Tag: Arrests

Israeli Forces use live ammunition in occupied Hebron

22nd September 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

On Friday, September 22, the usual small scale and unorganised protests next to the Shuhada checkpoint elicited an exaggerated response from the Israeli military. At 2:00 PM approximately 15 soldiers went into H1 in pursuit of the protesters, firing tear gas and sound bombs. Subsequently, the military jeeps spread into multiple focal points of the city, where they continued their assault.

At approximately 3:00 PM, the soldiers fired live ammunition for the second time in one week in the Manara square of occupied Hebron, one of the most densely circulated areas, thus putting at risk passers-by of all ages. Traffic was also disrupted, as roads leading to the square were blocked. Manara is one of the main junctions in the city, therefore drivers were forced to take alternative routes, which created additional havoc in the city.

Throughout the day, the soldiers made nine arrests, of which eight were young Palestinians. Some of the people who were detained did not seem to have been involved in any manner in the protest.

During the afternoon and evening, the soldiers advanced into H1, which according to the Hebron agreement is under full Palestinian control. If so far the army used to enter the area of H1 surrounding the Shuhada checkpoint, during their latest actions, they have begun to invade more and more of the city, thus severely interfering with people’s daily lives and causing financial losses for business owners in the main commercial areas of Hebron.

The soldiers retreated after six hours inside of H1, after 8:00 PM, leaving behind streets covered in bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs.

Arrests of young Palestinians continue in occupied Hebron

20th September 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

During the patrol around the old city, on Wednesday the 20th of September at 4 PM, the Al-Khalil team ran into a group of about 20 soldiers and followed them through the market in the Old City. The armed forces surprised the merchants, who were confused as to why they were there.

The soldiers were stationed in front of the market and the situation escalated quickly, with sound grenades being used in a crowded and highly circulated area – in an attempt to diffuse the crowd. This disrupted the normal activity of the shop owners, who needed to rapidly close their businesses and seek shelter, which definitely resulted in financial losses.

The actions of the Israeli military were met with resistance by locals and the soldiers quickly resorted to firing rubber coated steel bullets. They progressively advanced towards the commercial center of Al-Khalil, which was filled with people of all ages; exposing them to stun grenades and tear gas. The inhalation of tear gas, a supposedly “less-lethal” weapon, causes severe tearing and suffocation and if untreated can lead to death. Its longterm effects are also unknown and it’s extremely dangerous for people with respiratory conditions.

The Al-Khalil team witnessed four arrests of young Palestinians. One of the arrests was particularly violent, with four soldiers trying to detain an unarmed man. He was eventually put to the ground and was later hospitalised with multiple injuries inflicted during the arrest.

The actions of the military lasted for approximately two and a half hours, until approximately 6:30 PM, during which the center and other areas of Al-Khalil were an insecure environment.

Israeli forces arrest 3 children, and harass Palestinians in occupied Hebron 2nd day in a row

24th August 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

Israeli soldiers, for the second day in a row, invaded the old town in Hebron (al-Khalil), arresting four people. The occupation forces blocked the main road for 4 hours restricting the movement of the Palestinians. The Israeli forces used stun grenades to control the crowd.

Israeli forces restricting the movement of Palestinians

Around 9 am a group of soldiers went into the streets of the old town in Hebron. They arrested one man, and brought him to the military base. At the same time, the forces blocked the main market road, restricting people from moving between the market and their homes. This has impact on the trade based economy in the old town, where the shopkeepers are already in economic hardship, due to the Israeli occupation and, amongst others, the enforced movement restrictions.

Israeli forces throwing stun grenades at Palestinians

Around 11.45 am the Israeli soldiers withdrew into the military base, except for one military unit, who patrolled the area. Around 3 pm the Israeli forces returned to their previous position in the old town, and blocked the road yet another time, this time arresting 3 children. 2 boys aged 13 and 14, and one boy aged 7. The father of the 7-year-old, intervened and managed to get his son free whereas the other two children were taken by the soldiers without their parents or guardians presence. The details about were the two other arrested children were brought, are still unclear. Around 3.30 pm, the occupation forces violently dispersed the crowd by throwing a stun grenade towards a group of Palestinians, including children and elderly, and afterwards retreating to their military base.

 

Three children arrested in occupied Hebron

23rd August 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

Three underage boys, 2 aged 13 and 1 aged 14, were arrested today in occupied Hebron (al-Khalil), the soldiers accusing them of throwing stones. Up to 40 soldiers went out of their military base in Bab al-Baladdbiya, and raided several houses searching alleged suspects.

Israeli soldiers raiding homes and arresting three underage boys

 

Israeli occupation forces arresting 3 children

After arresting the three children and bringing them to the military base, the heavy armed military presence stayed in the old town and raided several houses, ID-checking young male Palestinians and blocked the main market street, preventing residents from reaching their houses.

Israeli soldiers blocking the streets, and denying Palestinians access to the streets

 

The occupation forces violently controlled the crowed by shooting teargas into the crowd, and throwing stun grenades.

Teargas used by Israeli soldiers in the old town

Continued military presence in demolition-threatened Umm Al-Kheir

22nd August 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Um Al-Kheir, occupied Palestine

Three young Palestinian men were detained by Israeli occupation forces on Friday the 19th of August. The men, residents of the Bedouin community Um Al-Kheir, were held by soldiers for two hours and forced to sit against the fence bordering up to the neighbouring illegal settlement. Four armed soldiers pushed back the surrounding crowd, including the members from the ISM team in Al-Khalil.

Soldiers detaining three Palestinian men

On Sunday evening, members from the Al-Khalil team travelled to the small village of Um Al-Kheir, located right next to the illegal settlement Carmel in the South Hebron Hills. On arrival, a military vehicle was stationed by the road leading to the village, with three men being detained by the military forces. The detained men were Akram Hathaleen (21 years old), Aala Hathaleen (20 years old) and Mahmoud (33 years old).

Soldiers pushing the villagers back

According to the four soldiers, one of the young men had climbed the fence to Carmel, which is an unlikely scenario due to the razor wire surrounding the Israeli illegal settlement. The locals stressed that the man simply tried to access the agricultural land belonging to their community.

Israeli soldier controlling the villagers

After approximately two hours the men were set free, with one of the men being ordered to report to the police station in Kiryat Arba the following day.

Military presence has been prevalent lately in and around Um Al-Kheir due to a strict demolition order. Out of the 70 structures belonging to the village, only two of them will remain after the military carries out the order and destroys the houses. Naturally, this means the end of a village belonging to a Bedouin community which has lived in the area for generations.

What remains of a demolished home in Umm Al-Kheir

The village has faced demolitions almost every year since 2008, with water networks and up to 17 structures being destroyed annually. Settlers of Carmel frequently survey the community with drones to spot construction and send the footage to the Israeli civil administration.

Because of the small distance to Carmel Settlement, Um Al-Kheir lost more and more access to their land over time. Despite being founded as a military outpost in 1980, the first settlers moved in around 2008. In 2012 they occupied a nearby mountain, where the shepherds now need a permission to cross with their herds. Because of the rapid expansion of the settlement, the time to access the grassing lands has increased from five minutes to close to an hour.