2nd December 2018 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus team | Nablus, Occupied Palestine
Once again, Palestinians exercised their right of free speech under international law, and once again, were encountered with tear gas and gunfire. Outside Nablus, demonstrations took place against the continuous construction of Israeli settlements and outposts, imprisonment of Palestinians- young and old- and the Trump administration’s declaration to move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. At one point, when the Israeli assault settled, an activist was able to comment on the situation: “We refuse any attempts to make Al Quds a capital of this zionist state, which aims to divide our lands with the ‘Big Jerusalem Project’ or ‘E1 Plan,’ that will be used to connect Ma’aleh Adomim Settlement with Al Quds, through the Palestinian lands and towns, furthering the separation of our land into small cantons.” Constant infringement on rights, humiliation, and collective punishment of Palestiniansare at the core of this dreadful conflict, and have been the fuel for non-stop protests throughout the occupied West Bank for years. The most recent example of this systematic cruelty is Isra’a Al-Ja’abis, whose been in prison for 2.5 years, reportedly having been denied proper medical treatment for her severe burns that she got after her car exploded in 2015.
For every lull in violence by the police, came another eruption of tear gas and firing, pushing the protestors back by hundreds of meters. Both Internationals showing solidarity, and the press, avoided rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades. One Palestinian was injured by a live sniper-bullet, reportedly to have been bleeding profusely from his leg. “He’s been taken to the hospital for treatment, and we don’t have updates on his condition.”
30 November 2018 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah team | Ramallah, occupied Palestine
November 29 marks the 71st anniversary that the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 181 in 1947, which later became known as “International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.” Leaders in Ramallah called on the UN to recognize that resolution, during a time where settlements have massively increased up three-fold from last year. “This day should demand actions that will re-instate the role of the United Nations as an international institution who’s mission is to realize peace and justice,” states the coordinator of the political parties in the Ramallah district, who read out a letter written to the UN secretary General, then presented it to the Representative at the UN Office in Ramallah. The letter contained 4 major demands: International protection for the Palestinians under illegal occupation, proper punishment for Israel’s war crimes, ending American enabling of Israel’s illegal actions, and an international investigation into the continued practice of aggression, notably settlements. International crimes by the Israeli government have gone unabated, the sustained occupation of the West Bank being the most notable, and the confiscation of land thereof. Or the imprisonment, torturing, and rendition of children; or the outright massacre(s) of the defenseless population of Gaza, including the brutal, decade-long siege. The UN’s stance has always been clear, but their inability to put a stop- or even a deceleration- to Israel’s belligerent policies is the reason this demonstration was staged. Recently this month, Israel ramped up its assault on the Palestinian leadership, as well as on East Jerusalem itself. The East Jerusalem Governor’s recent arrest, and the demolition of over 20 businesses in Shu’fat Refugee Camp, are the most telling examples. “We affirm our right of national resistance in all forms that comply with international laws, to realize these rights, which are un-negotiable, and uncompromising… We want the international community to (help) build the Palestinian State on the ground, and to make our people achieve their goals of independence, self-determination, and the right of returning back according to the resolution.” Israel has laid claim to the longest military occupation in modern history.
27th November 2018 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah team | Al Mughayyir, Ramallah, Occupied Palestine
The village of Al Mughayyir sits 27 miles north of Jerusalem. Sitting above is the settlement of Shiloh, more than a quarter of which is constructed on Palestinian land, the locals say. An elder from the village reports that the settlers now come into the village almost daily. “In the last three days they have cut the olive trees, which are very important for Palestinian people.” He also reported the destruction of their property, car tires slashed, graffiti on the walls, much of it reading in Hebrew ‘Price Tag’ and ‘Revenge’.
The settler violence is becoming more regular and extreme, and there is no authority- Israeli or Palestinian- that responds to the multiple assaults. “Only citizens, Palestinians,” the elder reports.
It is unclear where the attackers are coming from, but it is worth noting that a military encampment was just turned into an outpost- deemed illegal by international law- for settlers, known as “Jbaayt.”
A new outpost known as “Jbaayt” sits east of the village.
Al Mughayyir is a beautiful village, situated among hundreds of olive trees, with bougainvillea that is spread across the landscape. Children in Al Mughayyir walk home from school.
