Israeli soldiers lockdown checkpoints for jewish settler parade, Purim

Israeli soldiers close checkpoint 56 leading to the neighborhood of Tel Rumeida for an hour this morning, restricting the freedom of movement even further for Palestinian residents. Israeli settlers were celebrating the jewish holiday Purim as they paraded down Al Shuhada street and gathered outside Al Ibrahimi mosque playing loud music and drinking alcohol. Shop owners had to close due to the fear of violence from the settlers.

Palestinians wait as checkpoint remains closed, children sneak through the exit gate and play games.

Palestinians could not reach their own homes; checkpoint 56 stayed closed long after the parade had passed. A mother was separated from her child who had passed through the checkpoint on his own before its closure. Checkpoint 55 also closed today for 45 minutes just down the road for the same reason.

An Israeli soldier told us the checkpoints were on lockdown for ‘security reasons’. When questioned further the soldier stated, “Orders come from above I cannot do anything.” When pressed about the morality of stopping Palestinian adults and children from their homes the soldier stated, “I’m just following orders, if you ask me again in two years after my service is over I will tell you something else.”

This is the second time this week that Israeli forces have locked down checkpoints for prolonged periods of time in the immediate area. The last time this happened was thanks to a visit by the Israeli defense minister, Avigdor Lieberman, on his way to the illegal settlements in and around Al Khalil, Hebron. Checkpoint closures are common in H2, Palestinians are unfortunately used to the constant inconvenience of the oppressive Israeli occupation.

Israeli forces provoke and fire tear gas and stun grenades at school children

28th February 2018 | International Solidarity Movement, al Khalil team | Occupied Palestine

This morning, armed Israeli Border Police entered Salaymeh neighborhood in Al Khalil, Hebron. They advanced towards the schools and shot one tear gas canister and one stun grenade at school children at 7:45 am. This happened after a single border police provoked the children by kneeling down and pointing her weapon directly at them. International activists also witnessed two bag checks performed on minors, boys no older than 13, an action completely illegal according to international law.

Border Police recede after firing tear gas and stun grenade at students

Also this morning, Israeli forces also fired two tear gas canisters from a roof top beside the Ziad Al Jaber school in the Jaber neighborhood at school children. As a result many children suffered from tear gas inhalation and one child was hospitalized. The teachers rushed to children’s aid, while Israeli forces also prevented a psychology teacher from entering the school.

Palestinian child gets treated for bad tear gas inhalation

After the tear gas was fired, an army jeep was positioned outside of the school Israeli forces were stopping people at random and performing ID checks. The teachers remained weary as the children recovered throughout their lessons. 

Teachers rush to students’ aid after inhaling tear gas this morning

Tear gas was also fired at school children in the Queitun neighborhood this morning. Today was a busy day for the Israeli armed forces. Palestinians approach this weekend’s jewish celebration of Purim with caution. Only Wednesday and tension and violence seems to be escalating before and after school hours.   

Children that grow up under military occupation are unfortunately accustomed to this kind of treatment on their way to and from school, all of them hoping to avoid hospitalization and someday see a free Palestine.

Palestinian arrested for selling bracelets near Ibrahimi Mosque checkpoint

21st February 2018 | International Solidarity Movement, al Khalil team | Occupied Palestine

Yesterday a Palestinian shop owner, age 24, was arrested for selling bracelets to passersby outside Ibrahimi Mosque checkpoint.

The mosque checkpoint was bustling with young men selling bracelets and key chains to tourists as border police singled out one to detain and later arrest. The young Palestinian owns a shop close to the checkpoint; border police detained him for two hours before sending him to the police station for three hours. Eventually, he paid 500 NIS to be released and has returned to his shop today.

In addition to paying bail, he has to attend a court hearing in six months at Ofar, a military prison in Ramallah. When asked, he is completely dumbfounded as to why he must attend a court hearing in several months. He is also anxious about not receiving a receipt for his large bail, worrying the border police could charge him again.

The shop owner says his experience is far from rare in al Khalil, as the oppressive Israeli occupation has normalized unsolicited arrests of young men and boys. His cousin chimes in saying, “Being in jail inside or being in jail outside, it is the same.”

This man’s arrest coincided with a 14-year-old boy’s arrest on the same day for allegedly throwing a rock at a surveillance camera, and two 13-year-old boys’ arrest a few days prior for being attacked and provoked by settler children. All of them have since been released, however, they all remain weary towards police and settlers as the occupation continues.

