International Solidarity Movement - Page 354 - Nonviolence. Justice. Freedom.

Video: Soldiers violently attack and arrest peaceful protesters in Al-Masara

17th August 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil Team | Al-Masara, Occupied Palestine

Yesterday, the 16th August, four people were violently arrested at a peaceful demonstration taking place near the village of Al-Masara, on the outskirts of Hebron (Al Khalil). Around sixty demonstrators calling for the dismantlement of illegal Israeli settlements upon Palestinian land were attacked immediately. Although the protesters had planned to go to the Gush Etzion illegal settlement bloc, to once again construct the Canaan protest village, they were prevented as the protest was disbanded by Israeli soldiers within minutes. Those who had been arrested were later released.

Soldiers violently strangling and arresting protesters (Photo by South West Bank Popular Committee)

At around 11.30am the procession began, with many people waving flags and calling chants for freedom. An Israeli military vehicle drove by, immediately turned around and blocked the road. Within two minutes two more military jeeps and one police car had joined the blockade. Heavily armed soldiers stormed the procession, splitting the group into two and beating protesters to the ground. The soldiers pushed protesters back and formed a wall of plastic shields. Four men including two Palestinian and two international protesters were arrested.

One of the arrested men, Abed, was holding a camera and documenting the demonstration when he was violently grabbed and pushed by an Israel soldier. Abed shouted at the soldier to let go of his arm and tried to pull away from the soldiers grasp. The soldier responded by strangling and arresting him. Another protester, Muad Al-lahham, was arrested while calmly waving a Palestinian flag.

Local Palestinians are incensed by the continuous settlement expansion and subsequent annexation of their land that deliberately prevents farmers from harvesting their crops. This disabling act of aggression has led to local Palestinian families being financially crippled. As an act of resistance, the local people regularly hold peaceful demonstrations that are consistently met with force from the Israeli occupation. These acts, usually held on Friday – Juma’a – often use symbolism to convey their message. Two weeks ago the locals erected a tent on occupied Palestinian land, as a mark of resistance to the Israeli settlements.

Palestinians here are used to being arrested at their demonstrations. Yesterday, Mahmoud from Al-Masara had his permit taken from him, which is indicative of imminent arrest. For Mahmoud, this is routine and he calmly smoked a cigarette while soldiers decided his fate. Mahmoud was allowed to maintain his freedom, but he never knows when an arrest may come. Asked why he continues to protest he said: “Our goal is to live in peace and to have our freedom like anybody else in the world. Israelis have occupied Palestine, but they can never occupy our minds.”

Soldiers violently pushing protester to the ground (South West Bank Popular Committee)

The majority of protesters came from the villages of Beit Ummar and Al-Masara, which are both affected by Highway 60, built by Israeli authorities. The highway cuts through the villages, dividing people from their farm lands. As well as this, the inhabitants of the Israeli settlement of Kami Tzur that is close to the villages use intimidation and force in attempt to prevent the farmers harvesting their crops. Other demonstrators came from Bethlehem, Al Fawwar refugee camp, Ramallah and further afield. The force used by the Israeli army at yesterday’s protest, organised by the South West Bank Popular Committee, demonstrates the intolerance toward peaceful protesters who make a stand against this injustice.

Jalud settler attack: ‘Imagine if we were not in our homes, they would have destroyed them’

13th August 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Jalud, Occupied Palestine

Yesterday morning, 12th August, settlers from the illegal settlements of Esh Kodesh and Ahiya attacked several houses in the village of Jalud and set land on fire, including ten olive trees.

Abu Osama in his house in Jalud (Photo by ISM) — Abu Osama in his house (Photo by ISM)

On the morning of the 12^th of August at 11:30, four masked settlers from the two illegal settlements approached several houses located on the outskirts of Jalud and threw rocks at them. According to Abu Osama, one man who lives in the attacked area, the settlers thought that there was no one in the homes because it was a Muslim holiday. Approximately ten minutes later, as residents went out to push the settlers back, they left. “Imagine if we were not in our homes, they would have destroyed them”, said Abu Osama, clearly worried for their dangerous situation. On their way back to the settlements, settlers set several fires on the land, burning down ten olive trees belonging to the five families in the area.

As the fires were expanding through the land, the residents of Jalud called the fire brigade but they didn’t arrive until the flames were blowing towards the settlements. Only then, the Israeli army and the Israeli fire brigade appeared at the scene and extinguished the flames.

