Tag: Arrests

21 arrested in Nabi Saleh demonstration commemorating the death of Mustafa Tamimi

16 December 2011 | Popular Struggle Coordination Committee

Soldiers attacked the peaceful demonstration, shooting tear-gas projectiles directly at protesters. 21 were arrested in an attempt to block the entrance to Halamish settlement and to reach the village’s confiscated spring

Hundreds joined the weekly demonstration in Nabi Saleh today, marking the killing of Mustafa Tamimi (28), who was shot in the face during the weekly protest in the village last Friday. Tamimi was shot from a distance of less than 10 meters behind the semi-open door of an armored military jeep.

The demonstration held today commenced peacefully from the center of the village towards the spring confiscated by the nearby settlement Halamish. Shortly after arriving to the point where Tamimi was shot last week, the march was attacked by a shower tear-gas, shot by Border Police battalions, in both arch direction and directly towards protesters. Massive amounts of tear-gas were shot continuously for approximately 30 minutes, despite the fact that no stone throwing was taking place. In addition, the “Skunk” truck carrying foul-smelling water was used to spray the entire area including the large crews of press present.

During the same time, a group of Palestinian, Israeli and international activists were blocking the entrance to the settlement of Halamish, built adjacent Nabi Saleh, on privately owned Palestinian land. 10 protesters were arrested in this attempt.

In the village, clashes started erupting between local youth and the army. A small group of protesters, who managed to get quite close to the spring, were also arrested. A Palestinian woman was pepper-sprayed by a Border Policemen for no evident reason. Several protesters and media personnel were slightly injured by tear gas canisters. One of them was evacuated to receive medical treatment.

Another group of Palestinian protesters were arrested while already leaving the village, when a taxi going to Ramallah was stopped by the army. All commuters were taken off the car and a number of them were arrested. All arrestees were taken to the Benyamin police station and most of them are charged with road blocking and entrance to close military zone.

Background

Late in 2009, settlers began gradually taking over Ein al-Qaws (the Bow Spring), which rests on lands belonging to Bashir Tamimi, the head of the Nabi Saleh village council. The settlers, abetted by the army, erected a shed over the spring, renamed it Maayan Meir, after a late settler, and began driving away Palestinians who came to use the spring by force – at times throwing stones or even pointing guns at them, threatening to shoot.

While residents of Nabi Saleh have already endured decades of continuous land grab and expulsion to allow for the ever continuing expansion of the Halamish settlement, the takeover of the spring served as the last straw that lead to the beginning of the village’s grassroots protest campaign of weekly demonstrations in demand for the return of their lands.

Protest in the tiny village enjoys the regular support of Palestinians from surrounding areas, as well as that of Israeli and international activists. Demonstrations in Nabi Saleh are also unique in the level of women participation in them, and the role they hold in all their aspects, including organizing. Such participation, which often also includes the participation of children reflects the village’s commitment to a truly popular grassroots mobilization, encompassing all segments of the community.

The response of the Israeli military to the protests has been especially brutal and includes regularly laying complete siege on village every Friday, accompanied by the declaration of the entire village, including the built up area, as a closed military zone. Prior and during the demonstrations themselves, the army often completely occupies the village, in effect enforcing an undeclared curfew. Military nighttime raids and arrest operations are also a common tactic in the army’s strategy of intimidation, often targeting minors.

In order to prevent the villagers and their supporters from exercising their fundamental right to demonstrate and march to their lands, soldiers regularly use disproportional force against the unarmed protesters. The means utilized by the army to hinder demonstrations include, but are not limited to, the use of tear-gas projectiles, banned high-velocity tear-gas projectiles, rubber-coated bullets and, at times, even live ammunition.

The use of such practices have already caused countless injuries, several of them serious, including those of children – the most serious of which is that of 14 year-old Ehab Barghouthi, who was shot in the head with a rubber-coated bullet from short range on March 5th, 2010 and laid comatose in the hospital for three weeks.

Tear-gas, as well as a foul liquid called “The Skunk”, which is shot from a water cannon, is often used inside the built up area of the village, or even directly pointed into houses, in a way that allows no refuge for the uninvolved residents of the village, including children and the elderly.

The interior of at least one house caught fire and was severely damaged after soldiers shot a tear-gas projectile through its windows.

Since December 2009, when protest in the village was sparked, hundreds of demonstration-related injuries caused by disproportionate military violence have been recorded in Nabi Saleh.

