International Solidarity Movement training day London
Welcome to Palestine, International Solidarity Movement London support group will be holding a training day. If you are considering volunteering in solidarity with the Palestinian cause then you cannot miss this!
This training will include, amongst others, nonviolence strategies and philosophy, group decision making and cultural considerations for living and working in Palestine. In the course of this training, both you and the trainers will ensure that this is the kind of work you are prepared and ready for.
If at any point during the training you or the trainers realize that this is not what you want to or can do, we’ll be happy to help you find an opportunity in Palestine better suitable to your needs, skills and abilities. This is why it’s so important that you’re in contact with a support group first, in order to know what to expect. The training prepares volunteers for the solidarity work ISM is doing in Palestine against the ongoing Israeli occupation.
Training in UK will take place:
Time: 10.00AM-17.00PM
Date: 19 May 2018
Venue : London Action Resource Centre
62,Fieldgate Street
EI IES
Google Maps Location: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Larc/@51.5170177,-0.0639671,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x16bd60e9c2acb988!8m2!3d51.5170177!4d-0.0639671
17/04/2018 International Solidarity Movement Al Khalil | Hebron
Today’s demonstration was held by the Palestinian prisoners club, political factions and Palestinian civil society also in attendance were Palestinian prisoner family members and internationals. Palestinians marched from the stadium in Al Khalil, Hebron to Ibn Rushd square. The aim of the protest was to support and highlight the Palestinian prisoners on International Palestinian Prisoners day.
Palestinian Protestors march from the stadium to Ibn Rushd Square
Hisham Sharabati from Hebron defense committee present at the demonstration stated:
” We want all Palestinian prisoners free until then we want decent human conditions for detainees. Prisoners under administrative detention are clearly under arbitrary detention”.
” All the prisoners are not terrorists as Israel likes to claim, they are freedom fighters who are working for the liberation of their people and land. International law guarantees the right of the occupied to resist the occupier.”
Palestinians gather at Ibn Rushd Square to hear speeches in support of Palestinian Prisoners
Palestinian Prisoner statistics
There are 500 Administrative detainees who are boycotting the Israeli legal system.
6,500 Palestinian prisoners held inside Israeli jails
350 Palestinian child prisoners
6 Palestinian MP’s
20 Prisoners have spent 20 years in prison
25 have spent more than 25 years in prison
700 Palestinian prisoners are in need or urgent medical attention or treatment as Israel does not provide sufficient medical care for detainees.
64 Female prisoners including minors.
Palestinians hold placards of Palestinian prisoners at Ibn Rushd Square
A Palestinian who spoke at the demonstration said: ” The battle for the freedom of Palestinian detainees is not just a battle with the Israeli occupation only, but it is also a struggle against the imperialist powers including the united states of America who are currently pressurizing the Palestinian authority to cut funds for the Palestinian prisoners and their families”.
02/04/2018, International Solidarity Movement, Al Khalil/Hebron
Today Israeli forces sealed off parts of three streets in Palestinian controlled H1 near Bab Azawiyeh ordering more than fifty Palestinian shops to close for ‘security reasons’. Israeli forces also closed the Al Ibrahimi Mosque and the checkpoint adjacent to it for two whole days.
Pictured: Israeli forces seal off road with spike strips and armed presence.
The incursion into Palestinian controlled H1 started at around 11am with Israeli soldiers entering the area, ordering shops to close and preventing vehicle access to the marketplace. Around 30 minutes later Israeli Border Police in armored vehicles with teargas canons on top blocked the three main streets leading to the market. In front of the vehicles, the Israeli soldiers laid spike strips to further restrict vehicle access, and they took up positions in front. Only residents of Tel Rumeida were allowed to pass. In past years, Israeli forces blocked access to less of this commercial zone, but this year they encroached further into the Palestinian city. Snipers were positioned on the surrounding roof tops.
Pictured: Israeli forces order over 50 Palestinian stores and market holders to close.
The Israeli military blocked off this H1 area under Palestinian control so Jewish settlers could visit a tomb shrine during the holiday of Passover.
During the afternoon, the Israeli soldiers took several Palestinian adults and minors from the street for not having their ID’s with them or simply for watching and daring to get too close to the Israeli forces. Some were taken through Checkpoint 56 presumably under arrest.
Early evening around five thirty PM, Israeli forces began to withdraw from H1 area back into H2 area under ‘Israeli control’ through checkpoint 56. Small scale clashes between armed Israeli forces and unarmed Palestinian youth. The clashes began as Israeli forces were still present on roof tops. Palestinian youth began throwing stones and Israeli forces threw stun grenades and fired rubber coated steel bullets at the youth, this went on until six thirty PM. Two Palestinian youth were shot with rubber coated steel bullets one in the left leg and another in the lower spine but they did not require immediate medical treatment on the scene.
The day was a complete disruption of Palestinian businesses and freedom of movement. “Normal” life is extremely difficult for Palestinians without additional disruptions. More than twenty permanent checkpoints block movement in the city along with the countless other restrictions that Palestinians face.
Pictured: A map from OCHA showing Al Khalil, Hebron restricted access and closures to Palestinians only.
