Tag: Beit Ummar - Page 10 - International Solidarity Movement

Weekly protests continue across Palestine

20 September 2010 | ISM Media

Bil`in

On Friday, 17 September 2010, the people of Bil’in were joined by Israelis and Internationals to protest against the theft of land and the imprisonment by Abdullah and Adeeb Abu Rahma, Ibrahim Burnat and other political prisoners from Bil’in. The demonstration went on for one and a half hours and was met with large amounts of tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets. After initially firing tear gas from the military base and road, soldiers came through the gate and chased the protesters back towards the village.

This week’s protest called for the release of prisoners, who have been kept in jail under administrative detention (which is to say, without trial) and also the ones who have been victims of false charges and unjust trials in Israeli military courts. People were carrying masks of Abdallah Abu Rahma, who has been held in Ofer Military Prison since November, and is now in the sentencing phase of his trial after being convicted for “incitement”. Other people were wearing masks showing the faces of Gandhi and Martin Luther King. This is to show that Palestinian political prisoners enduring long sentences in Israeli prisons are peaceful activists, who are leading the non-violent struggle against the illegal Israeli occupation.

The soldiers initially fired tear gas from inside a military base near the illegal apartheid wall. One tear gas canister hit an Israeli protester, Tali Shapiro, in her leg, causing pain and bruising. The protesters retreated from the fence due to the tear gas but returned – a process that repeated several times until the soldiers came through the gate. They continued shooting tear gas and also fired rubber-coated steel bullets – shooting one Palestinian youth in the back.

After one and a half hours the demonstration ended and the participants walked back to the village. Abdallah Abu Rahma’s many friends and family are now awaiting the outcome of his sentencing, hoping he will not join the hundreds of political prisoners held in jail many years for taking part in the non violent struggle against the brutal Israeli occupation.

Al-Ma`sara

On Friday, around fifty Palestinians accompanied by thirteen international and Israeli activists assembled in the West Bank village of Al-Ma`sara near Bethlehem. The weekly demonstration is against the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine and against the land theft by the nearby Gush Etzion settlement bloc, and this week there was also commemoration of the anniversary of the 1982 massacre in the Sabra and Shatila Palestinian refugee camps in Beirut, Lebanon.

Still within the village and far from the illegal settlement (which is built on Palestinian land anyway), the procession was stopped by the Israeli army. The soldiers showed a paper declaring the area a “closed military zone” and threatened to arrest anyone who had not left in sixty seconds. Immediately they began to throw sound grenades and tear gas canisters directly into the group of demonstrators. The group retreated some metres and then soon returned, repeating this five times. In each instance the soldiers threw many sound grenades and tear gas canisters.

Several Palestinian, Israeli and international activists spoke out at the demonstration for around twenty minutes, condemning the occupation and the apartheid regulations it entails for the Palestinians, before returning to the village.

An-Nabi Saleh

There were approximately 60 Palestinians and 20 international and Israeli activists at this week’s nonviolent protest, which began shortly after the noon prayer in the small village of An-Nabi Saleh. As usual, many children took part in the demonstration, and as usual it was they who bore the brunt of the Israeli military’s violence.

The protestors began by attempting to gain access to the spring which was stolen from the village by settlers from the illegal Halamish (Neve Zuf) settlement. This attempt was blocked by military jeeps and armed soldiers. Despite this difficulty, the demonstrators managed to enter on to the road leading to the spring, but many were prevented from continuing further.

The majority of the women and children then managed to move further down the road, and sat and chanted and sung when they were stopped by the soldiers once again. The rest of the group mirrored this action at the top of the road, and later the two groups united and sat in peaceful protest until they were forcefully removed from the road.

The demonstration then moved back up the hill into the village, at which point some of the children began to throw stones towards the blockade. The military responded by chasing the children up the hill and attempting to make arrests (although many of the children were under the age of 13, and therefore not legally adults in the eyes of the Israeli courts).

Some sound bombs and tear gas canisters were thrown at this point, but the soldiers did not shoot tear gas projectiles until much later on in the demonstration- perhaps due to the presence of media crew from the BBC.

Both soldiers and jeeps then made their way to the centre of the village, where children stood around the soldiers chanting and singing. The soldiers then forcefully entered a house from which they attempted to block access to those protesting, and seized one young female demonstrator who they accused of stone-throwing. She was, however, quickly released when they realised she holds both Palestinian and American citizenship.

The soldiers later chased a teenager (presumably suspected of stone throwing) through the village and attempted to arrest him. Many of the Palestinians and several internationals successfully de-arrested him, but he had already been badly beaten by this point and was taken to hospital after falling unconscious.

Several attempted arrests were made, and one international was violently seized by the soldiers shortly after this, and was detained at Halamish settlement’s military base. The international was kept in a dark room and had his hands tied behind his back at all times, even when bread was thrown on the floor for him to eat. He was given no explanation for this treatment and was released without charge after 6 hours.

The protest continued, whereupon soldiers began firing tear gas projectiles both in an arc (the legal method) and directly at individuals (which is illegal according to both international and Israeli law). Several of the children suffered cuts and heavy bruising as a consequence, and many adults and children suffered extreme tear gas inhalation, although none was severely wounded.

