21st May 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil team | Hebron, Occupied Palestine
Photo by ISM
This morning in al-Khalil (Hebron), several children threw stones towards Checkpoint 29 on their way to school. At approximately 07:40, 13 Israeli soldiers and border police officers entered through the checkpoint and fired four tear gas grenades and four stun grenades at the children.
The incident began at 7:45 and lasted for approximately 30 minutes, which prevented the children from entering their schools, delaying the start of their end of year exams.
School children also face detentions and arrests, with some as young as six-years-old.
When the exams finished today, and teachers and school children were on their way home the harassment began again. The Israeli military detained seven teachers for 20 minutes. One of the teachers spoke to an ISMer present: “We are used to this kind of violence and disturbance, the harassment is continuous and often twice a day”.
Unlawful killing of two Palestinian teens outside Ofer – Video from Defense For Children International Palestine
Israeli forces fatally shot Nadeem Siam Nawara, 17, on May 15 during clashes following a demonstration marking Nakba Day.
Israeli forces killed two Palestinian teens during clashes on Thursday outside the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah.
Nadeem Siam Nawara, 17, and Mohammad Mahmoud Odeh Abu Daher, 16, were both fatally shot in the chest with live ammunition near Ofer military prison in the West Bank city of Beitunia. Both boys were transferred to the Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah where they were later pronounced dead.
The boys were participating in a demonstration near Ofer military prison to mark Nakba Day and express solidarity with hunger striking prisoners currently held in administrative detention by Israel. The demonstration reportedly began peacefully and then turned violent when Israeli forces clashed with Palestinian youths, according to The New York Times.
Israeli forces killed Mohammad Mahmoud Odeh Abu Daher, 16, on May 15 during clashes following a demonstration marking Nakba Day.
“Israeli forces continue to use excessive force and recklessly fire live ammunition and rubber-coated metal bullets on unarmed protesters, including children, killing them with impunity,” said Rifat Kassis, executive director of DCI-Palestine. “While Israel claims to open investigations into such incidents, they are not transparent or independent, and seldom result in a soldier being held accountable.”
Mohammad Abdullah Hussein al-Azzeh, 15, sustained a gunshot wound when he was hit with live ammunition in the back and left lung while taking part in the same demonstration. He is currently in stable condition at the Ramallah Medical Complex.
Palestinians across the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip held marches on May 15 to commemorate the Nabka or “catastrophe”, which marks the forced displacement and dispossession of the Palestinian homeland in 1948.
Mohammad Abdullah Hussein al-Azzeh, 15, sustained a gunshot wound in the back and left lung during the same demonstration.
The use of live ammunition by soldiers on unarmed Palestinian civilians, including children, has been a recent area of concern to human rights groups. In February, Amnesty International released a report finding that the Israeli army uses reckless force throughout the West Bank.
An Israeli army spokesperson said that the killings were under investigation and claimed that only rubber-coated metal bullets, stun grenades and tear gas were used by Israeli forces at the time of the incident, not live ammunition, according to Haaretz.
The deaths on Thursday raise the number of Palestinian children killed by Israeli forces in 2014 to four, according to data collected by DCI-Palestine. Over 1,400 Palestinian children have been killed as a result of Israeli military and settler presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory since 2000.
In March, Israeli forces shot and killed Yousef al-Shawamrah, 14, with live ammunition in the southern West Bank near his village of Deir al-Asal al-Fawqa. He was shot while looking for thistle in an area of land belonging to the village that now sits on the other side of Israel’s separation barrier. As he and two friends crossed through an open area, soldiers fired live ammunition toward the boys, hitting Yousef in the hip and back.
In December 2013, Wajih Wajdi al-Ramahi, 15, from Jalazoun refugee camp north of the West Bank city of Ramallah was fatally shot with live ammunition fired by an Israeli soldier. Documenting the killing, DCI-Palestine found that Wajih had been shot in the back from a distance of 150-200 meters (about 500 feet).
The Israeli military’s own regulations dictate that live ammunition must be used “only under circumstances of real mortal danger,” but the regulations are not enforced and frequently ignored by Israeli soldiers, according to research by DCI-Palestine and a recent report by B’Tselem, an Israeli human rights group.
19th May 2014 | International Solidarity Movement | Occupied Palestine
The Israeli occupation uses many methods to take over land – from settlements and military camps to the nature reserve and political treaties. However, the Abu Haikal family of Tel Rumeida in Al-Khalil (Hebron), faces a much more unexpected enemy: archaeologists. Currently, the family home is completely surrounded by an Israeli archaeological excavation – there is only one gate into the property, which can be shut at any time, leaving the family isolated from the surrounding city.
The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) archaeologists – many of whom live in the surrounding illegal settlements – began digging in Tel Rumeida on Janury 5th, 2014. They claimed they were looking for the graves of Jesse and Ruth, figures from the Hebrew Bible. The IAA has also stated their intent to turn the area into a ‘Biblical Archaeological Park’, depending in what the dig turns up.
Since the IAA began the dig in Tel Rumeida, the Abu Haikal family have been subject to threats, violence, and general criminal activity on their own land, such as plans to destroy or move an ancient olive tree belonging to the family.
