Tag: Al Khalil - Page 7 - International Solidarity Movement

Israeli forces injure 3 Palestinians before shooting tear gas at bypassers in the market of Hebron

December 20th, 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, al Khalil team | Al Khalil, occupied Palestine

Sunday, 20^th December 2015, Israeli forces shot and injured three Palestinians at Shuhada checkpoint in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron), before arbitrarily firing towards civilians and journalists in the area.

Israeli forces shot a girl in the head with live ammunition. A Palestinian bystander, trying to help the girl and pull her towards the Palestinian side of the checkpoint right after she was shot, was shot in the mouth by Israeli forces. The man was trying to help, knowing that Israeli forces would most likely deny the girl any medical aid if the Palestinian ambulance was unable to reach her. Another Palestinian bystander was shot. The Palestinian girl, according to eye-witnesses, did have a knife, but instead of trying to disarm her, Israeli forces directly shot her in the head.

The ambulance was denied access to the injured Palestinian girl

Israeli forces used the roof of a Palestinian family's house to shoot — Israeli forces used the roof of a Palestinian family’s house to shoot

Whereas the Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance, at the scene after only a few minutes, was denied access to the girl in order to deliver first aid, the two Palestinians injured were taken to hospital. After this happened, the Israeli forces threw stun grenades and shot tear-gas at passer-bys and Red Crescent medics to prevent them from coming any closer and seeing what happened. Journalists that arrived at the scene were also attacked with stun grenades and threatened by Israeli forces with rubber coated steel bullets.

Israeli forces entered the H1-side of al-Khalil, that is under full Palestinian control, running into the Palestinian market and indiscriminately shooting tear gas at civilians going about their everyday life. They entered the roof of a Palestinian family’s home to use it as a base for shooting tear gas and rubber coated steel bullets at Palestinians in the street. A 5-year old boy was injured when Israeli forces fired directly at a school-bus passing by the checkpoint.

Israeli forces entered the market into the H1-area of Hebron

Shuhada checkpoint has recently been closed for ‘renovations’, stopping Palestinians from accessing the Palestinian neighbourhood of Tel Rumeida, located in the H2-area under full Israeli control. This neighbourhood, including the small stretch of Shuhada Street that Palestinians still had access to, has been declared a ‘closed military zone’ on November 1^st. With the closure of the checkpoint, the restricted freedom of movement of Palestinians, has been completely brought to a halt.

School children denied their right to education in Hebron

December 10th, 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, al Khalil team | al Khalil, occupied Palestine

Soldiers blocked the way to the Cordoba school in al Khalil

Today, on International Human Rights Day, school children as well as teachers were denied access to the Cordoba school in Al-Khalil (Hebron). The mixed primary school is located in the neighborhood of Tel Rumeida at the end of the small strip of Shuhada Street that Palestinians are still able to access.

Students and teachers waited for two hours

Since the declaration of the ‘closed military zone’, effective since the 1^st of November in Tel Rumeida and Shuhada Street, the children and teachers have been registered as numbers in order to pass checkpoint 56 and checkpoint 55 on their way to school. On Monday the 7^th of December 2015, the checkpoint 56 has been closed for an indefinite period of time. The children and teachers that need to cross checkpoint 56 – which marks the border between the H2 area of Al-Khalil, under full Israeli control, and the H1 area, supposedly under full Palestinian control – have had to argue with the Israeli forces every morning since then, in order to pass the checkpoint and reach the school.

Settler came to harass children and teachers while they were waiting

After a Palestinian was killed on Wednesday, 9^th of December at checkpoint 55 on Shuhada Street, the children and teachers found the access to the school blocked by barbed wire and countless Israeli soldiers. The Israeli forces have completely locked the way to the school for the majority of children and teachers. The only other way to the school is through a cemetery on the other side of Al-Khalil. The Israeli forces simply ignore the pleas from both school children and teachers to let them pass and get to the school, and don’t give any indication as to when the barbed wire will be removed.

While school children and teachers were waiting in hopes of passing, infamous illegal settler Anat Cohen arrived at the scene and openly, without any apprehension, verbally and physically harassed them. The Israeli forces failed to prevent her from doing so, yet again turning a blind eye on increasing settler violence. Two hours after school was supposed to begin, the children and teachers gave up and the school was forced to remain closed for the day, the childrens’ right to education being simply denied to them.

Watch these two videos of Anat Cohen attacking and intimidating the school-children.

Nightraids in the Souk: Israeli Soldiers Terrorize Old City of Hebron

3rd August 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil Team | Al Khalil, Occupied Palestine

At around 11:00 PM on the night of August 1st, a fire began in souk of Hebron’s Old City.

The fire was coming from a building that overhangs into the souk from the illegal settlement of Beit Hadassah. The Israeli military came and immediately began detaining Palestinians, saying that the cause of the fire was from a Molotov.

Local Palestinians say that they believe it was actually an illegal Israeli settler that threw the Molotov into the house, as a way to cause problems for the Palestinians. No one lived in the house where the Molotov was thrown. The Israeli military presence became massive with about 70 soldiers, border police, and police, as well as army jeeps and a large armored vehivle. The military was claiming that there was a homemade bomb in one of the houses. They started to forbid movement and surrounded the area, detaining people for several hours.

They detained eight Palestinians, two of whom were arrested, handcuffed, and blindfolded.

