International Solidarity Movement - Page 355 - Nonviolence. Justice. Freedom.

Welcome to Palestine: tear gas and coffee

10th August 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Anna, Nablus Team | Kafr Qaddum, Occupied Palestine

Tear gas spread throughout the village (Photo by Al Masira Kafr Qaddum )

I came to Palestine last Tuesday and joined the weekly protest held on Friday the 8th of August in Kafr Qaddum. The demonstration represented non-violent resistance against the land grab and for the freedom of movement in the village. Kafr Qaddum was my first demonstration in Palestine in solidarity with the Palestinian struggle for freedom, self-determination, human rights and international law.

In the past years the village has gone through several attacks by Israeli soldiers and police who raid the village in the night, threatening the population. Even children under 18 years old are menaced with arrest and when arrested, are beaten along with other Palestinians.

Yesterday as we got off the service (shared taxi), soldiers started firing tear gas and sound bombs directly at protesters. They had invaded the village and chased after Palestinians and several international and Israeli activists throughout the village. Even though I knew the answer I asked two international comrades who were there with me: ‘has the demo begun?’ – ‘No, that’s the pre-demo.’ I can now easily reply to anybody asking me the same. Actually, since early that morning soldiers and police (with at least three jeeps) had entered the village, scaring people and filling the air with so much gas people could hardly breathe.

After one of the first clashes between the Palestinian youth and the soldiers had begun, everyone started running everywhere trying to protect themselves as best as possible. I ran like a hare, taking shelter in a Palestinian house where I was welcomed by a beautiful Palestinian woman dressed in white. A Palestinian man (I understood later he was her son, living in Dubai and returned to the village for the Eid holiday) and a bunch of children all of different ages, from three to 11 years old were also in the house.

I went up onto the roof where children behaved as “special watchers” running from one corner to another following the soldiers’ movements and screaming when they were throwing tear gas canisters and alerting the shebab (Arabic word for Palestinian youth) hiding in different areas of the village. I was offered a cup of coffee which I accepted with joy, longing for something strong and needing to drink so much because I couldn’t make enough saliva.

Soldiers invading the village, shebab defending it (Photo by Al Masira Kafr Qaddum)

Kafr Qaddum is a small village situated near the top of a hill facing the illegal settlement of Qedumin, which was established on Palestinian land and has been expanding to take over more privately owned Palestinian land. Furthermore the road to Nablus from the village was shut by the army with a roadblock in 2003 and this obstruction means an extra 14 kilometres distance to travel out of the village. The journey is emblematic of the restriction of movement imposed by the Israeli authorities on Palestinians in the West Bank.

The man started questioning me about the international presence in the village, showing he was curious about us, especially about why we decided to leave our own countries and come to Palestine struggling beside Palestinians in support of “another population’s cause”. He was puzzled but happy when I replied that it is our duty to act and stand up for Palestinians and that we speak out for them not only because as internationals we think they all have a right to resist, but as we are all human beings, we should take part in this cause for freedom and speaking out against ongoing violations of human rights amongst many oppressions that the Palestinians have been subjected to for more than 60 years. As we are generally Europeans or Western citizens coming from countries that strongly support Israeli apartheid through economic, cultural and institutional ties, we have the duty to speak out and stand up for international law and the human rights of Palestinians, with the best of efforts.

After the conversation, I joined comrades once again as the struggle was still going on. The demonstration ended but this time the soldiers and police were stopped from arresting protesters but not from injuring people. Children aged 4, 6 and 7 years old and a 75 year old woman suffered badly from tear gas inhalation when it was thrown and shot directly into their homes.

This is the daily life for Palestinians. This is their enduring resistance. Long live Palestine!

Photo essay: Israeli army incursion through Apartheid Wall in Ni’lin

10th August 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah Team | Ni’lin, Occupied Palestine

Yesterday at around 1pm, Palestinians together with Israeli and international activists marched through the olive groves towards the annexation wall on Ni’lin’s land.

Protesters marching to the wall (Photo by ISM)

Demonstrators approached the area of the wall chanting slogans against Israel’s apartheid policies and the annexation of land for the illegal Israeli settlements. Israeli forces, located behind the wall, shot numerous amounts of tear gas canisters and sound bombs at people as they approached.

Demonstrators reaching the wall (Photo by ISM)

Israeli forces shot multiple rounds of tear gas canisters at protesters (Photo by ISM)

A Ni’lin resident flies the Palestinian flag as tear gas rains down (Photo by ISM)

After an hour of continuous shooting of tear gas canisters, Israeli forces crossed through the gate in the wall and chased protesters up the hill shooting more gas canisters and rubber-coated steel bullets.

In the distance, the black figure of an Israeli soldier who has come out from behind the wall in an attempt to intimidate protesters. Behind him are the illegal settlements (Photo by ISM)

The protest finished at around 3pm when Israeli forces retreated. Two Palestinian demonstrators needed medical treatment after being shot with rubber coated steel bullets.

For five years the people of Ni’lin have been demonstrating against the Apartheid Wall that has taken 2500 dunums of Ni’lin land.

Israel shifts Oslo accord borders to continue to prevent Palestinians from using their land and building homes

10th August 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Huwwara, Occupied Palestine

Maher from the village of Huwwara close to Nablus, is one of many Palestinians who has been tricked into thinking that Palestinians have the power to issue building permits in areas labelled as ‘B’ under the Oslo accords.