The demonstration stopped for almost an hour when the jeeps and soldiers left the village, but continued when they entered once again and continued to fire both directly at protestors and into the villagers’ gardens, at which point large amounts of tear gas entered numerous houses, including the houses of those who were not taking part in the protest.

The demonstration ended at approximately 6:30pm, when the soldiers finally left the village after continuing in this vein for several hours. By this point there were over 150 participants.

Since January 2010, peaceful protestors have spent their Fridays attempting to reach the spring, which was confiscated along with almost half of the village’s arable land. Despite confirmation from the District Coordination Office that the spring is on Palestinian land, the villagers continue to be prevented from accessing the area.

An Israeli marksman at the Bil`in demo. Photo credit Hamde Abu Rahma

Ni`lin

On Friday over 100 Palestinians attended noon prayer in the olive groves outside the village of Ni’lin. After the prayer finished at around 12:15, over 70 Palestinians accompanied by ten international and Israeli activists and two journalists marched toward the wall that cuts through the village’s land. As well as being against the illegal apartheid wall, this demonstration was in part a protest against the American pastor Terry Jones who claimed he was going to burn the Qur’an on 11 September. Demonstrators held their copies of the Qur’an towards the sky as they marched and chanted.

Upon reaching the apartheid wall, stones were symbolically thrown at the huge concrete structure by the youths for twenty minutes, before tear gas and sounds bombs were then fired over the wall by the soldiers for about minutes five minutes before they opened the gate and began chasing demonstrators back towards the village, firing tear gas all the way. One man received medical assistance for an injury sustained running to avoid being hit by tear gas canisters.

For some hours most demonstrators and soldiers stood on opposite sides of a small valley. Some youths attempted to sneak back towards the wall while tear gas and sound bombs were fired by the soldiers. Five gunshots were heard and blank cartridges were found which indicate rubber-coated steel bullet use, though no-one was hit. Another group of soldiers came towards the olive groves where the demonstration started, and fired dangerous low-flying tear gas close to the heads of Palestinians and international activists, forbidden even by the army’s own regulations.

Young children symbolically threw stones in the direction of the soldiers who responded with low-flying tear gas until they retreated. The demonstrators ended the demonstration at 3:15 PM. No arrests were made and injuries consisted of two sprained ankles endured running from the potentially lethal tear gas canisters.

Beit Ummar

Around 60 Palestinians were supported by about 15 international activists in the village of Beit Ummar on Saturday in a demonstration against the illegal annexation of land by the neighboring settlement of Karmei Sur. The demonstration took place on the road leading to the fence that surrounds the settlement. Protesters made their way towards the gate in the fence, but were stopped by a group of soldiers who blocked the road, firing and throwing both tear gas and sound grenades.

Three Palestinian demonstrators were detained, including one journalist, along with two internationals. At one point during the protest, soldiers brought the detained journalist back out through the gate and offered to let him go if all of the media would leave the village with him. All parties refused and he was taken back into custody.

One international activist was hit in the back with a tear gas canister as soldiers fired them directly at the group of civilians. Additionally, a Palestinian boy was injured in the same way when soldiers drove an army vehicle through one of the gates onto the village’s farmland, and proceeded to chase the demonstrators through the fields, continuing to fire tear gas at body level. One other international temporarily lost hearing in one ear when a soldier shot a sound grenade directly next to her head, and many suffered from inhaling large quantities of gas.

The demonstration continued for around an hour and a half before protesters were chased back into the village amidst a barrage of tear gas.

The detained international is still being held by Israeli forces 48 hours after his arrest.

Hebron

On Saturday, after stopping for several weeks due to the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, the regular Saturday protests against the illegal settlements in Hebron and the closure of Shuhada Street started again.

Palestinians and internationals gathered in Al Zajed in the centre of Hebron at 3 p.m. and made their way to the gate that closes off Shuhada Street by the Beit Romano settlement at the entrance to the old city, but from the very beginning soldiers and police blocked their passage.

The demonstrators chanted against the occupation and the settlements, and many were carrying posters illustrating the crippling difficulties the Hebron residents suffer under Israeli occupation. This week they were also commemorating the anniversary of the massacres in Sabra and Shatila Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon in 1982. After nearly an hour the protestors turned their backs on the soldiers and slowly made their way back through the old city, coming to another entrance to Shuhada Street, where once again the Israeli army had closed the way. After twenty minutes of singing and chanting the protestors moved back to the starting point of the demonstration.

Palestinian youth dodge tear gas in Bil`in. Photo credit: Hamde Abu Rahma

West Bank demonstration reports

An Nabi Saleh – 13/8/2010

On Friday around 35 Palestinians demonstrated against Hallamish settlement with around 15 Israeli and international peace activists in the village of An Nabi Salih. When the peaceful demonstration started, as usual after the noon prayer, the demonstrators went down to the entrance of the village where soldiers and border police were already aiting, blocking the road.

After pushing some Palestinians who were trying to walk down the street that leads to the settlement, the Israeli army started shooting low-flying teargas at the other side of the road, where some shebab where throwing stones at the jeeps. A lot of teargas was fired at the houses nearby and a lot of people including children suffered from teargas inhalation. More then two hours later, when the Palestinians just wanted to declare the demonstration over, the soldiers came across the fields shooting teargas at kids and people who were resting outside the house of one of the members of the popular committee. The demonstration ended around five – even though it was the first Friday of Ramadan – with no one arrested or injured.

