Category: Reports

The anthem of Nabi Saleh: “Release our prisoners or arrest us all”

15 October 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

The Friday demonstration in Nabi Saleh celebrated the release of three long term prisoners but protested the continued imprisonment of the remaining 5,000.

A demonstrator stands his ground as the Israeli military fires tear gas canisters.

The demonstration started out by visiting the house of prisoner Said Tamimi.  Tamimi has been in prison since 1993, but his fellow prisoners who were arrested with him, Nizar Samir Tamimi and Ahmad Tamimi, will be released on Tuesday.

The demonstration continued towards the entrance of the village lead by the mother of Said Tamimi, chanting and singing slogans to honor all the political prisoners and protesting the illegal Israeli occupation. Before reaching the entrance of the village, the Israeli Occupation forces shot tear gas and sprayed foul-smelling “skunk water” at the demonstrators. After 2 hours the demonstration went back to the center of Nabi Saleh, and it was announced that all demonstrators were invited on Tuesday to a party for the released prisoners with the words:

 The release of Palestinian prisoners are a Palestine wedding. Therefore we will celebrate it with an appropriate party.

The demonstration then continued until dawn. The IOF shot a massive amount of tear gas directly at demonstrators and an uncountable amount of rubber coated steel bullets, injuring several of the participants.The Israeli Occupation Forces attempted four times to enter the village but they were repelled. The soldiers also attempted to occupy a house near the entrance of the village but the family living in the house withstood. Instead the Israeli soldiers occupied the front garden of the house causing damage by puncturing a water tank with a tear gas canister, and a car window was broken.

The prisoners from Nabi Saleh who are going to be released as a part of the prisoners swap between Hamas and Israel all faced life time sentences. Ahlam Tamimi was sentenced 16 life terms accused of driving a man to Jerusalem who blew up a restaurant in 2001. She will be sent to exile in Jordan. The two other prisoners getting released are Ahmad Tamimi and Nizar Samir Tamimi. Along with Said Tamimi, who will remain in prison, they were accused of killing a settler and have all been in prison since 1993.

Since Nabi Saleh’s regular Friday demonstration began in 2009 against the land grab by illegal Israeli settlers, 10 % of the 500 citizens in the village have been arrested. Two members of the local Popular Committee are still in prison.

Naji Tamimi was arrested on the 5th of March in 2011. He is sentenced to one year in prison. Bassem Tamimi who was arrested the 24th of March 2011 has still not received a sentence. The main evidence brought against both men is the testimony from Islam Dar Ayyoub a 14 year old boy. It has been proven that during the interrogation of him, Israeli Youth Law was violated several times.

The alleged charges against Bassem and Naji Tamimi are among others that they organized and participated “in unauthorized processions” and that they organized youngsters to become a stone throwing “brigade.”

Beit Ummar collectively punished for peaceful demonstration

15 October 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

October 14th was the seventeenth day of the hunger strike of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. People took to the streets for a solidarity demonstration in the village of Beit Ummar, Hebron. This is the second such demonstration in this village, a similar march last week led to several arrests in a dawn raid on Thursday 13th October.

There have been numerous demonstrations across the West Bank since the Palestinian prisoners’ hunger strike began. These are in support of the 9 demands of Palestinian prisoners, which include the right to family visits, end to the use of isolation as a punishment, and an end to the profiteering of Israeli prisons from financial penalties charged against prisoners.

The Beit Ummar protest began after noon prayers with a peaceful march through the village, but later there were clashes between approximately 10 – 15 young demonstrators and the Israeli military, who used tear gas to disperse them. The clashes continued until around 4pm. Nobody was seriously hurt.

Later that evening – after the press and international observers had left – Israeli forces closed all main entrances to the village. These have yet to be re-opened. Popular Committee spokesman, Muhammed Awad, reported that an ambulance was prevented from passing through. It was en route to attend to a sick man, but the Israeli forces refused access despite protestations from the ambulance crew.

The mayor of Beit Ummar, Nasri Sabarneh, has condemned the action, calling it revenge for the hunger strike solidarity marches.

The names of three men arrested following last weeks protest are Yousef Ekhil, 40; Muhamad Bahar, 17 and Ahmad Sleibi, 16.

 

Hebron school demonstrates for third day: “Without teachers there is no school”

13 October 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

For the third morning children and teachers from Qordoba Scool gathered on the H1 side of Checkpoint 56 at 7.30am. The children, with the support of their teachers and the Director of Education in Hebron, Nisreen Amro, peacefully protested against heightened “security measures” that were introduced by the Israeli Army on Tuesday 11th October 2011.

The protest was covered by local, national and international press.

School children as young as 6 years old had their lessons outside, sitting on the floor by the checkpoint while standing at intervals to passionately chant, “We will not return, we want our right to education.”

The Director of Education in Hebron, representatives from the Governor of Hebron’s office, and teachers from Qordoba School attempted to reason with the soldiers, however the army continued to refuse anyone entry through the checkpoint gate. The Israeli Army’s response to the children’s peaceful protest was to send approx 10 soldiers and border police through the checkpoint to push the children further away from the checkpoint entrance.

For the past seven years teachers have had an agreement with the Israeli army that they can pass through the checkpoint gate instead of  the metal detectors. However two days ago without giving prior notification the Israeli army changed the rules – they are currently insisting that everyone, including teachers, pregnant women and people with heart complaints/ pace makers must pass through the metal detector.

