26th June 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine
A fourteen year old Palestinian boy was shot at by settlers and soldiers before being arrested on the 25th June at 4:00 pm outside Bab al-Baladiya, the military base overlooking the old city in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron). Sources are unclear as to why he was arrested however it is known that the Israeli forces have been looking for him for a long period of time.
The settlers that reportedly shot at Mohammad
Eyewitnesses claim that Muhammad was outside of the gate of Bab al-Baladiya when a group of settlers and soldiers shot three rounds of live ammunition as well as reportedly throwing sound bombs. After that, they came out from the gate and took him inside the base.
Muhammad’s brother Mahmoud (18) was arrested in a similar fashion on May 17th and has yet to be released. After arresting Mahmoud, the Israeli forces called their family to demand that Muhammad be turned over in exchange for Mahmoud. This praxis is clearly against any human rights standards and is intended to exert pressure on the family to basically exchange one son for the other, clearly disregarding any kind of legal standards in the proceeding.
This took place on the first day of Eid al-Fitr “the feast of breaking the fast”, the most important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide, marking the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting. This feast, normally, is a family feast, where everyone would go and visit their families, which in occupied al-Khalil is impeded to a large degree by Israeli forces. Both Mohammad and Mahmoud though, will not be able to celebrate this feast with their families.
A 22 year old Palestinian activist was detained in al-Khalil this morning. He was held and interrogated for thirty minutes, before being escorted through the Shuhada Street checkpoint. He was released after another half hour with no charge, but was told that Israeli forces would raid his house if they found he was linked to the Palestinian Authority.
Eiman Faroukh was detained and questioned while walking in the Old Soukh. Once they saw that international activists were documenting the incident, soldiers took him into an alley out of sight before demanding that he hand over his wallet and phone. When he attempted to give them to a friend, the friend was also threatened with detention unless the items were handed over.
They then proceeded to escort him to the Shuhada Street checkpoint, where he was interrogated further. Border Police were called in to harass activists taking photos, threatening them with arrest. When the activists refused to leave, Israeli forces escorted the man into Shuhada Street, where Palestinian activists could not go.
Palestinian protesters clashed with Israeli soldiers and border police yesterday in Hebron, as Palestinians demonstrated in solidarity with the prisoners’ hunger strike. The clash lasted for five hours, with Israeli forces using tear gas, sound bombs, rubber-coated steel bullets, and live ammunition to disperse the protesters. A 15-year old and a 20-year old were shot, with many others arrested.
Israeli soldiers began the assault by advancing on Bab al-Zawiya from Shuhuda street
The clashes began soon after midday, as Israeli soldiers emerged from Shuhuda street checkpoint in order to disperse Palestinian youths, who had been throwing stones at the checkpoint’s gates.
Israeli soldiers assault Bab al-Zawiya
Soldiers were unusually quick to begin firing rubber-coated steel bullets, with a 15-year old boy being hit in the head outside the market entrance at 1pm. The boy was rushed to hospital in a nearby car.
Palestinian youths avoid rubber bullets with a smoke screen and wooden barrierSoldiers were watched over by several snipers on surrounding rooftops.
Despite the use of tear gas, rubber-coated steel bullets and live ammunition, it took 5 hours for Israeli forces to clear the area of Palestinian youths, who had only rocks.
Palestinian teenagers throw rocks at soldiers as they assault Bab al-Zawiya
Soldiers repeatedly harassed journalists covering the clash. One boasted that they had begun firing rubber-coated steel bullets and hadn’t ‘even eaten lunch yet’.
Journalists harassed by Israeli border police
At 2.30pm, a 20-year old Palestinian man was shot in the leg with live ammunition and subsequently rushed to hospital.
Border police fire live ammunition at protesters
After a short break, soldiers resumed their assault at 3.30pm, moving through the Bab al-Zawiya gas station to fire tear gas, sound bombs and rubber-coated steel bullets at protesters.
Israeli army assault protesters in central HebronIsraeli soldier throws sound bomb from Bab al-Zawiya gas station
Many teenagers were detained during the clashes, and some afterwards as soldiers appeared to target particular children.
Israeli soldiers chase child down street in central Hebron
One teenager was filmed being beaten in the street by Israeli soldiers as they dragged him towards Shuhuda street.
The clashes occurred following a demonstration in solidarity with the prisoners’ hunger strike. 1,500 Palestinian prisoners are currently on hunger strike in Israeli jails, having refused food since the 17th of April. In the last few days around 70 prisoners have been moved to civilian hospitals due to ‘seriously deteriorating’ health conditions. The number of prisoners at serious risk of death is expected to increase sharply soon, with many now refusing to even drink water.
The demonstrations occurred on the same day that the Palestinians held a general strike in support of the prisoners. According to the organisers of the strike, it was the first general strike since the first intifada to be observed by Palestinians living both at home and in the diaspora.
Donald Trump abandoned plans to visit Bethlehem’s Church of Nativity today due to the presence of a Palestinian protest outside the building.
Palestinians protest in solidarity with prisoners’ hunger strike today in Bethlehem
The US President changed plans at the last minute, reportedly infuriating the Palestinian Authority by breaking with official protocol. Instead, Trump conducted a short meeting with Mahmoud Abbas and a press conference in which he condemned last night’s terror attack in Manchester.
Security arrives at the compound to prepare for President Trump’s visit
Security was high at Trump’s meeting, with the American convoy entering and exiting the Palestinian compound quickly and discreetly this morning. The President was greeted by an American marching band upon his arrival. Bethlehem’s Hebron Road was blocked off by scores of heavily armed Palestinian security service officers, and the whole process was observed by at least four snipers positioned on nearby rooftops.
Sniper tells ISM activist not to take photos
Palestinians had been holding a protest outside the Church, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, in solidarity with the 1,500 prisoners currently on hunger strike in Israeli jails. The prisoners have refused to eat since the 17th of April, and many are now refusing to drink water as well.
The prisoners are demanding an end to the practice of administrative detention, where Palestinians can be imprisoned indefinitely without charge, an end to solitary confinement and the right to family visits. Israel has yet to begin negotiating with the prisoners. In the last few days, 70 of the prisoners have been moved to civilian hospitals due to a ‘serious deterioration’ in their health conditions.
A 12-year old Palestinian boy was detained by Israeli armed forces this afternoon in Hebron’s Bab al-Baladiyya military base. The boy was apparently targeted by the soldiers, who were interrogating passers-by on his whereabouts. When he was identified, the heavily-armed soldiers quickly surrounded the boy and his father before forcing them into the military base.
Despite onlookers objecting that the boy had not thrown any stones at the gate of the base, soldiers argued that it seemed he was preparing to do so. Officials from the Palestinian Authority attempted to intervene but were not successful, while a Palestinian who agreed to be interviewed by ISM after the incident was subject to deliberate intimidation by Israeli forces.
The boy’s mother attempted to join her husband, but was forbidden. The boy’s much younger brother was seen crying in confusion, tugging on his mother’s leg as the 12-year old and his father were led into the compound. Sources tell ISM that this was the 12-year old’s first experience of military detention.
![Soldiers detain 12-year old child in al-Khalil [VIDEO]](https://palsolidarity.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/patrol-in-hebron.jpg)