Category: Reports

Israeli military drags its boots and guns into Ibrahimi Mosque

by Caroline Nordhammer

21 December 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

Soldiers from the Israeli military entered the Ibrahimi Mosque located in the Old City of Hebron on December 21 in the afternoon. Male and female soldiers entered the mosque and the men’s place for prayer in what appeared to be a tour of some kind. It is a custom within Islam to take off shoes and for women to cover their hair when entering a mosque. Despite this custom, soldiers did not take off their shoes and female soldiers in the group did not cover their hair.

Furthermore, two of the soldiers where heavily armed in order to “protect” the group of soldiers. International volunteers from the ISM who happened to be in the mosque at this time asked soldiers why they entered the mosque. The soldiers responded that they “wanted to visit the mosque.”

ISM volunteers further questioned the soldiers’ choice to enter the mosque with shoes and weapons, and why the female soldiers did not consider the custom to cover their hair, but were refused an answer.

The refusal of the soldiers to consider religious customs while walking into a religious sanctuary should be put in the context of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank which is illegal under international law.

Recently, soldiers stationed in the occupied area of Hebron known as H2 have raided several homes, entered Palestinian property and either participated or done little to stop escalating violence and harassment committed by Israeli settlers living in the area.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okoiSEvG-98?rel=0 After settlers occupied the parts of the Old City in the city centre of Hebron in the middle of the 1970s, Israel has imposed several apartheid laws including a heavy military presence, watchtowers, checkpoints, street barriers, road closures, house evictions and forced displacements  which aims at restricting and controlling Palestinians only.

While soldiers and settlers move around freely inside the occupied area, Palestinians who want to enter the mosque, face many difficulties as a consequence of these restrictions and apartheid measures.

ISM consider today’s event and the obvious neglect of religious and cultural customs a severe violation of Palestinian human dignity and integrity.

Caroline Nordhammer is a volunteer with International Solidarity Movement (name has been changed)

Israeli navy harasses Palestinian fishermen off Gaza coast

by Rosa Schiano

21 December 2011 | Civil Peace Service Gaza

Photo: Rosa Schiano, Civil Peace Service Gaza – Click here for more images

The Oliva sailed from Gaza Seaport at 8:15 am. The Palestinian captain and two international observers from CPS staff were on boardAt 8:45 am Oliva reached four hasakas in the north of the Strip, about 2.2 nautical miles off shore (31° 35.40N / 034° 26.29E).

At 9:20 am the crew sighted an Israelis navy vessel moving toward the four hasakas and Oliva at a high rate of speed. The four hasakas and Oliva started to move toward the coast. The Israeli navy vessel continued to run after the hasakas and Oliva reaching 1.5 nautical miles off shore (31° 34.68N / 034° 26.49E) and then hanging back.

At 10:20 am the same Israeli navy vessels approached the four hasakas which were within the area marked by the float located about 2 miles off shore on the northern limit imposed on Palestinian fishing area (31° 35.41N / 034° 26.57E), continuing harassing them and shooting several times in the water.

At 11:00 am the Israeli navy vessels hanged back and Oliva returned to the port of Gaza.

Background:

Restrictions on the fishing zone are of comparable significance to Palestinian livelihood. This area was supposed to be 20 miles according to the Jericho agreements from 1994 (under the Oslo accords), then it was reduced to 12 miles, to 6 miles and now to 3 miles since January 2009. The marine ‘buffer zone’ restricts Gazan fishermen from accessing 85% of Gaza’s fishing waters agreed to by Oslo.

Israel has been regularly attacking Palestinian fishermen within the purported 3 nautical mile fishing limit. The livelihood of many Gazans relies on fishing and Israel has been using live ammunition and water cannons to prevent fishermen from doing their work.

The Israeli Siege continues after more than 4 years, limiting the sea area available for the Gaza population.

The Civil Peace Services continue monitoring potential human rights violations at the sea in front of the Gaza Strip.

