Arbitrary humiliation by Israeli forces in former closed military zone in Hebron

24th June 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

In occupied al-Khalil (Hebron), the Tel Rumeida neighborhood and the tiny strip of Shuhada Street still accessible to Palestinian pedestrians, has seen endless restrictions by Israeli forces.

After the area was first declared a ‘closed military zone’ on 1st November 2015, Palestinian residents were put under a closure imposed as a form of collective punishment, denying them their most basic rights and even their humanity – degrading them to mere numbers. Only Palestinian residents registered with the Israeli forces as a number where allowed to reach their homes inside the closed military zone. At the same time, Israeli settlers were free to roam the streets and do as they please, without ever being stopped – a ‘normality’ under the apartheid-rule in occupied al-Khalil.

Despite the lifting of the zone, the stairs leading to Qurtuba school have remained closed for Palestinians. This not only cuts off the main access for all the families using these stairs to reach their homes, but also visitors to the Muslim cemetery and the weekly second hand market in Qarantina. On Friday, 24th June, Israeli forces denied a Palestinian man walking down these stairs, on the grounds that he ‘is Palestinian’. Whereas first they allowed the man to go down the stairs and turn around the corner, they stopped him right after, ordering him to climb up the stairs again, as he’s not allowed to pass. Two internationals, on the other hand, when enquiring whether they have to go back now, were told that the man was only sent back because ‘he’s Palestinian’, but they clearly ‘were tourists’. The denial of access based on ethnicity clearly is an apartheid-strategy – allowing privileges to non-Palestinians only.

At Shuhada checkpoint, that leads from the tiny strip of Shuhada Street accessible to Palestinian pedestrians into the H1 area of al-Khalil, Israeli forces often delay Palestinians trying to pass. Early Friday morning, they yelled ‘uskut’ (Arabic for ‘shut up’) at Palestinians ringing the bell for them to open the turnstile – repeatedly. Once finally allowed to pass through the checkpoint, a settler youth was standing inside the checkpoint behind the bullet-proof window with the settlers, chatting with them and watching them check IDs. This illustrates the apartheid-policies enforced in al-Khalil – whereas Palestinians are harassed and intimidated, settlers are neighbours and friends – even allowed to be inside the checkpoint with the soldiers. In the early afternoon of the same day, soldiers arbitrarily decided to close the exit of the checkpoint, leading into the H1 neighborhood, claiming that ‘there’s a training’, but refusing to tell when this would be finished, forcing Palestinians to wait without any reason.

These measures are just some examples in a very tiny area within the H2 area under full Israeli military control, exemplifying the arbitrariness and every day humiliation enforced by the Israeli forces on the Palestinian population.

Breaking the Fast for Jo Cox in occupied Tel Rumeida, Hebron

22nd June 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

On June 21st 2016, Youth Against Settlements (YAS) organized an Iftar dinner and Jen Cox memorial in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron) with the attendance of several core solidarity organizations with the Palestinian people.

Organizations such as Breaking the Silence, Christian Peacemaker Teams Palestine (CPT), Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH), B’Tselem, International Solidarity Movement (ISM), Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) , Hebron Rehabilitation Committee (HRC), members of the Hebron municipality, consulars of different countries, students from Hebron University, and many other solidarity workers from different backgrounds and countries, as well as residents of the area managed to make their way through checkpoints and around illegal settlements.

Palestinians and internationals gathering for Iftar
Palestinians and internationals gathering for Iftar


As stressed by Issa Amro, Youth Against Settlements coordinator, the Tel Rumeida and Shuhada Street neighborhood are extremely vulnerable as Israeli settlers under the protection and with the help of Israeli forces are trying to take them over. After the area has been a closed military zone for more than six months, having that many people gather in this neighborhood due to the event organised by YAS, was an extremely important sign that the Palestinian sumoud, or steadfastness, will not be defeated by the Israeli forces attempts of forced displacement.

During the evening, people were served traditional food for iftar, muslim evening dinner to break the Ramadan fast, with the atmospheric sounds of the oud, and some speeches from the different organizations in memory of British Labour Party politician and human rights advocate Jo Cox, who was killed last Thursday following a constituency meeting. At the same time, the 15th of Ramadan, also commemorates the aniversary of the Ibrahimi Mosque massacre, when in 1994 Israeli settler Baruch Goldstein walked into Ibrahimi mosque and shot and killed 29 and injured more than 120 worshippers.

Listening to the Oud
Listening to the Oud

After a partial lifting of the closed military zone (CMZ), officially disguised as a full lifting,Palestinians as well as internationals were able to access the event. However, access-restriction in the H2 area only apply for Palestinians while settlers are free to move around as they please.

This gathering is of uttermost significance specially because organizations operating within the H2 region of occupied al-Khalil undergo constant harassment both by soldiers and settlers, and such a high-profile event comes with many risks. Two boys from the illegal settlements in Tel Rumeida approached the building and yelled islamophobic and racist slurs as people ate, but this did not stop attendees from continuing expressing their solidarity with the Palestinian people and light candles in the mourning and memory of Jo Cox at the end of the evening.