Palestinians across the spectrum met in the legendary, and endangered, Kahn Al Ahmar last night in solidarity with Adnan Ghaith; recently arrested for “breaking Oslo law” by “cooperating with the PA’s security services,” according to the zionist-friendly newspaper Haaretz. The mendacity of using “Oslo law” to charge a Palestinian leader for the “rarely enforced” section 7 is blatant, as the Israeli government breaks both Oslo and international law frequently. Their intention to destroy Khan Al-Ahmar is but one example of this hypocrisy. Adnan Ghaith’s arrest is seen by many as connected to his own solidarity with Palestinians, including by Abdullah Rahman, a Palestinian leader. “We started a campaign six months ago to support the beduin people in Khan Al-Ahmar… They arrested (Adnan) because he started with us in this campaign of six months, and we succeeded in our campaign.” Khan Al-Ahmar has been the center symbol for holding what remanence is left of the chances of a Palestinian state. In May, the top Israeli court approved the village’s demolition, which is home to a tribe that has been displaced multiple times since 1950, beginning in The Negev Desert. “This is a small village- 187 people- but the school here (has) 185 students studying. Not only from Khan Ahmar community, but from 5 other communities. This is what it means… There are 45 other communities in the area from East Jerusalem to the Dead Sea… If we succeed to stop demolishing here, that means we succeed in other places.” Adnan Ghaith’s solidarity with the bedouins of Khan Al Ahmar was celebrated as they called for his release.
Abu Khameesh is the leader of the village, and was born in Khan Al Ahmar, but remembers being moved around many times since 1953. “When we’re talking about Al-Khan Al-Ahmar, we’re not speaking of a piece of land that is some kilometer square, but a huge region that covers 1200 kilometers square, about 20% of the area of the West Bank.” To him, and many other Palestinians, saving Khan Al-Ahmar is more than just about the village, or even the greater area; it’s about the refusal to be displaced again.
Adnan Ghaith’s solidarity with the likes of Abu Khameesh is seen by the Palestinians as the true reason for his multiple arrests, including the latest; not some arbitrary bit of “Oslo law.” They’re seen as intimidation tactics by Israel, however these tactics bear a great deal of liability for the Palestinian leadership. If Israel can arrest Adnan Ghaith, they can arrest others, effectively crippling the leadership evermore. Indeed, other leaders, such as Abdullah Rahman have been arrested as well. “I must be in the jail after two weeks. I had a trial in a military court, and the decision to arrest me for four months, to pay 2000 shekels, was the 14th of November.” While Rahman’s lawyers are making an appeal, he admits that his own prospects of avoiding imprisonment are slim. “Maybe after two weeks, I must be in jail to stay four months. It’s the same tactic (by Israel).”
Arresting Adnan Ghaith, Abdullah Rahman, and others, are parallel to demolishing Khan Al-Ahmar. They are functions of the greater occupation. The word “occupation” sometimes gets lost in political and idealistic discourse, forgetting that it’s, simply, the systematic and aggressive ethnic cleansing of people who have lived in this land for thousands of years. For the native people of Palestine, people like Abu Khameesh, this is never forgotten. The refusal to be displaced again is the refusal to be erased.
“Our parents suffered from the first forced immigration, and we refuse to suffer again… Forced immigration is one of the many definitions of genocide, and why does the international community do nothing to prevent it? It is clear that strength is the absolute law, and not the laws agreed in the international community. There are over 800 international decisions about the Palestinians, not one came to realization. The world is looking at this region with one eye. It only sees the economic and the military power.”
Israel has been breaking international law since its founding, and has consistently broken Oslo law since the accords.
26th November2018 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah team | Jerusalem, occupied Palestine
Over the past two months Occupied East Jerusalem’s’ Governor Adnan Ghaith has been arrested three times. Each time he’s been released without charge. Once again, Yesterday morning, the Israeli border police arrested him.
At the same time his offices in the Jerusalem Government Municipality of A-Ram were also raided
Doors and windows were smashed, offices ransacked, computers and hard drives stolen.
Presently, no charge has been made against Mr Ghaith and he is still being held in a detention center [VIDEO] in Israel. He is expected to attend military court on Thursday in the hope that bail will be granted.
Also in the early hours of this morning, 32 colleagues have been taken into detention. The Israelis said they are currently investigating… investigating what, we don’t know.
In the past three months, Israel has stepped up its aggression in East Jerusalem. Along with the continued arrests of not just civilians but now Palestine Government officials, over 700 Palestinians have been displaced in Silwan due to the expansion of the illegal settlements and 17 businesses in Shu’fat Refugee Camp were demolished last week. There has been no definitive resolution in regards to Khan Al-Ahmar. The residents are fighting for their survival against the Zionist government. This is part of a bigger plan to annex East Jerusalem and push out Palestinians from their historical capital.
Since Trump moved the US Embassy to Jerusalem it has given Netanyahu’s government the green light to push as many Palestinians as possible out of East Jerusalem. Trump stopped the $25 million dollars a year in financial aid to East Jerusalem’s hospitals. Although the Palestinian Authority has stepped up and bridged the gap with $12.5 million a year from the national budget to keep the hospitals running.
It seems this all aids Netanyahu’s government in their aim to weaken the two state solution.