Military court in Gaza holds another session to consider the case relating to the death of Italian solidarity activist, Vittorio Arrigoni

20 December 2011 | Palestinian Center for Human Rights

On Monday 19 December 2011, the Permanent Military Court in Gaza held the ninth session in Gaza City to consider the case relating to the death of the Italian solidarity activist, Vittorio Arrigoni. Lawyers from the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) attended the session in their capacity as legal representatives of the Arrigoni family.

During the session, the Military Prosecution continued to present evidence.  They presented a hard disk that included footage of the victim before and after montage.  It also presented the testimony of another witness.  In conclusion, the Military Prosecution insisted on its demands that are included in the bill of indictment.  The session was adjourned to 05 January 2012 to hear the defense attorneys.

PCHR will continue to follow up the sessions held by the Court to consider Arrigoni’s case and update the Arrigoni family on developments, in coordination with the family’s representative, Attorney Gilberto Pagani, based on a power of attorney granted by the family to PCHR lawyers.

Shu’fat: Forced to pay taxes from behind a checkpoint and wall

by Jenna Bereld and Samar

19 December 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

On December 18, 2011 residents of Shu’fat and activists protested against the separation wall in front of the new checkpoint. A certain loss of demonstrators was noted, since thirty-five organizers were arrested yesterday by Israeli policemen in their homes in the Shu’fat refugee camp in the middle of the night.

Forced to pay taxes from behind a wall – Click here for more images

The residents of Shu’fat are Israeli citizens. However, they cannot enjoy the privileges a citizenship normally includes. While the streets in the illegal settlement of Pisgat Ze’ev on the other side of the wall are clean and the municipal services are working, the Shu’fat streets are dirty and waste collection does not exist. Houses taller than two stories are illegal in East Jerusalem, so most houses here have demolition orders.

“All people in Shu’fat must pay taxes to Israel, and still the streets look like a third world country,” one of the demonstrators says.

“They are taking from the poor and give it to the wealthy,” another demonstrator says.

Shu’fat is a neighborhood in the north-east of Jerusalem, though separated from the rest of the city by the eight meters high concrete separation wall. The Palestinian population of 50,000 live more or less imprisoned in the neighborhood, forced to pass through a military checkpoint to reach the rest of Jerusalem. The checkpoint, comprising an observation tower, five stations for armed soldiers to search the cars, and the most recent surveillance technology, was inaugurated last week.

Starting on December 23, there will be weekly demonstrations in Shu’fat after the Friday prayer.

“We will come here to protest every week until this wall has fallen,” promises Jeff Halper from the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions.

Jenna Bereld and Samar are volunteers with International Solidarity Movement (names have been changed).

In Photos: Settlement too close for comfort

by Amal

16 December 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

Kufr Qaddoum’s resistance is only getting stronger and is showing no signs of slowing down. The resilience of the Kufr Qaddoum residents is remarkable. Every week the Israeli Occupation Forces have increased their aggressive attacks, and yet the people still join together every Friday against the injustices they face. Not only have they lost more than half of their land, but also their right of movement.

Too close for comfort - Click here for more images

Kufr Qaddoum has been resisting the closure of one of their main roads since 2003. They have and are still going through court appeals to change this illegal army order. Due to the useless Israeli court appeals, the residents decided to declare their rights through protests.

Although it is not obvious, many of the freedom fighters do have concerns about the increased aggression against them. During the protest several statements were made that the soldiers were firing tear gas canisters directly at participants. This was also visually evident as one canister after another just barely missed a local.

Fortunately today, the only physical contact with a tear gas canister occurred when one grazed a man’s leg.  However, the Israeli Occupation Forces’ policy of shooting tear gas to kill was not enough. After an hour of viciously attacking the village with tear gas, the soldiers forcefully drove through the village. A resident stated that the army jeep appeared it was going to run over an international activist.

Unfortunately, there are many similar stories of army incursion into the village, yet Kufr Qaddoum’s quest for freedom will continue, until they have the right to use all their roads freely.

Amal is a volunteer with International Solidarity Movement (name has been changed).