Israeli paratrooper backup arrives to deal with small boys throwing stones at heavily armed checkpoint in Al Khalil
On the morning of Thursday 17th May, the first morning of Ramadan, at around 7.30, several small boys were seen throwing stones at the Salaymeh checkpoint in the occupied H2 area of Al Khalil/Hebron. One soldier above the checkpoint responded by pointing a live ammunition rifle at a small boy. The soldiers on the checkpoint called for backup to deal with the small boys, and a truck full of paratroopers arrived. At around 8am the soldiers went out through the checkpoint, split into two teams and occupied two rooftops above schools in the Palestinian neighbourhood, then fired tear gas into 2 school playgrounds as children were gathering for the start of the day. Children and teachers were affected by tear gas inhalation.
Tear gas fired by Israeli soldiers on rooftop landing in Al Khalil boy’s basic schoolIsraeli soldiers on rooftop firing tear gas at two school playgrounds
In total in the next hour, around 15 Israeli soldiers came into the Palestinian neighbourhood outside of Salaymeh checkpoint and continued to fire more tear gas bombs and stun grenades from rooftops into the two school playgrounds. One school was Al Khalil Basic School (UN) for 8th and 9th grades, and the other was a boy’s school next door for grades 1-4. In total around 10 tear gas bombs and around 7-10 stun grenades were fired into the school playgrounds and street outside in the course of an hour, as children continued to walk to other schools in the neighbourhood.
Soldiers in street facing school, after tear gas fired by another team of soldiers on roof
After the soldiers finished firing tear gas and stun grenades at the children, they returned through Salaymeh checkpoint. ISM activists were detained for a short time at a checkpoint because they had been filming the soldiers’ violence. While being detained, they witnessed border police making a Palestinian family wait outside the checkpoint while the border police ate sandwiches in front of them and said “everybody loves Israel… That’s why they moved the embassy,” in an apparent reference to the recent relocation of the US embassy to Jerusalem.
Man comes out of building where soldiers have been occupying rooftop
Israeli soldiers fire tear gas at protesters, press and medics
On the morning of Tuesday 15th May, protesters in Al-Khalil/Hebron proceeded on two streets in the Bab-Azawiya area towards Checkpoint 56, where Israeli soldiers were occupying a rooftop inside the H1 (Palestinian controlled) area of the city. The protesters were driving cars with Palestinian flags, waving ‘Great Return March’ flags and some were throwing stones towards the soldiers on the rooftop in solidarity with those killed by Israeli soldiers in Gaza the previous day. Protests were also in support of the right of return, and for the 70th year commemoration of the nakba, or catastrophe, when 700,000 Palestinians were made refugees by Zionist militias in 1948.
From their position high on the rooftop in Bab Azawiya, Israeli soldiers fire live ammunition and rubber-coated steel bullets towards protesters below.
From their position on the rooftop, Israeli soldiers fired live ammunition towards protesters, shooting and injuring two boys who were taken to hospital. As protesters retreated and ambulance crews were attending to the injuries, soldiers threw tear gas and stun grenades towards the crowd of protesters, medics and journalists. At this point ISM activists heard that a Palestinian journalist had been arrested by Israeli forces for covering the protest but this remains unconfirmed. Protesters burned tires and rubbish bins to provide cover, making it more difficult for the soldiers to shoot them. Throughout the afternoon, Israeli soldiers remained on the rooftop, firing copious amounts of tear gas and stun grenades towards the protesters, most of whom were under 18. One of the stun grenades thrown hit a passing car which was not involved in the protest. As a man who lives locally was filming the protest, soldiers threw a stun grenade directly at him and it exploded at his feet. He was unhurt and laughed it off. Many were badly affected by tear gas inhalation.
Israeli soldier laughs at protesters after 3 unarmed Palestinians have been shot with live ammunition and rubber-coated steel bullets.
ISM activists observed soldiers on the rooftop clapping, singing, and taunting the protesters with hand gestures and insults throughout the afternoon, between firing rubber-coated steel bullets, stun grenades and tear gas into Bab-Azawiya. One more protester was hit with a rubber-coated steel bullet and taken to hospital, bringing the total injured to three. Later in the afternoon, six heavily armed soldiers left Checkpoint 56, entering into Bab-Azawiya on foot, and then returned inside. After this, soldiers on the rooftop continued to fire many tear gas bombs and stun grenades into the street. A mother with three very scared small girls walked directly underneath the soldiers to pass through Checkpoint 56 as they were firing tear gas into the street below.
Israeli soldiers fire tear gas and stun grenades towards protesters (in street to left of picture) in Bab Azawiya
At around 1800, Israeli soldiers occupied a rooftop in Tel Rumeida, and fired live ammunition into the city as it was getting dark. At least eleven live bullets were shot into the densely populated Bab-Azawiya area from high up on the hill in Tel Rumeida, along with between 5-10 stun grenades at around 1930. At no point during the day did protesters use any weapons against the Israeli soldiers, or threaten their safety in any way, except throwing stones.
The soldiers were taking pictures of protesters and international observers with a long-lens camera throughout the afternoon.
Israeli soldier takes pictures of protesters throughout the afternoon from rooftop in Bab Azawiya as other soldiers shoot live ammunition, rubber coated steel bullets and tear gas at protesters . Graffiti on wall below reads: Boycott Israel.
On the 14th May 2017, the day the new US embassy to Israel was due to open in Jerusalem, protests were held across Palestine.