As previously reported by ISM the children’s impromptu protest on Tuesday 11th October resulted   in a number of children requiring hospital treatment after being hit (with the butts of rifles) and kicked by both the Israeli army and the Israeli Police. Initially ISM reported that 7 children were taken to hospital, however today the father of one of the injured children informed ISM that 9 children were taken to hospital with injuries (1 boy and 8 girls). Fortunately all 9 children were able to leave hospital after a few hours.

Today ISM volunteers interviewed 11 year old Yazan Sharbati, one of the boys violently dragged into the checkpoint by an Israeli Police Officer on Tuesday 11th October as seen in the following video.

Sharbati stated, “There were no teachers in the school and so we protested to the army that we wanted our teachers. The army told us to go back to school, we told them that without teachers there is no school.”

Sharbati was asked how he felt when the Policeman grabbed him and pushed him into the checkpoint.

Hebron students continue to advocate – Click here for more images

“I was so afraid that something bad was going to happen. He pushed me very hard,” he said.

When asked if he intends to continue protesting against the closure of the gate at Checkpoint 56 Sharbati replied, without hesitation, “Of course”.

The Director of Education for Hebron, Nisreen Amro, said to ISM volunteers “If the Israeli Army does not reverse their decision by Sunday, chalkboards will be brought to the checkpoint and lessons will be held here.”

At the end of the protest as ISM volunteers left the checkpoint they observed soldiers refusing to allow a far along, pregnant, Palestinian lady through the checkpoint gate. She and her toddler were forced to climb the steep hill next to the checkpoint in order to avoid the metal detector.

International volunteers will continue to observe and report on any future protests.

Nablus enters sixth day of hunger strike as concern for exile looms

by Alistair George

13 October 2011  | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

Six protesters in Nablus completed their fifth day on open hunger strike today in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike in Israeli jails.

Palestinian prisoners in several Israeli jails began open hunger strikes, taking only water with salt, on the 27 September 2011 in protest against solitary confinement, restricted visiting hours and harsh prison conditions.  There are now 404 prisoners affiliated to PFLP (Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine) on open hunger strike in Israeli prisons, along with 5 leaders of Hamas, 10 members of Fatah, and 3 people affiliated to other parties.

Myassar Atyani, Director of the Cultural Committee in the PLO’s General Women’s Union, is one of six people on open hunger strike in Nablus.  They are spending the days in tents in the Duwar area of the city to raise awareness of their cause.

“We are on hunger strike in solidarity with the prisoners – they will be happy to hear that people outside are supporting them” she said.

The Nablus hunger strikers are undergoing regular medical checks, and are currently in good health, but they are weak and tired.  Atyani says they intend to continue until the Israeli authorities meet their demands.

Atyani claims that some prisoners on hunger strike have been denied salt for their water, which is vital in keeping the stomach healthy during a prolonged period without food.

She also expressed concern regarding the fate of many of the 1027 Palestinian prisoners about to be released by the Israeli authorities in exchange for Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier held captive by Hamas since 2006. Atyani claimed that around 200 of the prisoners would be sent into exile to Turkey and Qatar upon release and that prisoners from the West Bank may be sent to Gaza.

Atyani claims that the protests are enjoying huge support and are bringing the different Palestinian political factions together.  There are reportedly tents with hunger strikers in support of the prison protests across Palestine in Ramallah, Hebron, Qalqilya, Nablus, Gaza, Salfit, and Tulkarem.

At around 5.30pm today a procession of over 50 children beat drums and marched round central Nablus in support of the hunger strikers.  Many of the children held pictures of family members in Israeli prisons.

Alistair George is an activist with International Solidarity Movement (name has been changed).

Teachers in Hebron give lessons at Checkpoint 56

12 October 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

This morning the pupils and teachers from Qutuba School protested against the treatment of teachers at checkpoint 56. When, for the second day running, the teachers were not allowed to use the checkpoint gate that they usually use, they refused to pass through. In response at 8 AM the school closed, and the pupils came out to take their lessons outside of the checkpoint.

Addressing the children at the beginning of a lesson one teacher said, “Until the teachers are allowed to pass around the checkpoint we will have our lessons here.”

At the same time thousands of Palestinians gathered near the municipality of Hebron in a solidarity demonstration with the hunger striking prisoners. Here there were speeches from the head of the prisoners club, Amjad Najjar and the governor of Hebron, Kamil Hamid. In the square where the demonstration took place there have been tents forming a solidatarity camp for the prisoners for the last one and a half weeks. The demonstration ended peacefully at 10am.

Lessons resume at Checkpoint 56 - Click here for more images

At the same time, away from the demonstration, in the old city, there were reports that some settlers had attacked Palestinians. The settlers reportedly threw stones at the Palestinians, and after a short while the Israeli Occupation Forces arrived. When the Palestinians did not disperse immediately, the soldiers shot tear gas canisters directly into the crowd and made 4 arrests. One of the detained men is Fatel Dendis, 20 who has learning difficulties. After half an hour of unrest the Palestinian Police arrived and dispersed the Palestinian protesters.

In an act of collective punishment the soldiers demanded that all traders in the Old City to close their shops immediately, and offered no indication of when they would be permitted to re-open.