9th February 2019 | International Solidarity Movement, Al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine
Despite being condemned by all authoritative bodies, the occupation continues to expand it’s settlements throughout the ‘West Bank’, with total disregard for international law. All the settlements are built on Palestinian land and these illegal settlers often raid local villages, lacerating olive groves and destroying crops. In addition, violent, unprovoked attacks by settlers against Palestinians have increased alarmingly over the past year, with 200 race-related incidences recorded in 2018. The village of Al-Mughayyir north-east of Ramallah has experienced constant harassment, including settlers setting fire to the local mosque.
Last week, a group settlers invaded and attacked Al-Mughayyir, shooting indiscriminately toward houses. As residents gathered to resist the invasion with stones, the settlers immediately and randomly fired a barrage of bullets at the crowd, killing 38-year-old Hamdi Nassan who was shot in the back. Many others were hit with live ammunition, leaving three wounded in serious conditions.
After performing Friday prayers in the field of the village, the residents gathered to commemorate Hamdi and to protest the continued annexation of their land. Despite being on village land and posing no threat to the surrounding settlements, dozens of occupation soldiers were positioned across the hills surrounding the field. Within moments of shebab throwing stones toward fully-armored soldiers standing more than 100 metres away, the occupation began firing tear gas canisters from a machine known as ‘venom’- capable of shooting 64 canisters per launch. While protesters scattered in order to dodge hailing canisters, soldiers descended from the hills, firing rubber-coated steel bullets indiscriminately into the crowd. Yet as a cloud of tear gas smothered the field, the youth surged forward, using the toxic gas as cover to lob rocks at the armoured vehicles. At no point did anyone get within 50 meters of a soldier but in a reality that is all too familiar for the Palestinians – yet no less deplorable – snipers started ‘picking off’ protestors. Nine youths were wounded by live ammunition and many others injured.
2nd February 2019 | International Solidarity Movement, Al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine
Today, our good friend Abdulraouf Al-Mohtaseb’s, the famous owner of the 100 Million Dollar home , had his shop enclosed by steel barricades. We condemn this blatant act of aggression by the IDF against shop owners in the Old City of Al-Khalil. This is a direct response against Abdulraouf’s resilient act of resistance with his refusal to comply with the occupation.
We stand with Abdulraouf and the shop owners of Al-Khalil.
There are 3 primary schools on the street where the tear gas was used:
Hebron School
UNRWA Hebron Basic Boys School
Khadijah School
There are also 4 other schools in the immediate area.
During this time the soldiers also threw three concussion grenades over a wall into the Hebron School. They were unable to see who was on the other side of the wall or where they were at the time.
Tear gas rounds and concussion grenades, Hebron School
The headmaster of Hebron School said that 5 tear gas rounds were fired into the schoolyard in total.
Older school students were still in Hebron School. 30 boys and 5 teachers suffered tear gas inhalation.
Activists also found a spent tear gas round in a garden in the grounds of the UNRWA Hebron Basic Boys School.
Occupations soldiers fire tear gas, Salaymeh
There was no threat to the soldiers or anyone else at the time yet the soldiers continued to fire tear gas into the neighbourhood even the streets were completely empty of people.
They seemed to stop only when they had run out of tear gas.
Tear gas fired outside and inside Hebron School.
The tear gas spread through the neighbourhood into schools and residential buildings along the streets where families live. It was a still afternoon and the tear gas stayed in the immediate area and dispersed very slowly continuing to effect local residents.
Last month 238 tear gas rounds and 51 concussion grenades were fired in this neighbourhood. See the November report on Education in Palestine from Christian Peacemaker Teams:
This latest tear gas assault comes on the tail of two weeks when 6 boys between 10 and 14 years of age were abducted by Israeli occupation soldiers and Border Police.
15th December 2018 | International Solidarity Movement, Al-Khalil Team | Hebron, occupied Palestine
7 children were abducted on 3 different days in the Qeitun and Salaymeh neighbourhoods of al Khalil (Hebron) so far in December. ISM activists were present on these 3 occasions and this report contains video footage from all 3 incidents.
Location: Qeitun / Salaymeh neighbourhoods.
The area where these abductions occurred are in the centre of Hebron a short distance to the south to the Ibrahimi Mosque. Here, the two roads to Tareq Ibn Ziad shopping area are blocked by Qeitun Checkpoint and Salaymeh Checkpoint. Qeitun checkpoint is also know as Abu Rish Checkpoint. Salaymeh is also commonly called Checkpoint 160. To make matters confusing there are also other names and Palestinian and Israeli authorities have different numbering systems for them. For simplicities sake I call the checkpoints and the neighbourhoods to the south of them as “Qeitun” and “Salamyeh”
The town roads running south form the checkpoints are in a narrow part of the valley with one block (about 200m) between them. So the area is very small with steep hills ascending on either side.
