Tag: Arrests - Page 35 - International Solidarity Movement

Two Palestinians arrested during weekly demonstration in Kafr Qaddum

12th April 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Kafr Qaddum, Occupied Palestine

Yesterday, Friday the 11^th of April, during the weekly demonstration in Kafr Qaddum, the Israeli army arrested two Palestinian youths.

As with every Friday, the demonstration [which has taken place since 2011] began after morning prayers with the people of Kafr Qaddum marching through the village to protest against the illegal settlement of Qedumim. Located on the hills South East of Kafr Qaddum, the presence of this illegal settlement has meant the frequent closure of a road that Palestinians use to travel to the city of Nablus, as well as the illegal seizure of village land.

Yesterday the march stopped at a place on the road where Area B [Palestinian civil control and joint Palestinian and Israeli security control] and Area C (solely Israeli civil and security control) meet. The march was halted by an onslaught of tear gas canisters by the Israeli forces, while Palestinian youths threw stones towards the soldiers.

The violence continued to escalate, as two Israeli military jeeps, a “skunk” truck [a large vehicle capable of firing chemicals at a high velocity that leaves a putrid smell for over a week and burns the skin], a military bulldozer, and around 12 Israeli soldiers arrived at the demonstration. Unusually a traditional wedding also joined yesterday’s protest march. The groom’s family and friends danced amongst the marchers giving the weekly protest an optimistic and happy feel, until the Israeli army attacked and arrests began to take place.

Two young Palestinians were captured during the demonstration. Raleb Halmi (21), a student at Birzet University and Ibrahim Adunan Iomma (21), a student at Al Quds Open University. They have both been taken to Huwwara’s army base with no information available on when they will be released or what they are charged with. The clashes continued until the afternoon, with Israeli soldiers using the bulldozer to clear large stones from the road in order to access the village. At around 4:30PM the army moved back to the settlement and fortunately, despite an abundant use of tear gas, the protest ended without any injuries.

One man shot and arrested by Israeli Border Police in Huwwara village

10th April 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Huwwara, Occupied Palestine

On Sunday 6^th of April, a 35-year-old Palestinian man was shot with live ammunition and then arrested by an Israeli Border Police Officer. This was after the man had thrown a Molotov cocktail against a passing military jeep on the main street of Huwwara, causing no injuries.

On Sunday evening, Ashraf Abu al-Huda, 35 years old, was shot by several live ammunition bullets by the Israeli Border Police in the village of Huwwara, south of Nablus. The police arrived from the Yitzhar checkpoint after the man had thrown a Molotov against a Israeli army’s jeep that was passing by the main street. At the moment, there is no information available about Ashraf’s injuries or current state of health.

The street and a nearby market were closed after the arrest for “security reasons”. However according to local villagers, this occurs between two and three times a week with no explanations provided.

The village of Huwwara is just two kilometers away from the illegal settlement of Yizhar, which occupies a hilltop overlooking Palestinian land. Although the rest of the hill is located in Area B, the settlers from Yizhar have cut many olive trees from the nearby land.

Villagers from Huwarra reported that two weeks ago, two young men were seriously injured after a vicious attack from several settlers from Yizhar. One of the two men, Foad, had both of his legs broken and was transferred to Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem. Israeli forces witnessed this attack and made no attempt at intervention. Reports from the hospital have described Foad’s injuries as so severe that he may never be able to walk on his own again. The second man, Ahmed, received a large head wound and a painful cut on his ear.

The illegal settlement of Yizhar regularly harasses the people of Huwwara, and the nearby village of Burin, with settlers often throwing stones and wastewater as a form of intimidation and aggression.

Updated: Nabi Saleh three are free! Free the Nabi Saleh three: Donate now!

11th March 2014 | International Solidarity Movement | Nabi Saleh, Occupied Palestine

*Read in other languages: Bulgarian/ French/ German/ Italian

Updated 16th March: The Nabi Saleh three have now been freed from Ofer prison. Thank you for all your support, Jihad, Mahmud, and Rami Tamimi are now at home with their families. However, Israeli forces yesterday arrested Baha and Oday Tamimi also from Nabi Saleh, we hope you can continue your support for those now imprisoned. More information about these new arrests will be posted as soon as it is available.

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Updated 13th March: $1500 are still needed to cover the bail for the release of Jihad, Mahmud and Rami Tamimi from Israel’s Ofer prison.

Please write to Bassem Tamimi at ba.tamimi@hotmail.com specifying the amount, so we can allocate it directly for the release of the Nabi Saleh three. Please follow the link to make your donation!

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Jihad, Mahmud and Rami, residents of Nabi Saleh, have been imprisoned for three weeks now and need your support to be released.

An Israeli military judge ruled that six demonstrators who were kidnapped from their homes three weeks ago, could be released on bail of 2500 shekels each. With the help of the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee and the villagers, three of the prisoners, Fadel Tamimi (54) Mohammed Tamimi (24) Basel Tamimi (16) have already been released. We need your help to raise the remaining 7000 shekels to release Jihad Tamimi (25) Mahmud Tamimi (21) Rami Tamimi (36). Any amount will help.

The six have been accused of throwing stones at the Israeli military. The “evidence” presented against them is edited pictures of them participating in a demonstration- not throwing stones- and a testimony of a solider who says “the people who we took pictures of threw stones.” They were arrested the 18th of February when the villagers of Nabi Saleh were awakened once again by about a hundred soldiers invading their village.