More burnt land, on the back Esh Kodesh settlement (Photo by ISM) — Burnt land with Esh Kodesh settlement visible in the background (Photo by ISM)

The five families living in this area, whose houses are located in areas B and C, meaning they are under Israeli security control, suffer constant attacks and harassment from the settlers. In February this year, a group of settlers attacked their homes throwing stones at family members. As a result, a four-year-old boy had to be hospitalized and get six stitches on his head after being hit by a stone thrown by settlers. A few months later, in May, forty settlers attempted to set two houses on fire by throwing two firebombs at them but luckily didn’t succeed to do so.

metal grates on Abu Osama's window (Photo by ISM) — Metal grates on Abu Osama’s window (Photo by ISM)

These attacks have been part of the daily lives of the five families for two years. “At the beginning we used to complaint to the District Coordination Office (DCO) and other organizations but we don’t anymore”, says one of the neighbours. “The only support we have got are the metal grates on our windows to avoid rocks smashing our windows” says Abu Osama, clearly concerned by the lack of support they are getting.

Located south east of Nablus, the village of Jalud has had its land confiscated to the illegal settlements of Esh Kodesh (Holly fire), Ahiya, Kida, Shvut Rahel and Shilo. Settler attacks are very common, especially in the area where the five families live. According to a press release issued by B’tselem in 2011, “in spite of repeated complaints by the residents of Qusra and other villages in the area – Duma, Qaryut and Jalud – and human rights organizations, the law enforcement authorities routinely violate their obligation to protect local residents from settler attacks.”

More burnt land – Ahiya illegal settlement visible (photo by ISM)

What happened yesterday is just a small example of the terror situation they are living in. Showing his despair at the situation, Abu Osama stated, “if you are facing all these attacks and no organization supports you, what can I do but feel helpless and hopeless? This is our life”.

After Friday protest, Israeli army continues harassing residents of Kafr Qaddum

12th August 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Anna, Nablus Team | Kafr Qaddum, Occupied Palestine

Yesterday afternoon, we received a call from the village of Kafr Qaddum asking for our intervention because the Israeli soldiers had stormed the village and erected a flying checkpoint.

Road where Israeli army set up the flying checkpoint (Photo by ISM)

On the road to the village we got another call saying soldiers had left, but we decided to reach Kafr Qaddum to take some pictures and report what had happened.

We met one of the organizers of the Popular Committee who told us that at 2,30 pm, three Israeli army jeeps full of soldiers coming from the East, crossed the village and erected a flying checkpoint at the West entrance.

“To be honest that’s the alternative entrance – he says- as the historical and real access to Kafr Qaddum (whose name means “ancient agricultural village”) is the main road where Palestinians are denied access because of the Quedumim settlement.”

They stopped all cars, checking the people’s IDs and questioning them with the intention to intimidate and ask information about the shebabs involved in the protests. Some of the people were taken into the jeeps before being questioned.

After one hour the soldiers left and then residents held a demonstration to protest the army harassment. The army immediately arrived again but could not invade the village as youths had set up burning tires barricades across the road. During the demonstration, confrontations erupted and soldiers shot large amounts of tear gas canisters in all directions directly at the protesters.

Road after Palestinian youths erected burning tires barricades (Photo by ISM)

After a while, residents finished the protest and Israeli soldiers retreated from the area. One of the organizers stated, “We will stop the demonstration now but Kafr Qaddum won’t kneel down, we will keep on protesting and resisting against the Israeli oppression, and for the reopening of our street.”

Women of Kafr Qaddum: Steadfastness and determination

12th August 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Kafr Qaddum, Occupied Palestine

In June 2013, a photo depicting Suriah Mahmood from Kafr Qaddum won first prize in a photography compitition in Qatar. International activists met Suriah to talk to her about non violent Palestinian resistance and the village of Kafr Qaddum.

Kufr pic — Suriah Mahmood in her house in Kafr Qaddum (Photo by ISM)

The people of Kafr Qaddum have organised non-violent marches every Friday, with men and women sharing roles in the demonstration according to Suriah Mahmood, a prominent woman from Kafr Qaddum. Women participate in the demonstration by directing the ‘shabab‘ – the young men of the town. The women tell the shabab demonstrators where to move and where the soldiers are hiding in ambush as they attempt to injure and arrest people.

‘We’ve suffered a lot over the decades, for the long distance and the time it takes to reach Qalqiliya and Nablus.’ The monetary cost doubles for travel due to the distance and checkpoints, not to mention the psychological costs of having a checkpoint to the entrance of the village, making people continually worry they are going to be detained, arrested or harrassed. The village suffers as they have to use longer and even more circuitous routes when the checkpoint is closed. These hardships are then multiplied again when the army invade the village. ‘I go out onto the street when the army chase shabab into the village. Something in my heart and emotions, activate me quickly, telling me to go out the house and protect the shabab from the army.’ Suriah has joined demonstrations along with other Palestinian women from Kafr Qaddum, although the demonstrators are typically male Palestinians along with some male and female international and Israeli activists.