Continuous restrictions of the freedom of religion in Hebron

21st June 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

Today, 21st June 2016, Israeli forces delayed and stopped several Palestinians on their way to noon-prayer at Ibrahimi mosque in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron).

During the last few days, Israeli forces have been stopping, checking and delaying Palestinians at several checkpoints in the vicinity of Ibrahimi mosque in the old city of al-Khalil. At the Ibrahimi mosque checkpoint that leads from the Palestinian market to the Ibrahimi mosque area, Israeli forces delayed worshippers trying to get to the mosque for prayers, stalling the process making everything go extremely slow. Thus, long queues formed and people were forced to wait for a long time. In less than one hour, Israeli forces stopped 7 women to thoroughly inspect their bags and 3 men to check their IDs, sending one of them to the checkpoint at the mosque-entrance for further checks, forcing him to wait even longer. All of these checks are purely arbitrary, and Palestinians crossing checkpoints thus never know whether they will be stopped, questioned, detained or for how long they might be delayed.

Additionally, Israeli forces stopped four boys, three of whom were carrying containers with soup, that is handed out in the soup-kitchen connected to the Ibrahimi mosque. Israeli forces stopped them asking to examine the soup-containers they were carrying. The same happened to 3 girls crossing a checkpoint further down the street from there. They, as well, were ordered to stop by Israeli forces asking to ‘check’ the containers of fresh hot soup. How and in which way these children carrying soup that is donated to families in need, are posing any kind of threat to the Israeli forces or why they have to be stopped, remains unclear.

The majority of Palestinians attending prayers at Ibrahimi mosque, are forced to cross at least two checkpoints on their way to prayer. Any possible way to reach the mosque, two checkpoints is the least number of checkpoints any Palestinian has to pass to practice their freedom of religion. Most Palestinians though, have to cross more than this minimum number of two checkpoints though, as coming from another direction they have to cross at least 4 checkpoints. In the recent days, large numbers of Palestinians have been stopped and checked at one of these checkpoints, where they’ve already had to pass two checkpoints before to even get to this checkpoint.

Given this arbitrariness and the impossibility to know what to expect when simply trying to go to prayer, is only one form of Israeli forces’ inhumane treatment inflicted only on the Palestinian residents, and thus an apartheid strategy.

Qarawah water apartheid

21st June 2016 | IWPS | Deir Istiya, occupied Palestine

When Aziz ‘Aasee, the mayor of Qarawah Bani Hassan village drives through the streets, we’re stopped every few meters by one of his constituents, all of whom are asking the same question: When will we have water again? For some, the question is a joke; they are used to going without water for days, weeks, or even months each summer. Others are more aggressive, and the question comes off as a threat. People are looking for someone to blame for their thirst. The mayor, who is responsible for paying the town’s water bills, seems like an easy target.

In reality, there is little Aziz can do to ensure that his town has enough water. The village shares a water access network with two other municipalities, Sarta and Biddya. The three villages, with a combined population of approximately 30,000 people, depend on one 8 inch pipe, designed to deliver 145 cubic meters of water per hour. During the winter months when water tables are higher, the water flows at full capacity, ensuring coverage to the entire network. However for the past two months, the amount has been restricted to between 50 and 70 cubic meters per hour. With such a small amount in the pipes, the pressure is too low for the water to reach many of the houses at the end of the system. Qarawah, which sits at the highest elevation out of the three villages, suffers the most from the low water pressure: no house in the village has received water in over a week. The most remote properties have gone dry for over a month.

Qarawah's only potable water source
Qarawah’s only potable water source

Mekorot, the Israeli national water company which ostensibly owns the water infrastructure in question, and controls 87% of the aquifer located inside the West Bank, lies at the root of the problem. Since 1982, when the Israeli military sold their control of the West Bank’s water resources to Mekorot for a mere Shekel, the company has become the main enforcer of water apartheid between the Palestinians, and Israelis living in illegal settlements. While settlements enjoy a 24/7 supply of water year round, Mekorot caps its supply to Palestinians at the levels stipulated in the Oslo agreements over 20 years ago. Since then, the population of the West Bank has grown exponentially, and almost no improvements to Palestinian water infrastructure have been made. The Israeli military administration in the West Bank only makes matters worse. They routinely deny permits for new wells and pipes that would benefit villages like Qarawah by providing alternative sources of water or improving water pressure. In addition, the Israeli military has demolished 50 water and sanitation structures owned by Palestinians in 2016 alone. The result is that Palestinians have essentially no control over any of the water within their borders, or the infrastructure to deliver it.

Negotiations with Mekorot are almost impossible for small municipalities like Qarawah. Officials in the district capital of Salfit have spent the past two months trying to persuade the Israelis to increase the water supply without result. Even on the national level, appointees from the Palestinian Authority have refused to negotiate with Mekorot and the Israeli military administration. Aziz, for his part, chiefly contacts Mekorot through one of their Palestinian employees, and the communication is confusing at best. The representative will promise to show up on a certain day, and then never arrives. Or he’ll leave an update to say the water supply will be increased for one night to 100 cubic meters per hour, enough to ensure that at least some homes in Qarawah will receive water, yet the taps remain empty. Meanwhile, the illegal settlement of Kiryat Netafim, easily visible on a neighbouring hillside, boasts green lawns. It’s clear from a glance that the settlements are receiving more than adequate service from the same company.