986715_10201083510883525_640332638_n — Maher on his land, where he was planning to build his house (Photo by ISM)

Maher owns land designated as ‘B’ and so applied to the Palestinian Authority for planning permission to build a house to provide for his children when they grew up. The permission was accepted and he obtained the relevant documents and paid the relative charges to proceed. The land the house was going to be built on was being used as a rubbish tip and so he started to clear the land in order to build the house. For six months he cleared the land and dug the foundations of the house before Israel issued a stop work paper in early July. Maher was surprised by this, especially when the reason for the stop work order being issued was because of Israeli claims that the land was Area C. Maps obtained show that the proposed structure is in area B but Maher has no choice but to challenge the decision in the court if he wants to continue building.

Maher's house map issued by the PA (Photo by ISM) — Maher’s house map issued by the PA (Photo by ISM)

Maher, skeptical of the result of the court system speaks of his frustration and the inevitable expense, ‘I don’t have much money to build, then Israel comes and stops it. I don’t have money to risk if Israel will target it.’

The land is on the outskirts of a built up area of houses and Palestinian residents and so it is not clear why Israel is prohibiting the building of the property as there are no ‘security’ concerns of the occupation near by.’There’s just Palestinians here . No army , no settlers, nothing prohibiting us from building’ says Maher.

Since he received the stop work order, the site neighbouring his was also given a stop work order on their property that was nearing completion. Israel as the occupying power has to provide for services, infrastructure and allow for new accommodation for the inhabitants but almost universally rejects planning permission in area C. Maher’s land is in area B and so under the agreement where the Palestinian Authority and Israel have joint control, the permission granted by the Palestinian Authority should be sufficient to build the home. Similar cases of this denial of permission and dismissal of Palestinian Authority permits due to claiming that the land was area C, has happened in the village of Sarra.

Since the stop work order, the land that was dug and cleared has began to fill with rubbish again. Maher is still determined; ‘If I build, I’ll make it like a park.’

Under the Oslo agreement the occupied territories in the West Bank were divided into areas A, B and C. A small amount of area designated as ‘A’ gives full power to the Palestinian Authority to administer in civil and security matters. Land designated as area ‘C’ is under full Israeli military control where the occupying power has to provide security and services for all the inhabitants. Area ‘B’ is agreed to be under joint control by the Palestinian Authority and Israel.

Ongoing resistance in Bil’in

9th August 2013 | Friends of Freedom and Justice | Bil’in, Occupied Palestine

Resistance in Bil’in continued on the second day of the Eid Al Ftir holiday, in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in their hunger strike. One female activist was arrested and there were dozens of cases of teargas suffocation in the Bil’in weekly march.

This week the Friday demonstration, organized by the Popular Committee against the Wall and settlements in Bil’in, marched in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in their hunger strike.

The march began after Friday prayers from the center of the village toward the apartheid wall. Israelis and international peace activists participated alongside the people of Bil’in.

The participants raised Palestinian flags and chanted slogans calling for the end of the occupation, the demolition of the apartheid wall and the liberation of the Palestinian political prisoners. Upon the arrival of participants to the area the gate was already open, and military jeeps proceeded into the area prior to the demonstration. Israeli soldiers attacked the area and chased the participants in an attempt to arrest them. They succeeded in arresting one female Swiss activist. The ambulance crew was fired upon deliberately and soldiers initiated confrontation with journalists in the area.

Anxious Eid for family of prisoner in Hebron

8th August 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil Team | Hebron, Occupied Palestine

For one Hebron family, this year’s Eid is more worrisome than festive. They will have to spend it wondering about their father and husband, whom they have not been able to talk to since the 4th of August. Last Sunday at around 2am Mohammed* was arrested – he was woken up by 20-30 soldiers and taken away without being told the charges against him. His family has not yet been able to talk to him or give him the medicine that he needs.

When the Israeli military Sunday morning invaded Mohammed’s house with five jeeps and two armed vehicles, it took him and his family completely by surprise. The entire family – Mohammed, his wife and their six children – were woken up and told to gather in the house of Mohammed’s brother. Mohammed was then told he should kiss his children and say goodbye for he was being arrested. However neither Mohammed nor his family was informed of the charges upon his arrest.

After having placed Mohammed’s family under surveillance the Israeli military took Mohammed to his workplace. Here they told him to close all the security cameras or they would destroy his office. The office was thoroughly searched, however nothing was removed or changed. Mohammed was then taken to Ashkelon Prison at around 4am.

Mohammed’s family has still not been able to contact him, the Israeli military or the prison. They are deeply concerned as Mohammed is in need of medication due to a recent procedure performed on his eyes.

Mohammed was previously detained in 1994 for four months without ever knowing the charges. All Mohammed and his family know about the previous arrest is that Israeli military suspected some association with the Muslim Brotherhood. Since 1994 Mohammed has been a free man and has lived a quiet life without harassment from the Israeli occupation forces until he was suddenly arrested last Sunday.

Mohammed has still not been officially accused of a crime, however yesterday evening he and his family were informed that he was suspected of “threatening the security of the area”. His arrest has been extended for nine days at the end of which he will have a military court hearing.

Mohammed’s lawyer seems optimistic that Mohammed will be released after these nine days, since the Israeli occupation forces do not seem to have evidence on which they can hold him. However it is sadly not uncommon that administrative detention can be used, cases in which an arrest of a Palestinian incessantly is extended and military hearings continuously are pushed back. This is especially true of military hearings as it is only the judge and the prosecutor who are presented to the base of the deferment, not even the defense is shown the evidence.

*Name changed by request of the family who wish to remain anonymous