Abductions:
4 December, 2018
There were two incidents on the 4th December, on the parallel streets leading from the checkpoints of Salaymeh (checkpoint 160) and Qeitun (Abu Rish).
Abductions by Israeli occupation soldiers by Salaymeh checkpoint:
Soldiers had entered the neighbourhood through Salaymeh checkpoint. One group stayed on the street and the other entered behind houses into back gardens from where they moved close to the school.
A small group of boys gathered by the school driveway after school.
International activists were present and observing the situation from within 5 metres.
No stones were thrown by any of the boys.
The soldiers on the street maintained the children’s attention while the other group entered the back of a garage between the school driveway and a neighbouring house.
The soldiers ran from the garage where they are hiding and ambushed the boys who were standing about 3 metres away.
Activists intervened challenging the soldiers about their actions and asking what the boys had done. 1 child managed to escape. but two were abducted and taken to Salayme checkpoint.
[Photos]
Abduction by Israeli occupation soldiers by Qeitun checkpoint:
Concurrent to the abduction at Salaymeh, Israel Border police entered the Qeitun neighbourhood.
They established up a “checkpoint” approximately 200 metres outside the “Alhajryt” Boys School checking IDs and body searching a Palestinian against the fence.
They then moved back towards Salaymeh before pushing down the street to capture someone. The only boy in the vicinity was standing outside the Alhajryt School with one of his teachers.
Again activists were close by when the ambush occurred. The child did nothing to justify his abduction.
The boy’s teacher refused to leave him and they were escorted together to the Qeitun checkpoint.
The following video documents this abduction:
5 December, 2018
Three Abductions at Qeitun
Border Police entered the area outside Quetun checkpoint, clearing the area of traffic.
Two of them took position at the intersection closest to the checkpoint. Once again this seemed to be to hold the children attention.
Another group of Border Police ambushed a group of children form behind in coordination with the first group who ran down the street. The second group seems to have set their ambush by entering through buildings from above the street.
The boys were taken to the Qeitun checkpoint.
The following videos shows the boys being taken away:
11 December, 2018
Abduction at Qeitun
Border police entered the Qeitun neighbourhood through a gate next to al Faihaa School and opposite the “bus checkpoint” by the Ibrahimi Mosque.
They proceeded through the olive trees to a factory building in the centre of the block and hid there for more than 30 minutes until the school children finished school.
After an unsuccessful attempt at emerging onto the street without being spotted near to Qeitun checkpoint they came out onto the cross street between Salaymeh and Qeitun.
They tried an initial sprint to the intersection but there were no children there.
They then wandered aimlessly around but were unable to provoke anyone to throw stones at them.
A man was randomly stopped, taken from his car, ID checked and body searched.
They then returned to the intersection with road from Qeitun checkpoint and managed to provoke a few small stones to be thrown.
The commander then ordered two of the soldiers to sprint down the road in another attempt to capture someone.
The only boy they could find was a 10 year old standing outside a shop holding the hand of his 4 year old brother. They were surrounded by adults.
Activists were on the street on both sides of the shop and witnessed no stones being thrown.
Activists tried to intervene and repeatedly asked for a reason for the boy’s abduction but were ignored as the boy was forcefully taken.
He can be heard calling, “Achi! Achi! [My brother. My brother!] as he is taken away. Leaving his younger brother without a family member.
The Border Police escorted the boy to he police station by the Ibrahimi Mosque via the same route they entered the neighbourhood through the gardens olive groves.
See the following video:
Summary:
All four incidents on these three days, 4th, 5th, and 11th December 2018 have several things in common:
The Israeli Border Police and the Israeli occupation soldiers all acted with the intent of abducting Palestinian school children.
Once they had succeeded they left the area immediately showing that this was their objective from the beginning.
The presence and behaviour of the soldiers and Border Police was provocative and invited an excuse for abduction.
None of the children abducted on these days was throwing stones. Nor was there any significant unrest or stone-throwing on any of these 3 days.
International activists were close at hand on each occasion abductions occurred.
One boy was 14 but the rest were younger.
The children were never accompanied by a parent of family member and no attempt was made to locate one.
Conclusions:
The abduction of innocent children especially in these circumstances is violations of natural justice, humanitarian and international law.
