ordered the fishermen on board to take their clothes off, jump into the water and swim towards the gunboat. Two fishermen were arrested: Mohammed Shihda Khalil Sa’d Allah (60) and his son, Mahmoud (23), from Jabalya town in the north of the Gaza Strip. The Israeli forces confiscated their fishing boat as well. Immediately after capturing them, the Israeli forces handcuffed the fishermen, blindfolded them and transported them to Ashdod seaport. Both fishermen are still under arrest.

It should be noted that this incident occurred at approximately 1 nautical mile, which is within the 6-nautical-mile limit allowed by the Israeli forces for the Palestinian fishermen to sail and fish at, under the terms of the truce deal signed between Israel and the Palestinian armed groups under Egyptian and international auspices on 22 November 2012.

PCHR condemns the continuous Israeli attacks against Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip, and:

1. Calls for immediately stopping the policy of chasing and arresting Palestinian fishermen, and allowing them to sail and fish freely;

2. Demands compensation for the fishermen for the physical and material damage caused to them and their property as a result of these violations;

3.Calls upon the international community, including the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of war, to intervene immediately to stop the Israeli violations against the Palestinian fishermen, and to allow them to sail and fish freely in the Gaza sea.

Clashes in Huwarra after demonstration against Israeli administrative detention

By Team Nablus

18 February 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Huwarra, Occupied Palestine

Four people , including one eleven year old boy, were arrested today during clashes between Israeli Soldiers and Palestinian Youth (Shebab). At least one person was taken away from the scene in an ambulance. The Israeli Army used tear gas and sound bombs against a crowd of roughly 100 Palestinians who had gathered to protest the ongoing detention of hundreds of Palestinians without charge , particularly Samer Issawi who is on his 210th of hunger strike. Jafar Izzedin, Ayman Sharawneh and Tariq Qadan are also on hunger strike in Israeli Jails.