Al Mas’ara – 13/8/2010

Six ISM activists joined Palestinians and some other internationals on the Al Ma’sara demonstration at 1pm on Friday 13^th August. The whole demo took about half an hour from starting marching to the crowd dispersing; there were around 60 internationals and around a smaller number of Palestinians present. The demonstration was against the illegal apartheid wall – specifically how it is blocking the local farmers’ access to their land.

A large crowd of Catalonian activists were present, and waited until prayers had finished to set off with the rest. The group paraded through the village, with chanting, being led by a Palestinian man, but mainly in English (and Italian, with a few renditions of Bella Ciao). The Israeli army had cordoned off a section of road, and the group marched up to them. It was emphasized through the megaphone, and by lots of individual shouts, that this was an entirely non-violent demonstration. Calls of “Please don’t shoot” were also made. Soldiers pushed the Palestinian men on the front line of the group.

A demand was made for the soldiers to leave within three minutes, to allow access down the road and onto the fields. The soldiers remained impassive and maintained their blockade of the road, but then after a visit from their commanders, they threw five sound grenades at the crowd. The people scattered but noone was hurt. After this, the soldiers got back into their jeeps and drove away, much to the delight of the crowd.

Ni’lin – 13/8/2010

After many Palestinians participated in the noon prayer in the olive fields of Nil’in on Friday, the first demonstration during Ramadan of this year started. There were around 60 people including internationals and Israelis activists who were as always supporting Palestinians nonviolent resistance to call for the destruction of the Apartheid Wall which steals Palestinian land to expand settlement like Modi’in Ilit. and prevents farmer working their land.

As soon as the demonstration started, soldiers began shooting a lot of teargas that left dozens suffering from inhalation. Then, as they normally do, the Israeli army started coming t through gate and chasing demonstrators to try to arrest someone and kept shooting towards the village, with two kids aged 6 and 8 also hurt due to teargas inhalation. In about an hour the demonstration was over, with no arrests or serious injuries.

Bil’in – 13/8/2010

Around 20 Israeli activists and perhaps 40 or 50 internationals joined Palestinians in the Bil’in protest this Friday which commenced after Palestinians had prayed Jummah on the first Friday of Ramadan. The group marched holding Palestinian flags and also posters of shebab and members of the popular committee who are incarcerated in Israeli jails. Many of these political prisoners were arrested in the village during night raids. Some have been charged and sentenced for the “crime” of organizing peaceful resistance in the form of the popular struggle.

While marching towards the Apartheid Wall chanting slogans against land theft and the occupation the group held firm against the inevitable Israeli army attack. Once the first volley of tear gas was fired, several subsequent rounds followed immediately, forcing the demonstrators to retreat. The soldiers continued to shoot tear gas up the hill as the protesters backed off. One Israeli photographer was injured slightly by a hand grenade, and an Israeli woman was hit by a tear gas canister in her leg. Meanwhile, many suffered from gas inhalation, but despite the soldiers’ attempts, they managed to make no arrests.

The army also began shooting rubber coated steel bullets – a relatively rare occurrence at Bil’in. The demonstration lasted over an hour and a half however, and was declared a success considering that multiple protestors were fasting for Ramadan.

Beit Ommar – 14/8/2010

About 30 Palestinians supported by 10 international and Israeli activists met in the village of Beit Ummar around 10:00 a.m on Friday. There were also about another 20 internationals observing but not demonstrating.

The group marched through the village’s olive groves towards the illegal Israeli settlement of Gush Etzion. The march was halted by Israeli soldiers and police in front of the gate, and the commander informed the demonstrators that the whole area, including the village’s olive groves, was a closed military zone. The demonstrators were given five minutes to leave or be arrested.

After a short speech about the history of the village and the illegal settlement, the group began to walk back to the village. The group stopped about fifty metres from the soldiers and continued the demonstration. After a few minutes some of the soldiers turned to leave and then the Palestinians decided the group should walk down again.

This was met with a hail of metal tear gas canisters, some narrowly missing the demonstrators they were aimed at. Some Palestinian youths began symbolically throwing stones while the rest of the demonstrators retreated towards the village to avoid the tear gas. Soldiers periodically ran towards the demonstrators, hoping to make an arrest, but they were unsuccessful.

Around 20 Israeli activists and perhaps 40 or 50 internationals joined Palestinians in the Bil’in protest this Friday which commenced after Palestinians had prayed Jummah on the first Friday of Ramadan. The group marched holding Palestinian flags and also posters of shebab and members of the popular committee who are incarcerated in Israeli jails. Many of these political prisoners were arrested in the village during night raids. Some have been charged and sentenced for the “crime” of organizing peaceful resistance in the form of the popular struggle.

Hebron, Iraq Burin, Beit Ommar rise up

West Bank protests on Saturday 7 August 2010

Hebron

On Saturday August 7th Palestinians were joined by Israeli and international protesters to demonstrate against the settlements and to demand the opening of Shuhada Street. About 60 people gathered to march to the gate closing off Shuhada Street. There they were met by soldiers and border police, but no arrests or injuries were made. The demonstration lasted for about one hour. After the demonstration 6 soldiers chased three boys around the age of 10, accusing them of throwing stones, but the boys managed to escape.