Israeli forces suppress Palestinian demonstration against apartheid restrictions in Al Khalil, Hebron

International Solidarity Movement Al Khalil/Hebron Team 16/02/2018

Today a demonstration was organized by Human Rights Defenders and Hebron Defense Committee under the umbrella name Dismantle the Ghetto. Around 300 Palestinians prayed inside and outside the mosque and shortly after prayers they marched from the mosque to Bab Al Baladia which was once a Palestinian gold market before the settlers and occupation forces shut it down and forced Palestinians out. Israeli forces immediately came through the gates of the illegal settlement at Bab Al Baladia and proceeded to throw many stun grenades and fired tear gas down the street at those who were demonstrating peacefully for their basic human rights.

Video of the march to Bab Al Baladia:

Palestinian vehicles were stopped at gunpoint by the Israeli army and car keys were taken as drivers were forbidden from continuing down Shalala street. Palestinians on foot were made to stop in the middle of the road at gunpoint lifting the top parts of their clothing, their ID’s were also checked before being allowed to walk past.

A Palestinian pedestrian made to lift Tshirt by the Israeli army
A Palestinian pedestrian made to lift Tshirt by the Israeli army

Clashes then followed immediately after at Bab Azawiyeh. Israeli forces entered H1 area from checkpoint 56 under Palestinian control pointing their guns at Palestinians on foot and at vehicles before firing even more tear gas. Clashes went on between Palestinian youth and armed Israeli forces for around three hours, Israeli snipers were positioned on adjacent rooftops.

Video of clashes in Bab Azawiyeh:

The heart and economic center of Al Khalil/Hebron, Al shuhada street was once a major part of the Palestinian market which was closed in 1994 after a settler called Baruch Goldstein from a nearby illegal settlement opened fire inside the Ibrahimi Mosque killing 29 Palestinians and injuring over 100. Israeli occupation forces imposed draconian rules and apartheid orders on the Palestinian population as collective punishment instead of punishing the settlers. As a result of this, many shops were forced to close and these unjustified orders still exist today. This is why Al Khalil, Hebron is known as the ghost town. Palestinians are forbidden from walking down or driving down their own street and those Palestinians who refuse to leave cannot even open their front doors onto Shuhada street, as the Israeli army welded their doors shut. There are many areas with such severe measures in Hebron which prevent Palestinians from access and freedom of movement. Twenty checkpoints are in the heart of the city which Palestinians have to pass through daily, whilst Israeli settlers face no measures or restrictions whatsoever.

The commemoration of the Ibrahimi massacre falls on the 25th of February every year Al Khalil, Hebron. We expect to see many actions and demonstrations organized against this immoral ongoing occupation, unjust military orders and the expansion of illegal settlements.

Shuhada Kindergarten Stands in Solidarity with Child Prisoners

Human Rights Defenders organised a solidarity campaign with Palestinian Child prisoners in the Shuhada St Kindergarten on Sunday February 4, 2018.

The Kindergarten is close to the Cordoba school in the H2 Israeli controlled area of al Khalil (Hebron). Both the school and the kindergarten have to access Shuhada St. down some stairs through a military checkpoint. Half way up the stairs there is a steel gate which is closed by a rope from the Cordoba Checkpoint on Shuhada St. Unnecessary delays and harassment often occur at the checkpoint on a daily basis.

Cordoba Checkpoint from the stairs accessing Cordoba School and the Shuhada St Kindergarten

The event was a beautiful show of solidarity by the Kindergarten children. 700 Palestinian children are detained, interrogated and tortured every year and currently 350 are imprisoned (Adameer). Various speakers described the plight of the children imprisoned as well as the terrible situation for the many Palestinians living in H2 and the determination of the Palestinians to stand strong. Badia Dwaik, from Human Rights Defenders called upon governments of the world to act against the illegal and immoral occupation of Palestine by Israel. (See the video) The event was run in conjunction with the Dismantle the Ghetto Campaign which aims to mobilize people to engage in nonviolence activities and calls for the removal of checkpoints and the eviction of settlers from al Khalil/Hebron.

Staff and teachers from the Kindergarten delayed at least 15 minutes

After the event, the children from nearby Cordoba School were allowed to leave through the Cordoba checkpoint. But then a settler ordered the army to stop the kindergarten children and staff from passing and the gate was shut. The staff and children were delayed for 15 minutes with no justification.

Activists from ISM and another organisation were then detained a further 15-20 minutes. During this time a Zionist settler was escorted by Israeli soldiers through the checkpoint to video the activists. Other radical settlers harassed the Press below on Shuhada St. while this was going on. After being released another settler made multiple attempts to cut off ISMers with her car as they walked to Checkpoint 56 towards the Palestinian controlled area of H1. She eventually got out of the car filming the activists and calling one of the a “Europa Nazi.” (see video)

Such restrictions of movement, suppression of free speech, intimidation and harassment are common occurrences in al Khalil/Hebron. Aggressive settlers and the Israeli army work together to make life increasingly difficult for Palestinians in H2. The Palestinians are under increasing pressure and some are forced to leave but others manage to hold on in a beautiful demonstration of Sumud (steadfastness).