‘I think to myself, who takes part in the demonstrations? The shabab are our brothers and sons from Kafr Qaddum. I think it is my duty to go out to make trouble for the soldiers to make them busy so they are unable to continue to chase the shabab. I again feel something internal in my heart. Sometimes I throw stones or block in front of the soldiers. I shout to make the soldiers nervous and crazy and can’t control my emotions because I think it’s the role of Palestinian women to stand with our brothers against occupation.’

kuf pic 2 — Photo of Suriah Mahmood that won the photography competition (Photo by Alaa Badasreh)

On Friday 2nd August the army invaded the village and shot teargas in all directions, some of the teargas canisters entering houses. ‘My husband and son’s wife and my grandchild Yakub, suffocated alot and suffered for two hours. Asma the wife of my son fell unconscious. I began to cry , shout and called an ambulance to make first aid. When the army left the village, the teams of first aid were allowed to do their job and help those suffocated in the house.’

When asked about what Suriah hopes for in the future for her village she replied, ‘I hope for a chance to come to the Palestinian people to be free and have peace in the land without having the army to storm the village. I hope to re-open the historic road that existed before the occupation. I hope that all over the world governments rule to protect people from occupation. I think decades of occupation is enough and it is time to live happy and free.’

Video – Sent to prison for playing with olives

12th August 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil Team | Hebron, Occupied Palestine

On Sunday, 11/08/2013, at approximately 4 o’clock in the afternoon, two activists from Youth Against Settlements (YAS) were arrested. Twenty-one-year-old Abd AlMajeed Bassam Amro, and twenty-year-old Ali Talib Amro were playfully throwing olives at each other when an Israeli soldier came up to them and accused them of throwing stones at his colleague. The colleague in question initially denied having any knowledge of this, but after a brief period, many more soldiers came to the scene and the two youths were arrested and handed over to the police. The police interrogated the youths and rejected to even hear the testimony of eyewitnesses supporting them. The police found enough grounds to charge them based on the accusations of a single soldier, and Ali and Abd AlMajeed were sent to Atsion prison later that night.

Two members of the ISM, as well as many other locals were present as the incident unfolded. Ali and Abd AlMajeed chose to hold their ground and defend themselves against the soldier’s accusations, putting their trust in reasoning with the Israeli forces, hoping that the testimony of many eyewitnesses to the event would be enough to counter the claims of the soldier. Sadly, this was not the case. The soldier accusing the youths called for backup, and within a few minutes, 9 soldiers in total were present. They discussed the incident among themselves for a while and then decided to arrest the youths. The boys were blindfolded as they were led from the scene and handed over to the police.

The two members of the ISM who were present at the scene, immediately approached the police vehicle where Ali and Abd AlMajeed were being kept blindfolded, and demanded that their testimony as eyewitnesses in defense of the accused be heard. The presiding officer asked them to follow in a taxi to Aljabri police station where the youths were being taken for interrogation and ask at the gate to be admitted in to provide evidence.

At the gate of the police station, the eyewitnesses were made to wait for two and a half hours, while the investigating officer initially denied that the youths were being kept in the station. Eventually admitting that the boys were indeed being held there, the witnesses were then told to wait while he considered whether or not he needed to hear their testimony. After a while, the officer told them to go home and that he would contact them if needed, to which the eye witnesses pointed out that the interrogator did not know neither their names nor their phone numbers. Finally, the interrogator came out and told the eyewitnesses to go home, the interrogation was over. “Are you releasing them then?” was the reply of the eyewitnesses, to which the interrogator answered: “no, they’re going to prison.” When questioned as to why the other side of the story was not heard at all, the investigator answered that he required only the word of the soldiers in this case. Later that night the boys were transferred to one of the worst reputed jails in the West Bank, Atsion prison between Hebron and Bethlehem.

Unfortunately this kind of story is by no means a special case in occupied Palestine. Palestinians are tried under military law, granting them little or no rights. In fact the only thing the Israeli occupation court system needs in order to reach a conviction is the testimony of one eyewitness, in many cases the testimony of the very person making the accusation. Twenty-one-year-old Abd AlMajeed father is currently in prison following a conviction of 7 life sentences. He, like his son, was arrested on the testimony of the person accusing him. He had allegedly shot a gun at one of the 400 illegal settlers living in the Tel Rumeida area.

The arrest of the two YAS activists comes less than a week after Israeli soldiers were filmed assaulting a twelve-year-old boy and about 9 days after a seventy-one-year-old woman died because the occupation forces would not let the ambulance through Hebron’s many checkpoints. Neither of these incidents has had any consequences for the soldiers involved.