International Solidarity Movement - Page 106 - Nonviolence. Justice. Freedom.

Political Prisoners absent during Palestinian Mother’s Day

23^rd March 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah Team | Kafr ad-Dik, Occupied Palestine

On 21st of March, Palestine celebrated their Mother’s Day. A group of Palestinian and international activists visited the village of Kafr ad Dik in the Salfit municipality. The activists delivered roses to the mothers and relatives of political prisoners and sat down with them to hear their stories. The action was organised by three Palestinian groups: Target Association for Rural Development – Burin; Handala Center for Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners; and, Retaj Foundation for Women.

The following is a summary of their stories, a glimpse into the 6,500 political prisoners (January 2017) that are imprisoned in Israeli prisons.

ISM/Yusuf Zidan — Hamidan Family: His sentence of 6 years was imposed on 20th March 2017, he is 20yo

ISM/Charlie Donnelly — Ratib Family: All 5 sons have been arrested at some stage, the father was arrested recently for the third time for having hunting rifle. Currently has one son in prison.

ISM — Hamidan Family: 37yo, has already served 13 years for 20 year plus a life sentence (20-35 years or open-ended)

This action was the first day of a longer campaign to show solidarity with the families of those imprisoned by the Israeli state. The act of imprisonment places a huge strain on families, both emotionally and financially – it is important for us to show them that they are not forgotten.

The fire under our feet: a journal piece

I’m OK.

Actually, personally, my family and I are well, Alhamdililah! But I can feel the intensified fire under our feet.

I know the feeling. And I know the explosion that comes after it.

This week alone the Israeli apartheid government has escalated its actions, bombing Gaza daily while tightening the already lethal siege around it, announcing that the PLO fund that provides support for families of Palestinian martyrs is illegal, while killing more young boys and men, escalating land theft through settlement construction and land confiscation, and promoting a law that will regulate that theft, announcing that colonial settlers will invade al Aqsa under armed guard during Ramadan while making the call to prayer from mosques illegal … The ground under our feet is burning.

I have felt this before. And I can only conclude that those in charge of the apartheid authorities know what they are doing. I have seen them do it before. They must know the Palestinian people will not just decide to roll over and die quietly. They must want a violent reaction in response to these actions, and I have no doubt that they will get one. Young people with no hope of being allowed to live with their dignity intact and with nothing to lose will sacrifice their lives in the hope that this situation will change for others.

And the apartheid authorities will then respond by doing what they do best: a torrent of death and destruction that they can then display at the international arms trade exhibitions, with clinically proven, effective weapons, tested live in the modern battlefield of urban warfare, on a besieged and imprisoned population. They will show your military and police force, “We got them where it hurts, we destroyed essential public infrastructure and killed x people in x days and, the best part is, we got away with it. If we can do it, you can do it too. All you need is a smart system of security cameras and a fleet of killer drones. All for the discount price of …” and your countries are literally buying this.

Now tell me again why BDS makes you uncomfortable?

Palestinians ID checked and searched during early morning incursion in Hebron souk

21^st March 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil Team | Hebron, Occupied Palestine

In the early morning of the 21^st March a group of Israeli forces carried out ID checks and body searches on young Palestinian men and children on their morning commutes through the souk (old market) of Hebron.

Two ISM activists were walking to a checkpoint to monitor and report on violations of freedom of movement when they encountered large numbers of Israeli soldiers in the souk. Local Palestinians were ordered at gunpoint to throw their ID cards on the ground for inspection, and many were subjected to body searches and made to sit in the road. One boy was ordered to remove his shoes and toss them towards the soldiers before being made to sit on the cold ground for over fifteen minutes.

A young Palestinian boy is made to remove his shoes and sit on the ground for fifteen minutes by Israeli forces.

Cars were also stopped, delayed, or diverted. One Palestinian shop owner was forced to leave his van whilst he and it were both searched by Israeli forces.

A Palestinian man is stopped by Israeli forces whilst driving through the souk.

The incursion lasted for over an hour before the Israeli forces returned through the gate which leads to the military base, having searched over fifteen Palestinians and delayed many more. Incursions such as this highlight the restrictions on freedom of movement faced by Palestinians in Hebron and across the West Bank every day.

A van driver is body searched and questioned by Israeli forces.

The driver is made to sit whilst Israeli forces search his van.

ISM training: Manchester, April 2017

20th March 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, England support group | England

An ISM training session will be held in Manchester on 22nd and 23rd of April 2017.

For any questions and signing-up please contact ISM London at training.ismlondon[@]riseup.net, but avoid using email accounts or names that could pose a problem at the border.

All volunteers are required to participate in training before joining activities in Palestine. This training will prepare you for the solidarity work with communities in Palestine, give you a first impression, connect with people that have been in Palestine, and give you the chance to have all your questions answered.

Once in Palestine, volunteers will still be required to undertake training with Palestinian and international trainers.

16-year old killed by Israeli forces in Al Arrub, Hebron

18th March 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

Yesterday evening, on March 17th, 16-year old Murad Yusif Abu Ghazi died after being shot by Israeli forces in Al Arrub refugee camp outside Hebron in the occupied West Bank. A second Palestinian identified as 17-year old Saif Salim Rushdie is in a critical condition after being shot in the chest by the Israeli forces in the same incident.

The funeral for Abu Ghazi was held in Al Arrub camp today, and hundreds of mourners came to pay their respects. After the funeral, clashes erupted between Palestinians and Israeli forces and according to Ma’an News Agency, 8 young men were injured with rubber-coated steel bullets, receiving treatment on the scene. In addition, dozens of other Palestinians, among these women and children, were treated for severe tear gas inhalation.

Hundreds of mourners paid their respects at the funeral.

Murad Yusif Abu Ghazi is be the thirteenth Palestinian to be killed by the Israeli army since the beginning of 2017. His death marks the second killing of a minor this year and once again highlights the excessive use of lethal force against civilians.

According to an Israeli army spokesperson, the killing happened after firebombs were hurled at passing vehicles on a road near Al Arrub camp and “in response to the immediate threat, forces fired towards suspects”. The spokesperson added that investigations are still underway. Statistics provided by Yesh Din, an Israeli organisation of volunteers for human rights, however demonstrate that criminal investigations into alleged offences committed by Israeli forces against Palestinians have a poor chance of being effectively investigated. According to Yesh Din, only 4 cases out of 186 criminal investigations in 2015 resulted in indictments.