The demonstration went to the gate that closes off Shuhada Street, and while some people were playing drums and other instruments, others were clapping and shouting slogans. Some were carrying posters, bearing the words of President Obama regarding Palestine, in order to remind the world that he has not backed up words with actions. Hebron is still suffering from settlements, and nothing is being done to restore Palestinian access to streets and areas that belong to them., besides their owb peaceful resistance efforts.

The demonstration continued through the old city, and went on to another blocked entrance to Shuhada Street. One Israeli settler was seen on Shuhada Street, obviously trying to be provocative, and some people turned their backs on him, while showing the peace sign towards the blockade. After a few minutes the Israeli army arrived, rushed through the concrete blocks, and started to push people backwards. The protestors moved down where they came from, and marched together to the starting point of the demonstration.

After most people had dispersed following the protest, six soldiers entered a Palestinian house near where the demonstration started. After about 15 minutes the soldiers then came down the street, and one of them raised his gun, pointing it at three boys around the age of ten standing further up the road. People around warned the boys, and they managed to run away. Then the six soldiers ran after them up the street and some hundred meters further, before returning. One soldier asked a Palestinian to bring the boys to him, and accused them of throwing stones after the demonstration. The Palestinian did not oblige them, and the boys managed to escape from what could have potentially been an attempted arrest or military violence.

Iraq Burin

This Saturday, July 7, around thirty Palestinians and two internationals marched through the hilltop village of Iraq Burin to protest against the illegal confiscation of 100 dunams of land by the nearby settlement of Berakha. The soldiers responded rapidly to the protesters’ presence by shooting aluminum tear gas canisters – illegally – at body height and shooting three live bullets. Some of the Palestinian youth at the demonstration threw stones symbolically but were forced to flee by the overwhelming use of tear gas as a weapon by the Israeli army. Four young men from the village were arrested prior to the demonstration when trying to enter the village through a checkpoint that is imposed every Saturday to prevent media and international access to the protest.

Soldiers at this checkpoint, which was established three months ago, declare the village a “closed military area” each Saturday and subsequently few people from outside the village are able to attend and document the disproportionate and illegal methods of the army, keeping the struggle in Iraq Burin behind closed doors. Residents are frequently arrested and detained for days at a time simply for entering their own village; this week Imad Moussar (age 25), Amid Ibrahim (15), Adham Kamal (12) and Ala Vibhi (22) were arrested and unable to attend the demonstration, we await news of their release. On the 20th of March this year soldiers entered the village after a demonstration, shot two young boys: Mohammed Ibrahim Qaddous, 16, was killed immediately, and Ussayed Jamal Abd elNasser, 17, was critically injured and later died. Israeli soldiers still enter the village occasionally causing a great amount of tension and fear at the prospect of more shootings.

During the demonstration a small group of soldiers reacted to the approach of around thirty demonstrators, some throwing stones. Tens of tear gas canisters were shot along a flat trajectory aiming at individuals, including the international activists who were present. No one was seriously injured although one young man was hit on the arm by a metal tear gas canister. Many children, who were present at what was intended to be a peaceful demonstration, hid behind trees. Border police later arrived and shot 5 or 6 tear gas canisters successively, forcing the protesters to retreat.

Beit Ommar:

Around fifty 50 Palestinian, international and Israeli activists protested in Beit Ummar on Saturday, August 7. They moved towards the Karmei Tsur settlement via land that has recently been confiscated by the Israeli army following a new order from the District Commander. Ten dunams of Palestinian agricultural land, declared ‘off-limits’ to its owners, will presumably be annexed to the settlement.

A large group of Israeli soldiers blocked the protesters’ way in the fields, before they reached the perimeter fence. The army attacked with sound bombs and tear gas, including directly at protesters and apparently once again targeting members of the press. One journalist collapsed, unable to breathe after inhaling a lot of tear gas. An international activist was also wounded when a sound grenade exploded on her ankle. In Beit Ommar, the army seems determined to use sound grenades as projectile weapons, throwing them directly at anyone and everyone present – but this tactic has not prevented protests or media coverage.

The weekend in protests

August 2010 | ISM Media

Reports of all the weekend demonstrations in the West Bank attended by ISM activists.

Demonstrators enveloped in tear gas retreat to cover

Bil’in: tributes paid to Olympia and music from rappers in solidarity with Palestine (July 30th)

Dozens suffered from tear gas inhalation and stun grenades in Bil’in’s weekly demonstration, and two people were injured. On Friday 30 July the people of Bil’in were joined by several groups of internationals, including a group of rappers from Britain and the US. A large group of the demonstrators managed to approach the soldiers who had already entered the gate. Two people were detained for a while, following large amounts of tear gas, eventually forcing the protestors back towards the village. One Israeli protestor was hit by a tear gas canister in his leg, while a British citizen was dragged several meters by soldier, causing his back bruising and bleeding.