Protesters set up a barricade to protect themselves from the violence of the border police
In Bethlehem, hundreds of children, women and men marched from Nisan Square to the gate in the apartheid wall separating them from Jerusalem. This unarmed protest was immediately met by brutal force. Border police fired at protesters with a vehicle mounted tear-gas cannon. People ran into alleyways suffering from the effects of the gas.
Protesters soon regrouped, setting up a burning barricade to protect themselves from Israeli forces. Border police shot into the crowd with tear gas and foam baton ammunition. Both these types of ammunition are potentially lethal.
Vehicle mounted tear gas launcher used to fire at crowdThe launcher is of the type manufactured by US company Combined Systems
All of this deadly crowd control equipment is of the type supplied to Israeli forces by US company Combined Systems. The company have been the target of solidarity protests in the US.
Israeli forces occupy a balcony to shoot at protesters.
International Solidarity Movement volunteers were present, and saw several people being treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation.
Women were at the forefront of the demonstration, with affinity groups of women strengthening the barricade and protesting in the street. Some activists brought a large wooden door to protect themselves from tear gas and baton rounds.
Demonstrators use a wooden barricade to shelter from the baton rounds
East Jerusalem was illegally occupied by Israeli forces in 1967. Since then, the Israeli state and Zionist settler movements have claimed all of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and have embarked on campaigns and policies to marginalize and uproot Palestinian communities. Palestinian neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem, such as Silwan and Sheikh Jarrah, are currently resisting evictions, settler harassment and racism. Donald Trump’s relocation of the US embassy to Jerusalem supports these apartheid policies. The protest in Bethlehem was just one of many protests by Palestinian communites across the West Bank, Gaza, and the territories occupied by Israel in 1948, intended to show Palestinian opposition to the embassy relocation.
Palestinians marched from Arafat square in Ramallah at 11am this morning 15th May to the DCO checkpoint near the illegal settlement of Beit El to confront Israeli forces. At around 12PM there were over 1000 protestors. Israeli forces fired excessive amounts of rubber coated steel bullets, tear gas, sponge tipped batons and reportedly also used live ammunition. Palestinian medics rushed with stretchers to the injured as so many were injured. At one point a Palestinian was shot with a rubber coated steel bullet in the leg, a medic ran to treat him but was also targeted by Israeli forces with a rubber coated steel bullet. Israeli forces deployed a drone several times to drop tear gas on the demonstrators. The sounds of ambulances and scenes of them rushing up and down the road never stopped throughout today’s demonstration in solidarity with Gaza and in remembrance of Al Nakba.
Medics gather at Beit El protest to treat the wounded. Medics were also wounded by Israeli weapons.Protesters march towards Beit El.
Protesters gather in Al-Khalil/Hebron city centre on Monday morning
On Monday 14th May at 11am, protesters in occupied Al-Khalil gathered at the Hussein Mosque stadium with placards, and marched down to the city centre, gathering there and taking pictures at around 11.30. Around 80 protesters were present, including children and observers. Some protesters continued on towards Checkpoint 56, which prevents Palestinians from entering Shuhada Street. Israeli soldiers threw stun grenades and tear gas at protesters from a rooftop above the checkpoint. The protesters were mostly under 18, and not armed or posing any threat to the soldiers. At this point, 5 heavily armed soldiers came out of the checkpoint into Bab-Azawieh, in H1, began pointing out protesters, and firing rubber-coated steel bullets towards them as well as tear gas and stun grenades. Other soldiers remained on the rooftop, using live ammunition on protesters.
Soldiers invade Bab-Azawieh in H1, AlKhalil/Hebron. Boy pictured left of soldier was injured by tear gas inhalation later on.Boy pictured above being carried off suffering with tear gas inhalation.
International Solidarity Movement activists went to investigate if there had been any injuries amongst the protesters, and witnessed an elderly man being carried down the street away from the checkpoint and rushed into an ambulance, suffering with tear gas inhalation. In the next few hours, International Solidarity Movement activists confirmed with witnesses that three boys were shot and injured– one from live fire, and two from rubber-coated steel bullets. The victims were taken to hospital. Copious amounts of tear gas continued to be used throughout the day from soldiers occupying a rooftop above Checkpoint 56, injuring a 14 year old boy, from inhalation, who was filming for a human rights organisation and wearing a vest marked ‘Press’. Activists also witnessed the soldiers on the rooftop dancing, singing, and jeering at protesters after throwing tear gas and stun grenades, and after hospitalising 4 Palestinians. One protester, aged around 12 or 13, waved a ‘Great Return March’ flag in view of soldiers, who responded by throwing tear gas and stun grenades.
Israeli settlers have a party in Shuhada street in the afternoon as soldiers remain on rooftop throwing stun grenades and sound bombs at Palestinian protesters in Bab Azawieh, H1.
As soldiers remained on the rooftop, International Solidarity Movement activists passed through Checkpoint 56 after receiving reports of settlers having a party. Settlers, including many children, escorted by heavily armed soldiers, police and border police, were having a party with music and balloons. The party stopped near the Beit Hadassah settlement on Shuhada street. ISM activists witnessed a settler with a rifle slung over his shoulder handing out balloons to children. Israeli police checked the activists’ passports, and they were asked to leave.
Palestinians were protesting for many reasons on this day: including the commemoration of the nakba, or catastrophe, in which much of 1948 Palestine was ethnically cleansed, and the opening of the US embassy in the occupied and contested city of Jerusalem. In protests in Gaza on the same day Israeli forces shot dead 55 unarmed Palestinian protesters.
