International Solidarity Movement - Page 276 - Nonviolence. Justice. Freedom.

Walking to Qalandia

25th July 2014 | International Solidarity Movement | Qalandia, Occupied Palestine

We began walking in a crowd, full of men, women, and children. I couldn’t began to estimate how many people were gathered, at least 10,000.

The mood was cheerful, people were singing, clapping, holding banners, and waving many Palestinian flags. Cars were driving alongside us and playing loud music. People were standing on roofs; it felt joyful.

As the crowds become larger, though I was still far from Qalandia checkpoint, I could see ambulances driving away, seemingly already full of injured people. As I got closer the mood seemed to change. Youths started running through the crowds and I could hear fireworks in the distance; though as time went on I could know longer distinguish between fireworks and military weapons.

The ambulances were struggling to drive through the crowds; it felt like every few seconds another protester was injured. It was difficult to see, there was smoke in the air and you only knew you of an injury when someone fell to the ground, or the crowd parted for youths carrying their friends away.

As I slowly moved forward, the first sound of a bullet passing by struck a shop door to the side of me. The sound of rubber-coated steel bullets and live ammunition is very distinctive, it is hard to confuse the two and both were being fired, seemingly at random, into the crowds of people. I couldn’t see where they were shooting from, but I didn’t hesitate to dive down with the crowd. Everyone was holding on to someone else, it didn’t matter if you knew the person or not, at the sound of fire you grabbed the person next to you and tried to shield them, and yourself.

We heard another round of live ammunition and suddenly a young boy standing approximately five feet away from me fell to the ground in the middle of the crowd. He lay on the ground with his arms wrapped around his neck. Everything happened so fast that it took a few seconds for the people surrounding him to realize that he had been shot. Soon after a group of people carried him away but I was unable to see where he was being taken as the heaviest and longest lasting round of live ammunition began. The crowd immediately ducked and began to move backwards; some people crawling while others ran.

Two people have been killed and over a hundred others were wounded. The aim of the protest was to walk to Jerusalem and pray. I’m not sure if people thought this was truly possible, but I think at the start of the demonstration there was hope.

Israeli forces invade Azzun and use Palestinian civilians as human shields

24th July 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus team | Azzun, Occupied Palestine

On Monday, July 21st, Israeli forces used Palestinian civilians as human shields in the village of Azzun, a village west of the city of Nablus.

On most evenings several Israeli jeeps are stationed just outside the Azzun’s north gate. At 10 o’clock in the evening on the night in question, approximately 15 soldiers entered the main square of the village.

Witnesses report that a few young men responded to this invasion by throwing stones at the jeeps from a distance of approximately 200 meters. The soldiers spent the next few minutes stopping cars on the road and began forcing the drivers to arrange their cars in a circle. The soldiers then forced these residents of Azzun to surrender their keys. The occupants of the cars included women and children. They were very frightened and the soldiers did not allow them to leave. The Israeli forces positioned themselves inside the circle formed by the cars, began to fire tear gas at the youths, and knelt behind the civilian occupants of the cars as to protect themselves.

The use of civilian human shields is prohibited by Fourth Geneva Convention. Israel ratified this convention in 1951.

Israeli forces have a long history of using Palestinian civilians as human shields. From the years 2000 to 2005, they admitted to using human shields more than 1,200 times. This practice was banned by the Israeli Supreme Court in 2005, but human rights groups have accused the Israeli army of continuing to use it. During the Gaza massacre of 2008-2009 Israeli occupation forces were accused by Amnesty International, as well as former Israeli soldiers, of using Palestinian children as human shields.

Israeli military falsifies photograph to justify bombing el-Wafa hospital

23rd July 2014 | International Solidarity Movement | Gaza, Occupied Palestine

On the 21^st July at 2:17 PM, the IDF spokesperson released an image on twitter showing an aerial picture of a building marked as ‘Al-Wafa’ hospital. In the image there is a red circle, which they designated as the location from which a M75 rocket was launched.

The building in the picture marked ‘Al-Wafa’ hospital is in fact not the el-Wafa hospital but the Right to Life Society.

“Israel has targeted our hospital based on false and misleading claims. They are targeting medical facilities, the wounded, the sick, and our children, all over the Gaza Strip. They want us to know that nowhere is safe.” Said executive director of el-Wafa hospital, Dr. Basman Alashi.

Photo by Geoview (http://ps.geoview.info/alwafa_medical_rehabilitation_hospital,41253994w)

According to the Gazan Ministry of Health, seven out of 13 hospitals, including el-Wafa, have been severely damaged.

Al Atatra Medical Clinic and 12 ambulances have been completely destroyed, seven other clinics have been damaged, 12 medical staff members have been injured, and three have been killed.

El-Wafa hospital was bombed once again by the Israeli military today after Dr. Alashi, received two phone calls from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations (UN). They passed a message from the Israeli military that, “there are activities in the hospital and the Israeli military may take a bigger action against el-Wafa.”

Dr. Alashi explained to both callers that the hospital is empty; all patients were evacuated on the 17^th of July and that the hospital holds seven million dollars worth of essential medical equipment, as well as two safes that were irretrievable during the emergency evacuation.

“I will hold Israel personally responsible for seven million dollars if they have destroyed the hospital. It has already been bombed and shelled, I don’t understand what they are trying to achieve.” Dr. Alashi stated to the International Solidarity Movement (ISM).

Ally Cohen, media coordinator for the ISM states, “anyone on the ground in Palestine knows that the Israeli military are constantly releasing completely fabricated information and reports. The only difference in this case, is that we can prove it.”