A few times over the past weeks, the municipalities of Qarawah, Satra and Biddya have called for popular protests, gathering at the meter access point for their shared pipe. Small groups of children and young men beat empty water bottles with sticks and shouted “Bidna may, bidna may” – “we want water” – at passing cars. Regardless, many in the three towns are afraid of a backlash from the protests. Shortly after the protests, armed Israeli soldiers arrived at the meter, demanding that the organizers cancel, or face repercussions. While it’s unclear what sort of consequences might be imposed, some worry that the water might be cut off completely as an act of collective punishment.

"Bidna may" - we want water protest
“Bidna may” – we want water protest

With no solution in sight, the villagers of Qarawah are finding ways to mitigate the effects of living under water apartheid. Villagers are using bottled water for drinking and showers, and hauling water up from local springs, located 4-6 kilometres outside the village limits, to use in toilets and irrigation. The springs also provide a small amount of potable water. However, this is not nearly enough to meet the village’s needs. Some houses in the village also have private wells; but with the summer stretching ahead, these limited resources are sure to be depleted far too soon. So until Mekorot is disbanded, or agrees to give equal service to Palestinians, the people of Qarawah will continue to suffer.

Important stage victory for BDS Oldenburg and Freedom of Speech

18th June 2016 | BDS Oldenburg, Germany

Local German SPD politician forced to abstain from charges of anti-Semitism by court order

On 14 June 2016 the Regional Court Oldenburg ordered Sara Rihl, local SPD politician and student member of the senate of the university of Oldenburg, not to repeat her statements relating to Christoph Glanz. Rihl had played a leading role in the prevention of an event scheduled by the Palestinian BDS campaign.

The lecture titled “BDS – the Palestinian Human Rights Campaign Introduces Itself” was to be held by the Oldenburg teacher and activist Christoph Glanz. Rihl had demanded the organiser – the Evangelische Studierenden Gemeinde (ESG) – to cancel the talk, and referred to the speaker as a “known anti-Semite” working for an “anti-Semitic organisation” in this connection. As a result, the ESG actually cancelled the planned event.

Glanz now successfully defended himself against this public assault. “We are happy to see that the local court has the defendant in her barriers and that she may not repeat those absurd statements if she doesn´t want to face severe penalties”, he commented. “We know the strategies of the Israel supporters who -lacking arguments- frequently use indimidation and slander including the antisemitism accusation to stop events such as the ones planned in Oldenburg. We are proceeding on the assumption that this court sentence will set a positive precedent for our movement and intend to reinforce our commitment to the just cause of the Palestinians even further.”

In 2005, Palestinian civil society called all people of the world including Israelis for active solidarity. After decades of suppression, displacement and occupation this call proclaimed a strategy that had already proven successful in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. BDS calls for boycott, divestment and sanctions against the State of Israel until it fully accords Palestinians their rights as established in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, dozens of UN resolutions and the Geneva Conventions.

These activities already made for a number of major successes in the past. At the same time, the State of Israel also intensifies its efforts to contain BDS and to drive it into illegality, in some cases successfully. Recently, however, more than 350 European human rights organisations, trade unions, churches, and political parties requested the EU to uphold the right to boycott. “What is remarkable is that some of these organisations do not even actively practise BDS themselves”, Christoph Glanz comments. “Their chief concern is their fundamental right as European citizens to act at their own political and moral discretion. This also includes a public debate which should not be characterised by fear and repression but by better arguments. Why don‘t our opponents face public discussion? All of our attempts to this end have come to nothing.”

Another talk on the same subject to be held by the Israeli Ronnie Barkan in the Oldenburg public venue PFL was also cancelled. In this case there had been threats of violence from the milieu of the Autonomist centre “Alhambra” whereupon the city withdrew from the already signed tenancy agreement. In this matter as well court proceedings are pending.

These incidents drew attention nationally and internationally. For example, Rolf Verleger weighed into the discussion and demanded the realisation of the event. Rolf Verleger is a former member of the Central Council of Jews in Germany. A group of Israelis promoting BDS also solidarised with Christoph Glanz and criticised the mentioned incidents as attacks against the freedom of expression:

“In a city which fought hard to get its university called after Carl von Ossietzky- the journalist and resistance fighter against the Nazis who was so well known for his sharp mind and pointed pen- we would expect to see a lively public debate, rather than silencing.“

Riya Hassan, the European coordinator of the BNC (the Palestinian “BDS National Committee”), evaluates the situation as follows: “This ruling is a serious blow to Israel’s war of repression against the BDS movement. The German government must now join the Swedish, Irish and Dutch governments in making clear that BDS is a legitimate movement that should be protected as a form of free speech.“

Hassan further stated: “Rather than seeking to repress BDS activism and free speech, Germans who are genuinely concerned with peace and justice the in the Middle East should work to end German military aid to Israel, which is a form of material support for its ongoing oppression of Palestinians.”