About 200 protestors – Palestinians, Israeli and internationals – were today carrying posters asking for a boycott of Israel, and also honoring Rachel Corrie’s hometown Olympia, where the co-op recently introduced a boycott of Israeli goods. There were groups of people from Spain, Italy and France, as well as individuals coming independently to show solidarity. People were singing and dancing all the way up to the road leading to the illegal Apartheid Wall. As the protestors were approaching the fence, a number of soldiers ran through the gate and lined up on the road, preventing people from getting close to the gate. A large group of protestors started singing, and a truck with speakers approached playing music. Protestors asked to cross the soldier’s barrier, but were prevented, and pushed back.

Signs paid tribute to the co-op in Olympia, Rachel Corrie's home town, which has introduced a boycott on Israeli goods

At one point the soldiers attacked one international protestor, and when people tried to help him, they detained another protester. This British citizen was dragged several meters by the soldiers, causing heavy bruising to his back. In the middle of the chaos the army started shooting and throwing tear gas and stun grenades at the protestors. As people ran back towards the village, tear gas continued to be shot, making it hard to see and breathe. One Israeli was hit by a low flying tear gas canister in his leg.

Once again the army showed that they don’t hesitate to use brutality and violence again non-violent protestors in Bil’in. There were two fires caused by tear gas canisters in the fields, but luckily people were able to put them out. The demonstration was ended by a performance from an MC, whose presence with a group of other rappers was a sign of solidarity with Bil’in and Palestine.

An Nabih Salih: one injury and one arrest as IDF violence continues unabated (July 30th)

This Friday around one hundred Palestinians, Israelis and internationals gathered in the village An Nabi Salih to protest against the illegal settlements stealing the village’s water supply and farmland. The demonstration was met by Israeli soldiers firing metal teargas canisters at body height – illegal under international law – hitting one international in the leg. A 13 year old boy was briefly detained and one Israeli activist was arrested during the three hour demonstration.

The group of protesters demonstrating against land and water theft by neighbouring settlements such as Halamish were just beginning to clap and chant when completely without provocation, the soldiers – who had arrived to prevent the villagers from accessing parts of their land that even the Israeli government admits belongs to them – fired a metal tear gas canister at directly into the crowd. One young British woman was struck directly in the calf, and had to be carried away from the soldiers to a safe place. She sustained severe bruising but doctors at Ramallah hospital confirmed that no bones were affected after taking an x-ray.

Protesters face up to soldiers at Bili'in

The protest continued; the soldiers started firing more tear gas into the crowd, again using the potentially lethal metal canisters fired at body height. They arrested a 13 year old boy, who they then used as a bargaining chip against the villagers, stating that they would only release him if the villagers agreed to call off the protest. The offer was refused, but the villagers managed to secure the boy’s release nonetheless. Minutes later, the army departed.

The protest resumed about 30 minutes later, with villagers marching peacefully down to the intersection with the main road, chanting loudly. Soon, around 6 military jeeps turned up, presumably from the base located inside the Halamish settlement, and soldiers jumped out and starting chasing protesters, looking for people to arrest, and firing tear gas at the fleeing activists. They then came into the village, and arrested an Israeli activist as he attended to a boy who had cut his knee while running from the soldiers. He was grabbed around the throat by one soldier, and viciously manhandled by two, taken into the jeep, and away to the Halamish settlement. Despite the typically violent repression of the An Nabi Salih protest, the villagers courageously continued throughout and the three hour protest was a success.

Ni’lin: calls for increased international presence in the village (July 30th)

On Friday, July 30, the village of Nil’in commemorated the second anniversary of the murder of Ahmad Mousa, a ten-year-old Palestinian boy. Mousa was shot in the forehead with a 5.56mm caliber live bullet in July 2008. He was pronounced dead upon arrival at a Ramallah hospital.

A young boy of a similar age to Mousa joins the march in Ni'lin

The Friday demonstration, which began after midday prayers, was conducted in memory of Mousa, and in light of the constant oppression that residents of Nil’in are subjected to. A Popular Committee representative received a group of international activists at their media office. There, the representative relayed the recent history of Nil’in and the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF).

Mousa was the first of five martyrs in the last two years of Nil’in’s resistance. Israel began construction of the Apartheid Wall on Ni’lin’s land in 2004, but stopped after an injunction order was issued by the Israeli Supreme Court (ISC). Despite the previous order and a 2004 ruling from the International Court of Justice declaring the Wall illegal, construction of the Wall began again in May 2008. Following the return of Israeli bulldozers to their lands, residents of Ni’lin have launched a grassroots campaign to protest the massive land theft, including demonstrations and direct actions.

Since then, the IOF has placed snipers on the rooftops in Nil’in, abused and arrested residents of the village, and destroyed property. According to the Popular Committee member, the army has also tried to force some Palestinians from Nil’in to become collaborators, in order to make them divulge information about the popular struggle.

On Friday, Palestinians were joined by international solidarity activists. The demonstrators marched to the Apartheid Wall where a confrontation arose between young Palestinians throwing rocks and Israeli soldiers shooting tear gas. After about thirty minutes, the soldiers entered the village and attempted to arrest the activists. However, the soldiers were not successful, and the demonstration ended with no arrests or injuries.

“Now more than ever, Nil’in needs international activists to join in our struggle against Israel’s land confiscation and illegal occupation,” said the representative from the Popular Committee. He said he has seen the effect that internationals have on the military’s decision to not use deadly force against the demonstrations.

