Category: Reports - Page 57 - International Solidarity Movement

Israeli forces provoke and fire tear gas and stun grenades at school children

28th February 2018 | International Solidarity Movement, al Khalil team | Occupied Palestine

This morning, armed Israeli Border Police entered Salaymeh neighborhood in Al Khalil, Hebron. They advanced towards the schools and shot one tear gas canister and one stun grenade at school children at 7:45 am. This happened after a single border police provoked the children by kneeling down and pointing her weapon directly at them. International activists also witnessed two bag checks performed on minors, boys no older than 13, an action completely illegal according to international law.

Border Police recede after firing tear gas and stun grenade at students

Also this morning, Israeli forces also fired two tear gas canisters from a roof top beside the Ziad Al Jaber school in the Jaber neighborhood at school children. As a result many children suffered from tear gas inhalation and one child was hospitalized. The teachers rushed to children’s aid, while Israeli forces also prevented a psychology teacher from entering the school.

Palestinian child gets treated for bad tear gas inhalation

After the tear gas was fired, an army jeep was positioned outside of the school Israeli forces were stopping people at random and performing ID checks. The teachers remained weary as the children recovered throughout their lessons.

Teachers rush to students’ aid after inhaling tear gas this morning

Tear gas was also fired at school children in the Queitun neighborhood this morning. Today was a busy day for the Israeli armed forces. Palestinians approach this weekend’s jewish celebration of Purim with caution. Only Wednesday and tension and violence seems to be escalating before and after school hours.

Children that grow up under military occupation are unfortunately accustomed to this kind of treatment on their way to and from school, all of them hoping to avoid hospitalization and someday see a free Palestine.

Palestinian arrested for selling bracelets near Ibrahimi Mosque checkpoint

21st February 2018 | International Solidarity Movement, al Khalil team | Occupied Palestine

Yesterday a Palestinian shop owner, age 24, was arrested for selling bracelets to passersby outside Ibrahimi Mosque checkpoint.

The mosque checkpoint was bustling with young men selling bracelets and key chains to tourists as border police singled out one to detain and later arrest. The young Palestinian owns a shop close to the checkpoint; border police detained him for two hours before sending him to the police station for three hours. Eventually, he paid 500 NIS to be released and has returned to his shop today.

In addition to paying bail, he has to attend a court hearing in six months at Ofar, a military prison in Ramallah. When asked, he is completely dumbfounded as to why he must attend a court hearing in several months. He is also anxious about not receiving a receipt for his large bail, worrying the border police could charge him again.

The shop owner says his experience is far from rare in al Khalil, as the oppressive Israeli occupation has normalized unsolicited arrests of young men and boys. His cousin chimes in saying, “Being in jail inside or being in jail outside, it is the same.”

This man’s arrest coincided with a 14-year-old boy’s arrest on the same day for allegedly throwing a rock at a surveillance camera, and two 13-year-old boys’ arrest a few days prior for being attacked and provoked by settler children. All of them have since been released, however, they all remain weary towards police and settlers as the occupation continues.

Israeli forces suppress Palestinian demonstration against apartheid restrictions in Al Khalil, Hebron

International Solidarity Movement Al Khalil/Hebron Team 16/02/2018

Today a demonstration was organized by Human Rights Defenders and Hebron Defense Committee under the umbrella name Dismantle the Ghetto. Around 300 Palestinians prayed inside and outside the mosque and shortly after prayers they marched from the mosque to Bab Al Baladia which was once a Palestinian gold market before the settlers and occupation forces shut it down and forced Palestinians out. Israeli forces immediately came through the gates of the illegal settlement at Bab Al Baladia and proceeded to throw many stun grenades and fired tear gas down the street at those who were demonstrating peacefully for their basic human rights.

Video of the march to Bab Al Baladia:

Palestinian vehicles were stopped at gunpoint by the Israeli army and car keys were taken as drivers were forbidden from continuing down Shalala street. Palestinians on foot were made to stop in the middle of the road at gunpoint lifting the top parts of their clothing, their ID’s were also checked before being allowed to walk past.

A Palestinian pedestrian made to lift Tshirt by the Israeli army

Clashes then followed immediately after at Bab Azawiyeh. Israeli forces entered H1 area from checkpoint 56 under Palestinian control pointing their guns at Palestinians on foot and at vehicles before firing even more tear gas. Clashes went on between Palestinian youth and armed Israeli forces for around three hours, Israeli snipers were positioned on adjacent rooftops.