Palestinians threatened by settler and then detained by soldiers

23rd July 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Vern | Hebron, Occupied Palestine

At approximately 23:30 on the night of the 21st July, I noticed a group of Israeli soldiers detain four Palestinian men near our apartment. The men detained were Ahmed, Izzat, Anas, and Muhammad. They were ordered to sit on the ground by several armed soldiers. A settler male, armed with an assault rifle, was talking to one of the soldiers.

Ahmed told me that the settler had threatened to shoot them with the gun he carried. There were other Palestinians who were observing, and among them a woman who corroborated their statements, and who had a camera with her. Three TIPH observers (Temporary International Presence in Hebron) were also present. One of them confirmed that the settler was the one who started the confrontation, by pointing his gun at the unarmed men. According to Ahmed, after the settler threatened them, he asked nearby soldiers for help. The soldiers responded by detaining the three Palestinians whom the settler had threatened.

I asked the soldiers why they are detaining the men, and was told it was not my business.

They ordered me to move back. The soldiers grabbed the four men roughly and marched them away uphill.

Upon being asked what was happening, the soldiers claimed that the men were not being arrested, only taken “for a talk” to the military base. I asked them if they are aware that TIPH had documented that the settler was the one at fault, and if they were intending to detain the settler. I was told to move back or face arrest. Palestinians observers were also ordered to move back.

People were taking photos of the soldiers, so one soldier began taking pictures of us with his cellphone. A settler appeared with two children, and began shining a green laser light into people’s eyes. Some of the soldiers found that very funny.

About an hour later, Ahmed, Anas, and Muhammad were released. Izzat was not with them. Ahmad said that on the way to the base, one of the soldiers struck him across the back.

Where will they go?

22nd July 2014 | Charlie Andreasson | Gaza, Occupied Palestine

The attack has been going on for over two weeks. I was awakened early this morning by explosions that were so close that they shook the house. Then came a phone call, telling me that there was an apartment building nearby, where a woman from New Zealand had been targeted.

I got hold of her, she wasn’t injured, but a little stressed. She was contemplating whether she should try to find other accommodation, or stay. I understood her hesitation. To find other accommodation, now that 150,000 people have been forced to leave their homes, a figure that is constantly rising, is not the easiest. Nor is it much safer elsewhere. When hospital after hospital is bombed, you realize that there are no safe places here.

As I arrived, a group of journalists in helmets and bulletproof vests had gathered, waiting for the next attack on the same house. It was burning on the top floor, but it had not been completely destroyed. It wasn’t hit by the more powerful missiles from F-16, more likely from drones. The fire brigade was there, but in fear of more attacks they didn’t go inside the building.

Then they came.

Two missiles through the air, explosions, and a cloud of smoke rising. Journalists rushed forward to get better pictures. People who were evacuated from nearby buildings, very few with belongings, most of them without anything but small children in their arms. Many of them did not even have shoes on their feet. And there was the same contemplation as my friend from New Zealand: Where will they go?

I had a meeting and went to Awda hospital in northern Jabalya, a refugee camp north of Gaza City. On the way I passed several blown up houses with glass and building materials scattered in the streets, and in front of us was a thick black pillar of smoke from what I found out was a factory that produces plastic shoes. Around me explosions were constantly heard from artillery. And the buzzing of the drones, of course.

Dr. Yousef Sweeti, the hospital director, received me. Since the hospital in Beit Hanoun had been attacked, Awda is the northern most civilian hospital. They specialise in maternity care, and ear nose and throat treatment for children and the elderly. They are not primarily a hospital for emergency cases, however presently this is the majority of their patients.

Dr. Yousef Sweeti (photo by Charlie Andreasson).

Unlike several other hospitals that have been subjected to the Israeli military bombardments and threats, Awda hospital has been left alone. A discussion has been held with the largest hospital in Gaza, Shifa, on the possibility of transferring patients to Awda, something that can become urgent after the threats made on Shifa by the Israeli army. But Dr. Sweeti has had to say ‘no’. Not only for the large amounts of patients they have, which they share with all hospitals, but perhaps primarily for its geographical location; when the Israeli ground troops last entered, they were less than a kilometer away. This hospital is not a safe place.

Awda hospital is also in shortage of drugs and medical equipment, even if they are better equipped than elsewhere. For most items, they have storage for at least a month; enough if the bombardments continue for a short period of time. However oxygen supply is running critically low, and the hospital only has enough left for one day and a half. When I was shown into the office, Dr. Sweeti’s colleague was on the phone with the Red Cross trying to get them to bring in more.

Compared to the onslaught in 2012 that lasted for eight days, the situation is worse now, mainly as a result of the blockade. The supply of medicine and equipment was small to begin with, and diesel for the generators is much more expensive due to the collapsed tunnels to Egypt. A very large portion of the hospital budget goes to cover that cost.

The number of patients is far greater, this time, but most disturbingly, the injuries are different. When I had told Dr. Sweeti about the charred bodies I’ve seen after a drone attack on a taxi, he nodded in agreement

“The Israeli missiles develop a great heat, burning the bodies to ashes. I believe that Israel are testing new weapons on the Palestinian population.” He also noticed that far more bodies have been fragmented in these attacks.

We went down to one of the hospital wards and visited patients. 15-year-old Noor Al Mabhooh was admitted last night with shrapnel wounds to the feet and in one shoulder, after the Al Mabhooh family home was hit with an airstrike. Four other family members were also injured in the attack and were taken to other hospitals, an attack which was not preceded by any warning.

I thanked Dr. Sweeti for his time, and took a taxi back to my apartment. I used the opportunity to look at the destroyed houses we passed on one side of the road. Those on the other side, I had already seen.