Al Ma’sara: holding firm despite military violence (July 30th)

Approximately 60 people attended the weekly non-violent demonstration in Al-Ma’sara on Friday. Half of the demonstrators were internationals from mainly Italy, Denmark and Spain.

Israeli occupation forces were out in large numbers to repress peaceful protests

The internationals followed the Palestinians’ lead and chanted along, showing their support in the fight against the illegal Israeli occupation. The purpose of the demonstration was to reach the Palestinian land that the illegal settlement Efrata and the building of the Apartheid Wall has stripped the village of.

As usual the demonstrators were stopped by the IOF on the main road. The IOF momentarily surrounded the demonstrators with jeeps and threw sound-bombs at the unarmed participators. The Palestinians and the internationals then marched towards the main entrance of the village while chanting “Free, free Palestine.”

Three military jeeps blocked the road, preventing the demonstrators from reaching the Palestinian land. The soldiers allowed the demonstrators to pass by the jeeps, but immediately blocked the road behind them. More military jeeps arrived in front of the demonstrators, and as a result the demonstrators were almost surrounded by soldiers. Members of the Al-Masara Popular Committee spoke in front of the soldiers, demanding their right to the land that belongs to the Palestinians according to international law. The soldiers responded by throwing sound-bombs.

Al Ma’sara is one of nine intertwined villages which are surrounded by the illegal Israeli settlement Efrata, which is a part of the Gush Etzion settlement block. The 9000 Palestinian inhabitants of the nine villages are enclosed by almost as many illegal settlers. In November 2006, Israel began the construction work for the Apartheid Wall on the villages’ land, which would annex an additional 3500 dunums (35,000 square metres) if completed. This means that Al-Ma’sara and the eight other villages would be stripped of more than half of their land

The start of the march in the village of Ni'lin

Al-Ma’sara is an agricultural village, with the majority of the population relying on the land for sheep and goat farming, and for harvesting crops such as grapes, olives and seasonal fruit and vegetables. In addition to being the village’s main source of income, the land is also Al-Ma’sara’s chief source of natural water. Therefore, Israel’s plan to strip the inhabitants of a large part of this land would cut off their main water supply, thereby breaching international law both in terms of the individual needs of the villagers and of their crops and animals; violating the villagers’ human rights and their income.

Since November 2006, the Al-Ma’sara Popular Committee has been organizing weekly non-violent demonstrations against the Apartheid Wall, the illegal settlements, and against the occupation as a whole. The non-violent protest started as a reaction to the soldiers’ destruction of the grape and olive fields. Whilst in the beginning protestors were able to march straight to the construction site of the Apartheid Wall and temporarily block bulldozers from their work, the protestors are now stopped on the main road in the at the entrance of the village.

Beit Ommar: resistance again met with weapons used at close-range – one journalist hurt

The absurd use of force by the IDF against nonviolent demonstrations continued this weekend in the village of Beit Ommar. On Saturday, July 31, Palestinian men, women, and children together with international activists marched toward the Karmei Tsur settlement to protest the illegal settlement and the continued confiscation of Palestinian land before being stopped and surrounded by soldiers approximately 100 meters from the edge of the settlement. Standing together on privately owned, Palestinian land, the crowd was told that they were now in a closed military zone and had 5 minutes to get past the ambiguous boundaries of this arbitrary zone or they would be arrested.

When the demonstrators refused to comply with this act of intimidation, they were met with the typical onslaught of sound bombs and tear gas. Particularly shocking was the soldiers’ deliberate targeting of journalists and children. One journalist was injured after being hit by a tear gas bomb, and soldiers were photographed shooting tear gas canisters directly at young boys and girls standing up the hill. Even after the demonstrators had walked back into the village, soldiers continued to shoot tear gas into the village streets, in front of homes, and onto the residents’ porches – causing families to flee their homes in order to escape the choking gas.

Hebron: an IDF donkey ridden by a fanatical Israeli settler prove a point (July 31st)

On Saturday, 31 July, Palestinians, Israelis and Internationals gathered to demonstrate against the illegal settlements and closure of Shuhada Street in Hebron. The protestors were immediately met by about 50 Israeli soldiers and border police who prevented them from continuing the march through the Old City. During the second confrontation the army started pushing people backwards, but no injuries or arrests were made.

About 100 people joined the protest in, carrying posters asking for justice for the Palestinians in Hebron, and the opening of Shuhada Street. Among the protesters was a donkey dressed up as an Israeli soldier, with an Israeli flag strapped to the head. One Palestinian who was dressed as an Israeli settler was leading it. The idea was to show how the Israeli settlers in Hebron are protected by the army, even when they are attacking and harassing Palestinian citizens. Palestinians are likely to be arrested or mistreated further by the army in situations where the settlers attack them.

As the army blocked the way at the gate leading up to Shuhada Street at Bab al Balladyeh, with soldiers and border police lining up facing the protesters, the commander stepped forward and grabbed the Israeli flag and a poster reading “IDF” from the donkey. After about 20 minutes of singing and chanting slogans, the protesters turned around and went around the old city, still singing and playing a drum. At one point water was thrown from where settlers have occupied the second floor of a house.

