Updated: Four children arrested on their way to school

7th October 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil Team | Hebron, Occupied Palestine

The children being detained by Israeli soldiers (photo by ISM).
The children being detained by Israeli soldiers (photo by ISM).

Update 10th October: Two of the four children are now being held in Ofer Prison in Ramallah. They have been in custody since Sunday (6/10/13) morning. More updates will be published when they are available.

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Yesterday, Sunday the 6th of October, at 7:40 AM in Khalil, four children aged 12 and under (Sami Bent, Munif Darna, Muhammad Mussa Kremeri and one unconfirmed name) were arrested whilst on their way to school after a small gathering of children threw stones at Israeli soldiers.

At approximately 7:20 AM around 100 children were attempting to walk to school when they noticed 3 soldiers standing underneath a building. This was unusual behaviour from the soldiers and some of the youths and children present began to throw stones. Whilst these soldiers drew the attention of the children, 5 other soldiers approached from an alley. These soldiers then charged the crowd of children indiscriminately attempting to detain the nearest child regardless of whether they had thrown stones or not. As a result of this 4 young children were arrested.

International activists and local Palestinian’s challenged the legitimacy of these actions to no avail. After detaining these children behind army vehicles they subsequently released an 8 year old child from their custody. However shortly after this, they arrested Sami, a 12-year-old child.

These 4 children were then placed into the back of 2 army vehicles and driven away. Upon subsequent investigation the international activists who where present learnt they had been taken to a local police station located inside an illegal settlement. The activists then attended this site in an attempt to talk to an officer and notify them the children they had arrested where innocent of the alleged charges. The police officers would not interact with the activists and refused to bring a superior officer. It is currently unknown whether the children remain in custody, however activists groups were able to confirm they were still being held at 4pm yesterday afternoon.

The children of Khalil are regularly harassed by the Israeli forces; a recent incident was filmed where Israeli soldiers fired stun grenades and tear gas canisters towards crowds of school children.

Settlers steal olives from 110+ trees in Abu Huwar

7th of October | International Solidarity Movement, Team Nablus | Deir Sharaf, Occupied Palestine

Some trees were left completely destroyed in Deir Sharaf, Palestine.
Some trees were left completely destroyed in Deir Sharaf, Palestine.

On the 5th of October, local farmers discovered that the olives from more than one hundred trees had been stolen, and that another ten trees had been damaged or destroyed. Abu Huwar farm, belonging to Yasser Fuqaha, Sidqi Fukaha, Mustafa Fuqaha and other farmers from the Meri family.

A local factory worker reported that he had seen two buses loaded with settlers pull up and unload next to the farm, in the night between the 3rd and 4th of October. About 150 metres into the field the olives had been swiftly picked from the trees, leaving small amounts on the tops, and the damaged trees bore markings from sharp-edged cutting tools. Yasser Fuqaha reported that the amount stolen from him represented about three quarters of his expected total yield, a devastating blow to his income. This attack precipitated the start of the olive harvesting season, and puts pressure on the local farmers to start harvesting the olives before they have reached optimal ripeness.

Abu Huwar has not had an easy run over the years. The local Palestinian farmers reported that, in 1996, the part of the olive grove that was on the other side of the hilltop (itself the location of an illegal settlement) had been completely uprooted by radical settlers and moved into various places on the other side of the 1967 Israeli border. Also, in the period 2000-2008, the farm and surrounding farmlands had been closed off from Palestinians by the Israeli military.

A national symbol, the olive tree represents the most essential source of income and sustenance for many Palestinians. The destruction of olive trees and theft of its yields is a serious crime and a huge loss for the local farmers.

Photos: Activists in Gaza form human chain for Palestinian detainees

5th October 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Gaza Team | Gaza, Occupied Palestine

On Thursday afternoon, Activists for Prisoners organized a human chain outside the International Committee of the Red Cross’ Gaza City office to support Palestinians detained by Israel.

48 young olive trees destroyed in South Hebron Hills

4th October 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Operation Dove | Qawawis, Occupied Palestine

The destroyed olive trees (Photo by Operation Dove).
The destroyed olive trees (Photo by Operation Dove).

Yesterday morning, 3rd October, Palestinians discovered 48 olive trees destroyed alongside bypass road 317 near the South Hebron Hills area village of Qawawis.

The olive tree grove belongs to Ali Shetat from Qawawis and had been planted six years ago. At 10 am yesterday morning the owners, several internationals and B’tselem staff members gathered near the destroyed trees, waiting for the police. After 20 minutes the Israeli police and army arrived on the scene and documented the incident.

On May 10, 62 olive trees were cut during the night in a field next to bypass road 317, near the village of At Tuwani. On a small wall near the olive grove the slogan “price tag for those who steal” was found. The “price tag policy” (Hebrew: מדיניות תג מחיר) is, according to B’tselem, the name given to “acts of random violence aimed at the Palestinian population and Israeli security forces” by radical Israeli settlers.

The number of Palestinian-owned trees uprooted and damaged in the South Hebron Hills area from the beginning of 2013 now stands at 139. This is a substantial increase over 2012, when 101 olive trees were damaged.

Just in the last two months and right before the olive harvest season, 22 olive trees were destroyed in this area.

Olive trees are an essential resource for the Palestinian community in the South Hebron Hills area, and their damage causes serious economic loss.

Palestinians celebrate the reclaiming of their land

4th October 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Burqa, Occupied Palestine

An olive tree being planted on the newly reclaimed land
An olive tree being planted on the newly reclaimed land

On Thursday the 3rd of October, a large group numbering around a 100 people, consisting mainly of Palestinians from the village of Burqa and the surrounding areas, as well as a smaller contingent of international activists and the press, celebrated the Palestinians’ reclamation of their land by planting olive trees on the ground of the former illegal settlement Homesh, situated on a hilltop next to the village.

Upon arriving at the site, there was an initial briefing encompassing both a short history of the area, statements made by the locals concerning their grievances over the many types of harassment that had originated from the settlement over the years, as well as their hopes for the future usage of the land. This was then followed by the planting of around 40 olive trees in the area, an act which everyone present was invited to share and assist with.

The illegal settlement of Homesh was ordered to be evacuated by the Israeli state in 2005. Despite the evacuation of the illegal settlement, the land itself was not returned to its rightful owners. As part of the Disengagement Plan, it was declared a closed military zone. This ruling was heavily enforced for Palestinians, meaning that they could not enter the hilltop, but periodically it has been blatantly overlooked with regards to Israeli settlers celebrating holy days and other events on this Palestinian land. Furthermore, in addition to reports of continued Palestinian harassment by illegal settlers, petitions had been made by Israelis to re-build the settlement since its evacuation.

In spite of the settlement being established contrary to international law, the practical return of the land was still dependent upon a formal petition to the Israeli judicial system. The legal proceedings were thus initiated in 2010 and reached the Supreme Court by the end of the year, finally terminating in the annulment of the military zone by 2013. In 2008, pre-empting the petition and final verdict, Palestinians along with Internationals tried to reach the hilltop to plant olive trees on the land, but were violently stopped by the Israeli army, who fired stun grenades and tear gas canisters in its attempts to end the demonstration.

The planting of the olive trees was more than a symbolic act, commemorating and celebrating their final victory over the illegal settlement. The growing of the trees also marks the return to using the land for Palestinian agricultural activity.