The military, claiming Shalaleh street a closed military zone, announced that if people went any further, they would be arrested. CPTers were also present and documenting the situation. A large military vehicle came out through Bab al Baladia from the illegal settlement. The soldiers began raiding houses, looking for the ‘homemade bomb.’

Eventually, a smaller remote controlled robotic device came out from the back of the large military vehicle. The soldiers said that it would be used to detonate the bomb they claimed was hidden somewhere in the souk.

Meanwhile, groups of military and border police were scattered throughout the souk, not allowing people to cross while raiding houses.

A group of 30 soldiers started to force open the gate of a shop with a crowbar in search of a surveillance cameras that may have filmed whatever caused the fire.

The army forced themselves in and broke down the door without even botheriing to ask for the key from the owner of the shop. At this time they also detained a young man near the shop, making him put his head against the wall.

When ISMers were questioning the soldiers about what they were doing, the ‘commander’ told them to back off and then said if he saw them again, he would have them arrested. He also called the soldiers at checkpoint 56 (also known as H1/H2 or Shuhada street checkpoint) and told them to tell the ISMers the same thing.

All accounts of the situation vary, but this is the information ISM knows from what was witnessed and from Palestinian sources.

Settlers set Palestinian home on fire

31st May 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, Al Khalil Team | Al Khalil, Occupied Palestine

Around 12 PM Saturday night the 30th/31st of May, Imad Abu Shamsiyeh woke up to the sound of stones being thrown at his home, in Tel Rumeida, Al Khalil (Hebron). This is not at all out of the ordinary for the Abu Shamsiyeh family – they are often harassed, sometimes daily, and attacked by Israeli settlers.

As he went out of his house to see what was going on, Imad discovered that part of his house had been set on fire by Settlers. He saw the six young Israeli settlers escaping from his roof, as he went back into his house to get his wife and kids out of the burning building. The settlers – all appearing to be in their early twenties – accessed the roof of Imad’s house and poured gasoline down one side. They then proceeded to set the whole area ablaze including a sofa situated in the terrace.

Accompanied by neighbors Imad put out the fire. Afterwards, he approached Israeli soldiers who had been positioned nearby his house when the incident occurred and asked what they had witnessed. The soldiers answered by accusing him of starting the fire.

Burnt out scraps of Shamsiye's sofa — Burnt out scraps of Shamsiye’s sofa

The day after, (31st May), Imad went to the police station to report what had happened. Despite the fact that this was far from the first time the family had been violently attacked by Israeli settlers, the police discarded the report as a minor issue, and did not follow up on the case.

As mentioned previously, the Abu Shamsiyeh family have been victims of multiple incidents of settler violence. Only two months ago settlers poisoned the water tank on top of the house. This water tank is the source of all of the family’s water supply. As a result of frequent settler violence, including stone throwing, the family has put a fence up over the top of their terrace to protect themselves.

The fence over the Abu Shamsiye family's terrace — The fence over the Abu Shamsiye family’s terrace

Imad Abu Shamsiyeh is the deputy coordinator of Human Rights Defenders, a Hebron based group for documenting the violation and harassment carried out by soldiers and settlers in the West Bank. Several hours before the house burning, he reported a knife attack by settlers against Palestinians youths in Tel Rumeida.

Israeli forces break the arm of a Palestinian man at peaceful protest, Beit Ummar

30th May 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil Team | Beit Ummar, Occupied Palestine

Demonstrators in front of Beit El Baraka

Today in Beit Ummar, just north of Al Khalil (Hebron), Israeli forces broke the arm of local activist Yousif Abu Maria, and then arrested him. Yousif was protesting with a group of around 30 local Palestinian activists outside an illegal Israeli settlement. While the police and military attempted to arrest Yousif he was subjected to excessive violence that resulted in his arm being broken. Israeli occupation forces continued to violently arrest him even though his cries of pain were obvious.

At 10.30 am the group drove to the gate of the Beit Al Baraka building. Roughly four years ago the old hospital and church complex was purchased by the right-wing Israeli Zionist group, Israeli Land Fund, under the guise of a Christian refurbishment organisation. Aryeh King, director and founder of Israeli Land Fund, had brought the property to support the illegal expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank.

On reaching the complex the Palestinian activists marched to the front gate chanting for a free Palestine. The Palestinians were joined by many Israeli and international activists. Seconds after arriving over 20 boarder police, police and military, quickly surrounded the group. The occupation forces then began pushing people back with their rifles. Yousif was injured and thrown to the floor. An Israeli activists then attempted to pull him away from the violence, but was also assaulted and pepper sprayed in the eyes. Both Yousif and the Israeli activists were dragged away to the military jeeps parked near by, but Yousif was then arrested and the Israeli activists was released without any repercussions.

Yousef Abu Maria on his knees after occupation forces broke his arm, during the arrest

A large amount of sound grenades were also used. Around 20 of the heavy metal grenades were thrown, some directly at protesters causing superficial injuries. After forcing all protesters to move away from the fenced off complex, Israeli police then questioned and checked the ID’s of many of the activists.

Soldiers pepperspray Israeli activist (in blue shirt) after forcing him to the ground — Soldiers pepper spray Israeli activist (in blue shirt) after forcing him to the ground

The Palestinian group finished the protest with the promise to return and continue to use non-violent action to resist the expansion of illegal settlements that both annex Palestinian land illegally and are detrimental for the economy and existence of Palestinian communities. After an increase in Israeli military and police presence over the past two months around the Al Baraka building, the residents of Beit Ummar worry that, if occupied by settlers, the complex will lead to further disruption of the entire region.