Arriving back at the starting point of the demonstration, there were no soldiers present, but they came out from the gate soon after people gathered at Bab al Balladyeh for the second time. Even though the protesters were standing still, soldiers started to push people back, so people responded by sitting down in the street, still singing slogans. At one point the soldiers targeted an international photographer, but he managed to run away before they reached him. The demonstration ended without any arrests, but once again the army proved that they want to repress peaceful demonstration using force and threats of arrest.

Iraq Burin: large Israeli force fails to deter protestors (July 31st)

The Israeli army entered the village of Iraq Burin after the weekly protest against the theft of their land by the illegal settlement of Baracha on Saturday. This follows the arbitrary arrest of 2 members of the village the previous Saturday, who were released on Thursday, as well as the murder of 2 boys the last time the army stormed the village 3 months ago.

Around 40 villagers, joined by 4 internationals and journalists, started marching to the usual protest location, on the brow of the hill where the soldiers usually position themselves to block the protesters’ path. This time however, the villagers noticed that there was another unit of soldiers that had placed themselves to the rear of the usual protest point, potentially to advance on the protesters from the rear once the demonstration had commenced. Therefore the protesters marched up to the soldiers in their new position and chanted slogans. Some shebab were throwing stones from a long distance, and the soldiers responded with volley after volley of tear gas. As usual for Iraq Burin, they were using the potentially lethal metal tear gas canisters, fired at illegally at people instead of up in the air. They advanced half way down the hill to better target the demonstrators, nearly all of whom inhaled large quantities of gas. After about an hour, the army dispersed.

Shortly afterwards, around 8-10 army jeeps began congregating at the foot of the village, ostensibly preparing for a raid. The jeeps milled around for about an hour, after which point they made to enter the village. All but one stopped at the entrance of the village, and one jeep came in, circling through the village before leaving. The jeeps remained at the foot of the village for a further hour before leaving.

Around 40 villagers, joined by 4 internationals and journalists, started marching to the usual protest location, on the brow of the hill where the soldiers usually position themselves to block the protesters path. This time however, the villagers noticed that there was another unit of soldiers that he placed themselves to the rear of the usual protest point, potentially to advance on the protesters from the rear once the demonstration had commenced. Therefore the protesters marched up to the soldiers in their new position, and having chanted slogans, followed by throwing stones from a long distance, the soldiers responded with volley after volley of tear gas. As usual for Iraq Burin, they were using the potentially lethal metal tear gas canisters, fired at high velocity. They advanced half way down the hill to better target the demonstrators, nearly all of whom inhaled large quantities of gas. After about an hour, the army dispersed.

Protests continue: Al Ma’sara, Beit Ommar, Ni’lin, Iraq Burin and Nabi Saleh

26 July 2010 | International Solidarity Movement

Al Ma’sara (23 July 2010): Strong turn out for the second week running

Over 100 people participated in Al Ma’sara’s demonstration today in a successful protest against the Israeli Apartheid Wall which saw one person injured.

With the support of many internationals, including a large French contingent, the village – known for creatively themed protests – chose ‘European solidarity’ as the slogan this week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZsPx-8DcGc

Israeli soldiers detain members of the press in Al Ma'sara

The demonstration in Al Ma’sara against the wall which annexes land from eight surrounding villages has been going since November 2006, when construction of the wall in the area began.

For the last year and a half Israeli soldiers have erected barbed wire and forced protestors back. However the army were surprised by the number of demonstrators today and although they threw tear gas and sound bombs at the peaceful protestors spirits and solidarity remained high, partly thanks to the presence of 6 piece drumming band.

The marchers approached the entrance of the villages while chanting ‘Free free Palestine, occupation is a crime’ and singing songs in French, English, Italian and Arabic. Despite the violent reaction from soldiers which forced the group to retreat some way, they stood they ground, dancing and singing – eventually the soldiers gave up.

One young woman from France, part of a group from Generation Palestine, was injured when a sound bomb exploded by her ear. She was taken to hospital where piece of shrapnel had to be removed from her ear. She required four stitches, and will be kept overnight to test for hearing problems.

Soldiers also detained one journalist and photographer for some time, in an unwarranted attack on freedom of the press.

Although the Israeli Occupation Forces have been more violent towards peaceful protestors in recent weeks, the determination to keep protesting is stronger than ever in Al Ma’sara. Protests will continue until the theft of thousands of dunums of agricultural land – which represents the villagers’ livelihood – for the illegal Gush Etzion settlement ends.

Beit Ommar (24 July 2010): Peaceful protest met with cynical military violence

In Beit Ommar, following last week’s attack on a journalist from Associated Press another member of the press – this time from Reuters – was injured due to the reckless and irresponsible use of weapons by the Israeli army. Around thirty soldiers intercepted the demonstration throwing sound grenades and tear gas cannisters directly at peoples’ heads and torsos, injuring several.

The 50 demonstrators (including twenty international activists) at this Saturday’s demonstration in Beit Ommar were met by a large military presence on their way to the land which has been confiscated by the military and nearby settlement since 2006. A few minutes were given to the protesters to leave the area declared to be a “closed military zone” – the commander counted the seconds on his watch whilst the soldiers prepared sound grenades behind their backs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Nisbw6Uf6w

The Palestinians and internationals present responded to the conditions by sitting on the floor and asserting their non-violent resistance against the decision. Suddenly a succession of ten or more sound bombs exploded in the crowd and it was clear that soldiers had been instructed to throw them at the fleeing protesters. Two international women were targeted from close range; one being hit in the back and the other in the head.

