Settlers steal olives in As Sawiaya

4th November 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | As Sawiaya, Occupied Palestine

The villagers of As Sawiaya had gained permission to pick their olives, for just 3 days in the year the Israel army was allowing them to visit their land. These three days were overshadowed by the harassment and attacks from settlers from the illegal Israel settlement of Eli. Since these attacks happen on a regular basis, the farmers asked International activists to attend the olive harvest as a protective presence.

Activists accompanied farmers up to the groves closest to the settlement, which lies on top of the hll. On their arrival they discovered, that the trees were bare for all the olives had been stolen. A private security guard from the settlement, told activists that the permission was only for the Palestinian farmers and that the army was already contacted to ask them to leave. Indeed soldiers arrived but made no attempt to evict the internationals.

Farmers who tried to get to the fields closest to the settlement were prevented from doing so by the Israeli Army.

Activists were able to assist with the olive harvest in groves further from the settlement where the crop had not been stolen

Further Israeli army harassment in Tawayel

2nd November 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Tawayel, Occupied Palestine

An Israeli soldier in Tawayel
An Israeli soldier in Tawayel

Today, Saturday 2nd November, a number of Palestinians supported by international activists traveled to the village of Tawayel to help rebuild a house for a family that was made homeless after Israeli forces demolished their property on Tuesday 29th October.

By mid morning up to 60 people had gathered on the farm and electricity poles were replaced, however heavy machinery was forced to leave due to fears that the Israeli army would return and confiscate it. Work continued to lay the foundations of the replacement house by hand.

At approximately 3pm Israeli soldiers arrived shortly followed by two military vehicles. Israeli forces inspected the site but did not speak to anyone until the vehicles arrived. The Palestinians present were asked for ID and the questioning was aggressive, one Palestinian was threatened that he would “pay a price” for his involvement.

Construction has been halted as a result of the incursion and the family affected remain housed in a tent. Additionally their livestock are being watered from a truck at considerable expense, as the water reserve was destroyed in the same demolition.

Photos: Released detainees celebrate new freedom with supporters in Gaza Strip

2nd November 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Gaza Team | Gaza, Occupied Palestine

Five former Palestinian detainees freed overnight Wednesday in the Gaza Strip have received a resounding welcome.

Ahmad Saed Mohammad al-Damouni greets a supporter. (Photo by Gal·la López)
Ahmad Saed Mohammad al-Damouni greets a supporter. (Photo by Gal·la López)

Their families have erected celebration tents outside each of their homes to receive supporters and delegations.

A celebration tent. (Photo by Gal·la López)
A celebration tent. (Photo by Gal·la López)

On Thursday afternoon, an overflowing bus carried several dozen well-wishers between them, from farmlands outside Khan Younis to the Shati (“Beach”) refugee camp on the coast of Gaza City.

Supporters of the freed detainees ride a bus between celebration tents. (Photo by Gal·la López)
Supporters of the freed detainees ride a bus between celebration tents. (Photo by Gal·la López)

Detainees’ families and other participants in a weekly protest, held on Mondays at Gaza’s International Committee of the Red Cross office to support Palestinian prisoners, joined the trip.

Omar Issa Rajab Massoud greets Um Ibrahim Baroud, a co-founder of Gaza's Monday protest for detainees, and other supporters. (Photo by Gal·la López)
Omar Issa Rajab Massoud greets Um Ibrahim Baroud, a co-founder of Gaza’s Monday protest for detainees, and other supporters. (Photo by Gal·la López)

Hilmi Hamad Obeid al-Amawi, one of the freed detainees, told supporters he hoped the release would “stress the need for the prisoners’ issue to be given greater priority at all levels, locally, regionally and internationally.”

A young man walks past posters celebrating the release of Hilmi Hamad Obeid al-Amawi. (Photo by Gal·la López)
A young man walks past posters celebrating the release of Hilmi Hamad Obeid al-Amawi. (Photo by Gal·la López)

In a statement, the Hussam Association, a Gaza-based society of current and former detainees which organized the tour, said “that the joy of the Palestinian people will be complete only with the freedom of all prisoners, led by patients, children, women and administrative detainees.”

Photos: Gaza march on eve of Balfour anniversary met with Israeli tear gas

2nd November 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Gaza Team | Gaza, Occupied Palestine

(Photo by Charlie Andreasson)
(Photo by Charlie Andreasson)

Israeli forces fired tear gas to disperse a march in the “buffer zone” east of Gaza City, by the Nahal Oz checkpoint, on Friday afternoon.

The demonstration, which began at Shujaya square in the city after Friday prayers, was organized by the Intifada Youth Coalition to protest today’s anniversary of the Balfour Declaration.

In the 2 November 1917 letter, Arthur James Balfour, foreign secretary of the United Kingdom, then occupying Palestine, told Walter Rothschild, a leader in the British Zionist movement, that the British government “view[ed] with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object.”

(Photo by Joe Catron)
(Photo by Joe Catron)

“We went to the buffer zone to tell the occupation that this date is unforgettable after 96 years,” said Majed Abusalama, a Coalition spokesman.

“Every generation that comes will remember it  again, and remember every Israeli crime against unarmed Palestinians. Yes, it is our land, the buffer zone is for Palestinians, and we should farm it.”

Demonstrators overcome by the effects of tear gas were treated by Palestinian Red Crescent Society ambulances waiting outside the “buffer zone.”

(Photo by Joe Catron)
(Photo by Joe Catron)

“The Israeli response to our unarmed protest appeared from the start, when we were about 800 meters away from the fence,” Abusalama said. “They shot tear gas directly at us.”

Protesters kept trying to reach the checkpoint, which Israel closed at the beginning of 2010, retreating only after several hours of tear-gas fire.

The event followed a 27 September march organized by the Coalition to commemorate the thirteenth anniversary of the second Intifada and protest Israeli incursions into the al-Aqsa mosque in occupied east Jerusalem.

Three Palestinians injured by Israeli forces during weekly protest in Bil’in.

1st November 2013 | FFJ media center | Bil’in, Palestine

m5This Friday, October the 1st, Bil’in’s weekly peaceful demonstration has once again been a violent demonstration from the Israeli state, while live ammunition and huge quantities of tear gas have been shot.

Ahmaed Bornat  (21 years old) was injured today by .22 bullet in his right leg, Iyad Bornat (40 years old) was injured by rubber bullet in his left leg , Farhan Bornat (36 years old) was shot by three rubber bullet in his leg, back and hand, in addition to dozens of suffocation

Dozens of Palestinians, Israelis and international peace activists attended the March today, continuing the 8 years tradition and also today as a reminder of the Balfour declarations anniversary.

Demonstrators marched, after Friday prayers, from the center of the village towards the Israeli Apartheid wall , raising Palestinian flags and chanting slogans calling for national unity and release of all political prisoners. Upon their arrival to the Abu lemon area, near the Wall, the Israeli soldiers, stationed behind the apartheid wall, immediately fired massive amount of stun grenades, rubber coated steel bullets, tear gas canisters and .22 bullets towards the participants to prevent them from getting closer to the wall. Military jeeps then chased the activists in order to arrest them. Clashes broke out and lasted for more than three hours. Ahmed Bornat was taken by an ambulance to the Ramallah hospital (Palestinian Medical Complex), the other injured are accordin to later reports safe now. The massive firing of gas canisters, led to the burning of a large area planted with olive trees.

photo credits by Rani Bornat , Hamza Bornat& Mohamed Yaseen

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