Video of clashes in Bab Azawiyeh:

The heart and economic center of Al Khalil/Hebron, Al shuhada street was once a major part of the Palestinian market which was closed in 1994 after a settler called Baruch Goldstein from a nearby illegal settlement opened fire inside the Ibrahimi Mosque killing 29 Palestinians and injuring over 100. Israeli occupation forces imposed draconian rules and apartheid orders on the Palestinian population as collective punishment instead of punishing the settlers. As a result of this, many shops were forced to close and these unjustified orders still exist today. This is why Al Khalil, Hebron is known as the ghost town. Palestinians are forbidden from walking down or driving down their own street and those Palestinians who refuse to leave cannot even open their front doors onto Shuhada street, as the Israeli army welded their doors shut. There are many areas with such severe measures in Hebron which prevent Palestinians from access and freedom of movement. Twenty checkpoints are in the heart of the city which Palestinians have to pass through daily, whilst Israeli settlers face no measures or restrictions whatsoever.

The commemoration of the Ibrahimi massacre falls on the 25th of February every year Al Khalil, Hebron. We expect to see many actions and demonstrations organized against this immoral ongoing occupation, unjust military orders and the expansion of illegal settlements.

Israeli soldiers order Palestinian family to halt approved rooftop construction

18th February 2018 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil team | Occupied Palestine

Israeli soldiers confiscate approved building materials adding up to 10,000 NIS from Palestinian builders.

Last weekend, the Sharabati family that lives on Shuada street in Al Khalil were hard at work constructing a metal frame for a roof covering on top of their house which is overlooked by an illegal settlement. Settlers arrived at a gate adjacent to the Sharabati rooftop and began swearing in Arabic, banging on the gate and trying to provoke a response. Palestinians and ISMers ignored this apparent harassment and continued on with the work before breaking for lunch. Shortly thereafter, 12 soldiers including 3 commanders arrived and ordered the Palestinians to halt construction, as they did not have proper permission even though the Sharabati family does have the necessary paperwork. After one hour of talking on their radios and taking pictures of the project and the family, the soldiers confiscated the power tools, equipment and generator leaving the rooftop in disarray.

The Sharabati family have previously tried to make alterations to their roof and faced the same difficulties. Head of the family, Mufid Sharabati, was assaulted five years ago by many soldiers, which resulted in hospitalization and metal plates in his back.

Regardless of having proper paperwork authorizing rooftop construction, the family remained powerless at the word of a few angry settlers and actions of soldiers today. Now they have lost the right to construct on their private property as well as 10,000 NIS worth of equipment. They are prepared to further challenge the soldiers’ unjust actions so they can eventually complete construction.

3,829 illegal settlement housing units in Khalil area were approved by the civil administration just last October, whilst Palestinians cannot even make minor improvements to their own homes on their own land.

Children traumatised when Israeli soldiers raid schools

12th February 2018 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah team | Occupied Palestine

This Sunday, 6 Israeli military jeeps with soldiers entered the village of Hares, southwest of Nablus, in order to raid three schools filled with kids of all ages. Around 10 AM about 20 Israeli soldiers tried to enter the school yards of the two high schools. The pupils were in between classes and all out in the school yard. The teachers managed to lock the gate, so the soldiers stopped and interrogated all the cars and the people passing in the street outside.

Being unable to enter, they then moved on the elementary school. Many of the children were scared and tried to go home, but the stressed out teachers managed to collect them in the classrooms, locking the gate to keep the soldiers out. The new Shabak officer of the region was leading the incursion.

That night, Ibrahim, a six-year old boy from the school came to sleep in his father Issa’s bed for the first time. “He always sleeps in his own bed”, Issa says to the ISMers meeting them. “He asked me if he won’t be able to go to school again tomorrow and when I asked him why he would think not he said ‘Cause the soldiers might come again’.” Issa then tried to convince his son that the soldiers wouldn’t come “But he then asked me ‘Who can guarantee that?’ and all I could do was to persuade him to go to school. He does not seem relaxed and still sleeps in my bed.”

Issa also emphasises how many kids in Hares and all around Palestine suffer from similar traumas. “For sure my son is not the only one reacting like this. There are many children having nightmares and wetting their beds every night as a reaction to the soldiers raiding their schools.”

A few years ago Israeli soldiers entered the schools daily. Around 1000 girls and boys met the soldiers every day, but after the village managed to bring up a case towards the Israeli military, the raids stopped. Now many villagers fear the children will once again get more traumatised.