The severe response from the military caused many to run back, more soldiers appeared from the sides and threw tear gas into the crowd again injuring an international activist in the back of the head and wounding her.

Ni’lin (23 July 2010): Large international presence reduces military violence – until later that day

This Friday’s protest in Nil’in was both extremely lively and unusually peaceful, as the Israeli Occupation Forces, against all expectations, refrained from shooting both tear gas and other weapons. The outstanding number of demonstrators – more than one hundred, and including many internationals and Israeli activists – seemed to have taken the soldiers by surprise. However, a military incursion followed in the early evening.

Around one o’clock, the approximately hundred locals and internationals met at an olive field in the vicinity of the Apartheid Wall, which, along with the building of illegal settlements, has annexed about 30% of the farm land of Nil’in.

The demonstration was also a protest against the decision of an Israeli military court in sentencing the coordinator of the popular committee, Ibrahim Amireh, and two other committee members, Hassan Mousa and Zaydoon Srour. Each was sentenced to eleven and a half months in jail – having already been imprisoned for 7 months – and a 9000 shekel fine, for the crime of being key organizers of the peaceful resistance in Ni’lin.

As always, the protest was initiated by the traditional Friday noon prayer, after which the crowd approached the wall, waving flags and banners and chanting pro-Palestinian slogans in several languages.

Following the usual pattern of the Nil’in protests, some villagers began throwing stones against the wall built on their farm land, but the army for once didn’t answer with the usual tear gas and sound bomb attacks. This surprisingly peaceful reaction was probably thanks to the strong international presence. The protest ended around 3 o’clock, with no injuries or arrests.

However, later that evening, when internationals and media were no longer present, the army came to the village. At about 8pm four jeeps arrived and threw tear gas and sound bombs around and at people’s houses. A Ni’lin resident reported that two children were shot directly with tear gas canisters.

Having around 30% of their farm land annexed by illegal settlements and the wall – that also was declared illegal by The International Court of Justice in 2004 – Nil’in has become one of the most important sites for resistance against the occupation. The first suggested route of the wall was judged illegal by the The International Court of Justice as well as Israel’s own supreme court, as was another suggested route. The present route is still stealing large parts of Nil’in’s farm land and is still in conflict with international law.

After the verdicts against the wall in 2004, the construction stopped, but was commenced again in 2008. Since then, five villagers of Nil’in has been killed in the weekly protests, among them a ten-year-old boy. Many more have been injured and arrested.

An Nabi Saleh (23 July 2010): Soldiers fire low-flying tear gas but fail to deter protesters

The demonstration at An Nabi Saleh this week started out with a gathering at a local coordinator’s house. South-Korean and South-African Press, local people and international and Israeli activists had lunch before going to the city centre near the mosque to meet up with the rest before the demonstration started.

At about 13.30, the group moved towards the city crossroad where soldiers blocked their way. The local coordinator as well as other citizens discussed for about 15-20 minutes with the soldiers before trying to go around the blockade. Soldiers responded with sound bombs, aggression and an arrest of an Israeli activist. He was soon released since no police were present.

Since the group didn’t manage to break the soldiers’ blockade, they instead jumped a small wall to get to the crossroad. Around 14.30 a group of mainly children sat down and sung in front of the soldiers for a while. When the group moved back, the shebab immediately threw stones from higher ground at the army vehicles and soldiers, who quickly fired tear gas canisters back.

For the next hour or two the shebab and internationals were spread around the city top and soldiers were firing tear gas canisters in different directions setting a field on fire. At about 16:00 the demonstrators met again at the house where the group met at the beginning. There was a new group of about 6 soldiers standing at the hilltop behind the house. Bushes were burning from the tear gas they were shooting, but the fire was quickly put out.

Lots of tear gas canisters were fired at close range near the house, in which people were retreating to. Videos uploaded on to youtube clearly show the soldiers firing tear gas canisters directly at people and making no attempts to fire it in the air as it is supposed to be used.. Soldiers came in jeeps to the front of the house in order to make arrests, but the shebab had by then disappeared. Shortly after, the jeeps left and the situation was normal again.

Iraq Burin (25 July 2010): Protesters defy Israeli Occupation Forces

Iraq Burin can be quite difficult to reach since an Israeli flying checkpoint is located on the main road to the village. To avoid the checkpoint internationals and Palestinian protesters this Saturday (24 July 2010) had to climb up hills in order to get there. As a consequence of the checkpoint two Palestinian boys were arrested before the demonstration even started.

About an hour before the demonstration began people gathered at the edge of the hill on which the village is located. The goal was to get to the nearby settlement which is causing trouble for the local farmers and city water supply.

Due to the killing of two Palestinian boys in Iraq Burin in the autumn, tensions are obvious. When the group started moving shabab immediately gathered rocks and scarfed themselves in order to avoid being recognized. About 20 soldiers where located on a hilltop which the demonstration had to move towards to get to the settlement.

Shabab and soldiers where equal in numbers and about 10-15 internationals where present. Fights immediately broke out and lasting for around 2 hours with lots of rocks being thrown and tear gas canisters fired. No further arrests were made or any injuries reported. The only damage caused was to the already quite burnt hill.