Feryal and Arwa Abu Haikal sitting under their olive tree, trying to protect it from damage or destruction (photo from https://www.facebook.com/groups/Save.telrumeida/).
Mr. Shuka Dorfman, director
Israel Antiquities Authority,
Dear sir,
I was shocked to hear reports of officials and workers of the Israel Antiquities Authority being involved in criminal activities in Tel Rumeida, Hebron. Apparently they have been involved in criminal damage to neighbouring properties, trespass, assault on international observers and damage to cultural heritage.
Emmanuel Eisenberg appears to believe that he is above the law. He has been filmed making racist comments and issuing threats to the Palestinian residents of the area. For the IAA to retain any credibility I would think you would need to discipline him and hold him to account.
This criminal activity and damage to cultural relics strengthens the perception that many people hold that IAA’s activities in Tel Rumeida are not guided by principles of scientific archaeology but are a political ploy to enable extremist Jewish settlers to steal more land from Palestinians, which is contrary to international law.
I trust you will act speedily in this matter before any more property is damaged, trees destroyed or people injured.
17th May 2014 | International Solidarity Movement | Ofer, Occupied Palestine
On the 16th May, Palestinians protest on the road to Ofer prison, following the murder of two Palestinian youths on the same road on the previous day during the Nakba Day protest. The youths, 22-year-old Muhammad Audah Abu al-Thahir and 17-year-old Nadim Siyam Nuwarah, were both shot with live ammunition.
Photo by ISM
The Israeli army launch another round of tear gas. Several protesters were carried from the scene by medical staff with breathing problems due to the amount of tear gas used.
Photo by ISM
Some protesters came prepared with gas masks.
Photo by ISM
A protester is treated for tear gas inhalation.
Photo by ISM
Another protester is treated for tear gas inhalation.
Photo by ISM
The tear gas canisters are hot. When they land on something flammable it will ignite. Here, the fire brigade try to extinguish a fire that had taken hold in a grassy field next to the protesters.
Photo by ISM
To protect themselves from being shot, the protesters use a metal skip. Israeli soldiers and border police were using live ammunition and rubber-coated steel bullets throughout the protest.
Photo by ISM
As the Israeli army use more tear gas canisters, another protester is carried away for treatment.
Photo by ISM
Protesters retreat following yet another round of tear gas.
Photo by ISM
A photojournalist makes his way back through the tear gas.
Photo by ISM
Protesters take cover as the Israeli army fires more rubber-coated steel bullets and live ammunition.
Photo by ISM
Photo by ISMPhoto by ISM
A protester fixes flags to a scaffold. The black flag represents the Palestinian refugees’ right to return following their expulsion in the Nakba of 1948.
Photo by ISM
Israeli soldiers take position on a nearby hill. The soldier in the middle is lining up to shoot rubber-coated steel bullets at the protesters.
Photo by ISM
A protester is shot in the leg with a rubber-coated steel bullet. Wounds from these bullets, if taken to the head or from shorter range to other parts of the body can be fatal.
Photo by ISM
Another protester is taken away for treatment after being shot in the foot with a rubber-coated steel bullet.
In all, four protesters were shot yesterday with rubber-coated steel bullets, one protester was hit with a tear gas canister in the face, another protester was shot in the face at close range with a foam-tipped projectile and one 16-year-old boy was shot in the leg with live ammunition.
Shireen Essawi holding a photograph of her brother Samer
On 8 May 2014 human rights defender and lawyer Ms Shireen Essawi began a hunger strike after learning of the postponement of her trial for nine months and a day. She is charged with cooperating with actors who are working against the state of Israel.
Shireen Essawi is a human rights lawyer who has participated in monitoring and documenting human rights violations committed against Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, especially children, women, and prisoners from the Gaza Strip. The human rights defender also reported on practices adopted by Israeli authorities for Palestinian and Arab prisoners in Israeli jails that she believes violate human rights, such as preventing visits by lawyers.
The postponement of her trial on 7 May 2014 follows several court appearances by the human rights defender since her arrest on 6 March 2014. It is reported that under Israeli law, a trial may be suspended and detention can continue upon the condition that a final judgment and sentence is issued within nine months and a day of the adjournment.
Shireen Essawi began her hunger strike out of solidarity with Palestinian prisoners, and has declared she will continue it in protest at the adjournment of her trial. The human rights defender was arrested at her home in Jerusalem as part of a wave of arrests targeting lawyers. Her colleagues have since been released on bail, pending trials.
Front Line Defenders expresses its concern at the postponement of the trial and continued detention of Shireen Essawi, which is solely related to her peaceful and legitimate human rights work, in particular concerning the rights of Palestinians and Arab Israelis.
Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Israel to:
1. Immediately and unconditionally drop all charges against and release Shireen Essawi, as it is believed they are solely motivated by her peaceful and legitimate work in defence of human rights;
2. Ensure that the treatment of Shireen Essawi, while in detention, adheres to the conditions set out in the ‘Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment,’ adopted by UN General Assembly resolution 43/173 of 9 December 1988;
3. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Israel and the occupied Palestinian Territory are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions.