Between January 2010 and June 2011, the Israeli Army has carried 76 arrests of people detained for 24 hours or more on suspicions related to protest in the village of Nabi Saleh, including those of women and of children as young as 11 years old. Of the 76, 18 were minors. Dozens more were detained for shorter periods.

 

Military teargases Kufr Qaddoum following nightly raids and arrests

by Alistair George

9 December 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

The Israeli military fired tear gas canisters directly at demonstrators in Kufr Qaddoum today in an aggressive response to the weekly protest against the closure of the main road linking the village with Nablus.  Many people suffered from severe gas inhalation.

 After midday prayers, over 200 people marched to the edge of Kufr Qaddoum where several people made speeches calling for the road to be re-opened to the village, including officials from the Palestinian Authority and the Chief of the Palestinian District Coordinators Office.  The route to the road was blocked by around 10 Israeli soldiers, supported by armoured vehicles and soldiers on the hill overlooking the village.

Teargassing Kufr Qaddoum – Click here for more images.

Many people returned to Kufr Qaddoum after the speeches, however some Palestinian youths threw stones at the Israeli military, who responded by mounting an aggressive incursion inside the village, firing tear gas canisters directly at protesters and into houses and gardens lining the village’s main street.

Although it is permissible to fire tear gas canisters in an arc to disperse demonstrations, it is forbidden to use them as weapons by firing them directly at protesters. Firing tear gas canisters directly at protesters and at close range turns the canisters into a missile that can maim and endanger life.  According to B’Tselem, an Israeli human rights organization, “Firing of this kind has already resulted in injuries, some grave, to dozens of Palestinians and Israeli and foreign citizens”.  A Palestinian man was seriously injured at the weekly demonstration in Nabi Saleh today, after reportedly being hit in the face by a tear gas canister fired by Israeli military forces at close range.

The main road linking Kufr Qaddoum to Nablus passes by Qadumim, an illegal Israeli settlement, and was closed to the village by the Israeli military in 2003.  The closure of the road has doubled the length of time that it takes villagers to travel to Nablus.  A report published in September by the Palestinian Ministry of National Economy estimated that restrictions on movement imposed by Israeli forces costs the Palestinian economy $184m a year.

After their appeal to re-open the road failed in the Israeli courts, the village began weekly protests on 1 July 2011.  Since then the response from the Israeli military has grown increasingly violent, mounting incursions deep into the village.  Abu Musub, President of Kufr Qaddoum’s community centre, said that “Every week they fire more gas – they want to stop the demonstrations but we will continue until the open the road.”

 According to Abu Musub, the Israeli military enters Kufr Qaddoum every night, often detonating loud sound bombs in the village’s streets.  They have also arrested many of the village’s men in connection with the protests.  Four men were arrested by the Israeli military on 29 November 2011 – Osama Bram, 22, Abdallah Jumu, 23, Refit Bram, 21, and Abdel Juma, 23.  The arrests were probably made in connection with the demonstrations, however they have been denied contact with their families or a lawyer so no information is available at present.  Abu Musub claims that the Israeli military caused severe damage to the Abdel Juma’s house during his arrest; damaging carpets, smashing furniture and ripping open bags containing food.

 Abu Musub claimed that there are 20-21 people from the village in Israeli custody – eight of whom have been arrested in connection with the weekly protest.

 Alistair George is a volunteer with International Solidarity Movement (name has been changed).

Susiya continues to pave the road despite Israeli settlement activity

by Aida Gerard

4 December 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

One 17 year old boy from Yatta, Khalid Al Hurush, was arrested during a peaceful action in Susiya, and several people were beaten by the Occupation Forces on December 3rd, 2011. On Saturday at 10 AM, around 60 demonstrators gathered in Susiya to demonstrate against demolition orders. They proceeded towards  a road  process of being constructed in the area by the local villagers and decried a demolition order against a newly built school.

 

Demonstration in Susiya - For more images click here

The demonstrators walked to the new road in Susiya chanting in Arabic and in English against the land grab, expansion of the settlements, and the intensified demolitions in the South Hebron Hills.

When the demonstrators reached the road, they began to construct one of the parts of the dirt road that remains unfinished, due to daily harassment from soldiers against the workers on the road. After half an hour several military jeeps showed up. The Occupation Forces ordered that the demonstrators stop working. Protesters gathered around the Occupation Forces to protest their interference, chanting Palestinian liberation songs and waving Palestinian flag. Suddenly the Occupation Forces arrested a 17 year old boy, Khalid Al Hurush, who was waving a Palestinian flag. When the protesters attempted to stop the arrest of the young boy, the Occupation Forces began hitting and pushing pushing the boy into one of the jeeps.