If the intent of these abductions was intended to be one of deterrence then it can only be construed as a form of collective punishment or psychological intimidation in order to subdue any form of resistance to Israeli occupation.
If this was a civil matter the Palestinian authorities would work with the children as in any other country deal with such issues.
The root of the problem is the occupation itself. The systematic oppression of the Palestinian people whom the children are part of is the problem that needs to be addressed.
The abductions yet are another aspect of this systematic oppression that perpetuates itself as long as the occupation continues.
The injustices of these arbitrary abductions only reinforces the resolve of Palestinians to resist the occupation and fuels reactions from the Palestinian youth who endure such things.
13th December 2018 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Asira Al Qibliya, Nablus, occupied Palestine
“This is the line,” Oussam Khalifa Ahmad illustrates as he takes us on a tour of his threatened land. “We are now passing into (Area) C.” Depending on where you look, some of the land has already been stolen. We can only observe for a limited amount of time. If we stay too long, we’re told that we will be attacked by the settlers, who’s housing we can see not far above us.
Settlements overlooking Asira Al Qibliya
For Palestinian landowners like Oussam, the Oslo Accords which solidified the cantonization of the West Bank, were a disaster. Tacit support or ambivalence for the Oslo peace process may be found in the urban regions, but not one villager looks kindly on the so-called agreement today. There is nothing surprising about his circumstance. His land is under threat by the Israeli courts, despite him having the proper documents. He also experiences frequent trespassing by nearby settlers who act with impunity. Oussam points up at his olive trees, burned from last Summer, to clarify exactly what that means.
A burnt olive tree on Oussam’s landOussam’s documents proving land ownership
This true story is one in thousands in the West Bank. We could talk about the road the villagers attempted to pave down to the main highway, construction now stalled by the Israeli government.
Construction stalled by Israeli gov’t for Palestinian road
We could illustrate the intimidating settlements overlooking the entire village, only a half a kilometer up the hill. Or, the monthly attacks by armed settlers, the hateful graffiti, destruction of property, bodily injuries to the villagers; Israeli soldiers aiding in all of it, firing on those who would dare protect their neighbors from harm, or their property from damage.
Graffiti in Hebrew on a wall in Asira Al Qibliya
We could talk about the direct theft of this village’s water, a common theme across the aqua-heavy West Bank. The spectacle of Israel’s control of the West Bank’s water is exhibited by allotted tanks, sitting on top of each Palestinian household, or business, throughout the occupied land. Let’s talk about the spring of water that was taken in the latest land-grab, candidly aided by the US government. We are taken to a water tank by Hakima, another villager and local landowner. The water tank is guarded by perimeters made of metal and stone, with a manned watchtower a few meters ahead.
Inside one can see the “USAID” sign. “This project is a gift from the American people to the Palestinian people…”
Last year the US government launched a “$10 million dollar project” to “improve access” to water for Palestinians. However, Hakima tells us that USAID projects such as these have a rather different effect when it comes to “improving access” to water. For example, Asira Al Qibliya received their USAID “gift” four years ago. “There was no (water tank) here four years ago,” she says, “then the USAID brought the water project here for us and built all this. Now the Israelis say they need ‘security area’ for the settlement.” She says that in addition to the US taking many more hectares of land- much of which were her own- to build this reservoir, it has enabled the settlements to expand even more. Hakima recalls that they were much better off when they used their own natural spring, which ran down to the village. Now, due to the spring’s redirection of water for settler use, the well has been dry for five years, which gave them no choice but to rely on the USAID water tower.
The village well is now empty
Palestinians may hear this question from many international journalists and activists from the outside- “what reason did they give for taking your land? Why did the settlers attack? Was it in response to..? Is there any legal reason they..?” Colonial governments tend to have pretexts for stealing land, or killing native populations, so the “why” turns into a triviality by default.
The name of this village is Asira Al Qibliya. The village is home to internationally infamous settler attacks. The names of the surrounding villages are Burin, Madama, Urif, Ana Bus, and Uara. They all have similar stories, and so do each of the 30,000 residents comprising of those villages.
This situation is nothing new, however one may wonder exactly how many more dunhams Israel can take before there is nothing left. Or, considering the well-documented discriminatory practices of water usage between Palestinians and settlers, how long before massive drought sweeps the Palestinian natives? How many more homes can be destroyed until most of the population is rendered homeless? If it’s hard to imagine a tipping point for the West Bank, one need only to look at Gaza, which the UN and NGOs alike say will be unlivable in about a year. One should not make any mistake, the occupation of the Palestinian territories is genocide.