Since residents of Nabi Saleh began demonstrating against the confiscation of their land and spring by the illegal Israel settlement of Halamish, five years ago, such night raids have become a regular occurrence.

Since the protests started, 155 people have been arrested for demonstrating, including fifty children and fifteen women. 500 people were also injured, 45 per cent of them children. Two of the demonstrators Rushdie and Mustafa Tamimi were murdered by the Israeli military in Nabi Saleh and Muaataz Washaha who participated in the demonstrations in Nabi Saleh and was executed in Beir zeit last month.

Please, donate for the Nabi Saleh three to be released. You can do it through PayPal or by bank transfer to: Basem Tamimi bank of Jordan Al Bireh branch Iban number PS13BJOR005010023012014133000.

Free the Nabi Saleh three!

Night raid and arrests in Kafr Qaddum

20th February 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Kafr Qaddum, Occupied Palestine

On Thursday the 20th of February, the violent arrests of seven villagers occurred early in the morning in the village of Kafr Qaddum. Four of those arrested, including the coordinator of the weekly demonstration, were released after six hours. The three others are still under detention. One of them suffered a head injury during his arrest.

Between 1:00 and 2:00 a.m., hundreds of Israeli soldiers surrounded then entered the village of Kafr Qaddum. The soldiers went to several houses and violently arrested seven villagers, including the coordinator of the weekly march. They handcuffed and blindfolded the villagers and physically and verbally abused them. One of those arrested, Faris Nidal, was injured in the head in the process.

The coordinator of the march has been pressured to put an end to the weekly demonstration taking place each friday in the village for more than four years. The goal of the demonstration is to pressure the army to open the road linking Kafr Qaddum and the whole Qalqiliya district to Nablus. The Supreme Court of Israel officially agreed to this demand in 2010, with no visible effect on the ground.

Later in the morning, around 8:00 a.m., four of the villagers, including the coordinator, were released. The three other villagers, including Faris Nidal, remain in detention in an uncertain location.

Crackdown on international human rights activists in Palestine: arrests, deportations, and abuse

31st January 2014 | International Solidarity Movement | Occupied Palestine

With the arrest of two international human rights activists at Salem Military Court, in Jenin district, on Wednesday 29^th January 2014, the total number of arrests of activists in the past month has risen to five, and the number of deportations to four. Arrested activists have reported verbal and physical abuse while in custody. Concerns have been raised within the human rights community as to whether the Israeli military is carrying out a concerted campaign of intimidation and deportation against internationals.

Violations of due process

The most recent arrests occurred as two activists, a Norwegian and a Canadian, were attending a hearing for Ahmad Atatreh, a 20-year-old Palestinian activist who had been arrested ten days earlier at a peaceful demonstration in the Jordan Valley.

Following the hearing, which the activists had attended in solidarity with Mr. Atatreh and his family, Israeli soldiers violently dragged the defendant by his handcuffs out of the courtroom. When the internationals asked why he was receiving this rough treatment, the soldiers took the passport from the Norwegian and arrested her on the accusation of having “slapped a soldier.” The Norwegian activist has a long-standing commitment to non-violent solidarity work.

The two remaining activists and the family of Mr. Atatreh left the court facilities and were getting into a car outside when they were approached by another soldier, who subsequently arrested the Canadian, accusing him of interfering with an arrest.

The activists were held overnight in the police station in the illegal settlement of Ariel. While in custody, the Norwegian human rights volunteer was punched in her face by Israeli police.

Under Israeli law, the activists should have been taken before a judge within 24 hours of their arrest. However, as in other recent cases the police disregarded this, instead initiating deportation procedures without following due process.

In the case of Vincent Mainville and Fabio Theodule, (Swiss and Italian citizens respectively), arrested 8^th January 2014 while trying to prevent Israeli soldiers from firing live ammunition at schoolchildren, although the judge later ruled that the activists had been illegally arrested, it was too late to prevent their transfer to immigration and therefore prevent their deportation. Neither man was allowed a court hearing as required by law.

Another activist, Sven W, a citizen of Germany, was arrested 18^th January 2014 while attending a peaceful demonstration in the Jordan Valley. Like Mr. Mainville and Mr. Theodule, he was deported without a civil court hearing.

“Since the outbreak of the Second Intifada,” says Neta Golan, co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement, “of the thousands of international human rights activists who have have been arrested, deported and denied entry, no criminal charges have been brought against any one of them. No international activist has stood trial for committing a crime. Despite this de facto vilification by Israeli authorities, charges have not once been pressed against an international human rights activist.”

Activists verbally abused, beaten while in custody

In addition to violating Israel’s due process laws, in each of these cases the Israeli military have beaten the activists in their custody. The Norwegian arrested on the 29^th reports having been beaten at the police station in Ariel.

While in custody, Mr. Mainville and Mr. Theodule were dragged by their handcuffs, causing their wrists to bleed. Mr. Mainville was also kicked in his ribs and his face. After many hours of detention, Mr. Theodule asked for water and was told by a border police officer, “If you want to drink, you can drink my piss.”

While in detention, Sven W. was blindfolded and forced to kneel on the ground for more than an hour. At this time, an Israeli soldier purposefully pushed Mr. W’s face in dirty water before taking him behind a military jeep and repeatedly kicking him in the ribs.