03/04/2018
Illegal Israeli settlers flood the Palestinian souq (Market)
The Israeli military occupation forces started their heightened ‘security’ measures in the Old City souq at around 9am as Palestinian shopkeepers were opening their stores. Armed Israeli Border Police and soldiers in full battle dress patrolled through the souq.
Internationals heard that the illegal Israeli settlers will enter the souq at around 1pm and the day wouldn’t finish until 5pm for a pro-longed settler tour for the Jewish holiday of Passover. At noon, with a drone circling overhead, Israeli forces massed at Bab Al Baladia, a gate in the courtyard that the illegal settlers and Israeli soldiers use to enter the Old City.
Pictured: Bab Albaladia gate where settlers, Israeli forces enter from illegal settlement into Souq.
Israeli forces lined the rooftops and all the way down the souq. Israeli military vehicles blocked off the entrance from Bab Al Baladia to prevent access to Palestinian vehicles. The sheer amount of armed forces was frightening, especially for Palestinian children who live and play in the souq streets.
Pictured: Palestinian children trying to play in the Souq with armed Israeli soldiers present everywhere.
An Israeli news channel was present interviewing the Israeli commander as the prolonged settler tour commenced. Every twenty minutes large groups of illegal Israeli settlers came out of the gates of Bab Al Baladia and walked through the souq with tour guides and surrounded by Israeli soldiers. They exited at the Mosque checkpoint that was closed to Palestinians and tourists. Some Palestinians closed their shops due to fear of attacks by settlers whilst others were ordered to close.
Pictured: Israeli forces line Palestinian Souq for pro-longed settler tour – some Palestinian shops closed.
Loud music was heard being played in the vicinity of the Ibrahimi mosque that was closed for Palestinian Muslims for two whole days. Internationals spoke with a Palestinian who works at the Mosque, and he told us that when Palestinians are allowed back in to clean up the settlers always leave it in a mess as they leave rubbish everywhere and don’t take their shoes off.
Another day of disruption for Palestinians during the Jewish holiday of Passover.
Saturday 31 March 2018, International Solidarity Movement al-Khalil/Hebron, Occupied West Bank, Palestine.
Palestinian youth protested the killings in Gaza at Checkpoint 56. The Israeli soldiers fired teargas, stun grenades and live ammunition. Beginning at 8AM Palestinian youth took to the streets of al-Khalil/Hebron to protest the killings and injuries inflicted by the Israeli military on the non-violent demonstrators in Gaza during the Great Return March. They protested outside Checkpoint 56. The Israeli soldiers took to the rooftops overlooking the area and threw more than fifty stun grenades and more than thirty teargas canisters at the youth during the day.
Toward the end of the afternoon a contingent of soldiers, as always in full battle dress: helmets, bulletproof vests, automatic rifles and ammunition, attempted to cut off the youth at the rear. Failing that, the soldiers illegally went far up in H1, the Palestinian controlled part of town. There they fired stun grenades, teargas and live ammunition in the heavily traveled commercial area of town before returning to their base having accomplished nothing. The confrontation between the protesting youth and the Israeli soldiers continued with more stun grenades and teargas.
Later in the evening, the youth were warned that the soldiers were once again attempting to cut them off in the rear. When the soldiers arrived on the scene, the youth had scattered. The returning soldiers stopped and roughly searched a youth in the nearby market letting him go when it became apparent that he was an innocent bystander. Retreating further, the soldiers grabbed, searched and showed two additional youth who were sat calmly on stairs to the watching rooftop soldiers, they claimed to identify the older of the two. The soldiers released the younger of the two boys. Four soldiers then violently wrestled the nineteen-year-old boy to the ground, handcuffed him behind his back and two soldiers hauled him off and through Checkpoint 56 surrounded by the rest of the Israeli soldiers. International Solidarity Movement volunteers who had been on the scene during the day testified that this boy had not been part of the demonstration but was an innocent bystander grabbed by the frustrated soldiers.
The actions of the soldiers throughout the day with the use of lots of stun grenades, teargas and even live ammunition is an example of the continuing use of excessive force by Israeli occupation forces.
Palestinian Protestors march from the stadium to Ibn Rushd Square
Palestinians gather at Ibn Rushd Square to hear speeches in support of Palestinian Prisoners
Palestinians hold placards of Palestinian prisoners at Ibn Rushd Square
Family members of Palestinian Prisoners 
Pictured: Israeli forces seal off road with spike strips and armed presence.
Pictured: Israeli forces order over 50 Palestinian stores and market holders to close.
Pictured: Israeli border police detain Palestinian youth.
Pictured: A map from OCHA showing Al Khalil, Hebron restricted access and closures to Palestinians only.
Pictured: Bab Albaladia gate where settlers, Israeli forces enter from illegal settlement into Souq.
Pictured: Palestinian children trying to play in the Souq with armed Israeli soldiers present everywhere.
Pictured: Israeli forces line Palestinian Souq for pro-longed settler tour – some Palestinian shops closed.
Pictured: Israeli checkpoint closed – Ibrahimi mosque closed