Several protesters saw the Occupation Forces beat Khalid Al Hurush inside the jeep after being handcuffed. He was directly taken to Kiryat Arba where he was accused of interrupting police work and destroying a part of a military jeep during transportation. On December 4th the 17 year old was transferred to the Russian Compound, a prison, in Jerusalem.

A protester from the area commented on the arrest, “It seems that the young boy was arrested and was beaten up in the custody of the Occupation Forces in order to scare him and other protesters from demonstrating against  Israeli Occupation.”

After the arrest the protesters continued to work on the part the road for several hours.

Susiya has been exposed to a wide range of demolitions since 1991, but due to the steadfastness of the Palestinians in the area, every time a demolition takes place, the citizens of the area rebuild a shelter for to protect the land from being colonized by illegal, Zionist settlers.

Aida Gerard is a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement (name has been changed).

Following night raids, Nabi Saleh continues to march for justice

by Aida Gerard

25 November 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

The Occupation Forces invaded An Nabi Saleh village three times injuring several people by shooting directly at demonstrators with tear gas canisters and rubber coated steel bullets on Friday, November 25th.

Three people were arrested Wednesday in a night time raid earlier in the week. Rami Tamimi, 33, Uday Tamimi, 20, and Muatasim Tamimi, 16 years old were all taken away. The Israeli military justified the arrest Uday and Muatasim because they will be used as witnesses against Bassem Tamimi in his court hearing next week. Bassem Tamimi  is one of the local members of the Popular Committee who was arrested in Spring, 2011. The main evidence in Bassem’s case is the testimony from a 14 year old boy, which was fundamentally flawed and violated the rights set forth in the Israeli Youth Law. The same mistreatment was used against Muatasim who was arrested Wednesday night in order for him to testify against Bassem.

Bassem Tamimi has a long history of being targeted by the Occupation. He has been arrested  by the Israeli army 11 times to date, though he was never convicted of any offense. Bassem Tamimi has spent around three years in administrative detention, with no charges brought against him. After popular demonstrations began in An Nabi Saleh 10 houses have gotten demolition orders, including the home of Bassem. Bassem’s wife, Nariman Tamimi, has been arrested twice, whiles two of his young sons have been critical injured.

In the last court proceeding against Bassem, he gave a statement dening the unlawful charges against him but proudly admitting to organizing demonstranstions in An Nabi Saleh and stuggeling against the Occupation.

On Friday, soon after the noon prayer demonstrators gathered near the mosque of An Nabi Saleh, where one of the local coordinators gave a small speech about solidarity with the struggle in Jerusalem and also about the negotiations and agreements between Hamas and Fatah. He emphasized the importance of the leaderships’ focus on the resistance and support of it as well. In the end he talked about the night raids of An Nabi Saleh and arrests of youth and minors in connection to the arrest of three people from An Nabi Saleh Wednesday night.

Demonstration in Nabi Saleh
Demonstration in Nabi Saleh – Click here for more images

The demonstration proceeded towards the entrance of the village and was met by skunk water and tear gas canisters shot directly at demonstrators. When the Occupation Forces withdrew to the entrance of the village, demonstrators closed the roads and prevented the military jeeps from entering the village, going towards the mountain in front of the water resource that the illegal settlement Halamish attempts to annex.

The Occupation Forces had invaded the mountain and threatened the demonstrators with the words, “If you come near we will shoot you,” but demonstrators were steadfast and managed to make the Occupation Forces withdraw by walking in between them.

Meanwhile the Occupation Forces invaded An Nabi Saleh village, shooting tear gas, rubber-coated steel bullets, and spraying demonstrators and houses with foul-smelling water.

In the end the Occupation Forces withdrew all units to the entrance of the village, and demonstrators ended the demonstration with a small gathering.

Aida Gerard is a volunteer with International Solidarity Movement (name has been changed).

Kufr Qaddoum: In the footsteps of an unwarranted arrest

12 November 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

Following the first barrage of tear gas during November 11th’s peaceful demonstration in Kufr Qaddoum , some Israeli soldiers began to make their way into the village. The soldiers picked up one villager, 30 year old Hazzem Barham, who was lying down unconscious from the tear gas and arrested him; carrying him into their jeep. Minutes later, after documenting the arrest of Barham, soldiers targeted an activist from the United States, handcuffed him and took him into a second jeep. Whilst arrested, soldiers took turns beating him, presumably for his solidarity with the non-violent Palestinian resistance.