Tag: Checkpoint

Waiting at a checkpoint

November 3 | International Solidarity Movement | Hebron, occupied Palestine

Ash-Shuhada street in al-Khalil full of Israeli flags welcoming Netanyahu. Less welcome are the Palestinians living there: they are not even allowed to access their houses through their main entrances.

This is what normality in al-Khalil looks like

I was somewhere between excited and afraid the night before the visit of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to al-Khalil (Hebron) on September 4 this year as part of his re-election campaign and timed with a ceremony commemorating the 1929 Hebron massacre, a central element of the justification narrative employed by the Israeli settlers in al-Khalil. I was afraid that the Israeli military and police would use excessive violence against the Palestinian residents during the occasion. The last few days had already been marked by extra army patrols through the streets, more frequent ID checks, night raids and arrests of political activists. However, there was also a feeling of excitement that the controversial visit could draw attention to the various human rights violations inflicted on Palestinians and the specific border(zone) management that made them possible. Serious restrictions of movement and different forms of violence have been part of Palestinian Khalilis’ everyday lives for decades. The latter include settlers attacking their houses and assaulting them in the streets; families getting woken up in the middle of the night by soldiers smashing down their front doors to search their homes and arrest fathers and sons (no matter their age); children getting teargassed on their way from school and sometimes even while sitting in their classrooms. I could go on. As shocking as this may all sound, for Palestinians living in the Israeli controlled part of al-Khalil, called H2, this is normality. And for everyone coming from outside it quickly becomes it too. This summer, I spent a month in the West Bank, occupied Palestinian territories, to volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM). And I had to realise that even the events surrounding Netanyahu’s visit just became another dat – part of al-Khalili normality.

Al-Khalil – the occupation in a nutshell

Al-Khalil is the Israeli occupation in a nutshell. The West Bank has been occupied by Israel since 1967 and gradually transformed into a disintegrated territory dotted by Israeli settlements which are deemed illegal under international law. The order chosen by the Israeli regime to handle the presence of two different populations – Israeli settlers and Palestinians – in the same territory is based on borders. Borders essentially regulate who is able to move freely where, when and under which circumstances. As the two groups inhabit the same space, bordering results in a system of segregation that traces through society instead of geographical fixed points. This manifests itself in a segregated road system throughout the West Bank and – less visible by eye but even more far-reaching – in two different legal systems leading to drastically unequal treatment for Israelis and Palestinians. While Israeli civil law is applied to the settlers, Palestinians are subjected to military law. In the old city centre of al-Khalil this order reaches its peak.

Al-Khalil is divided into two areas: H1 which comprises 80% of the city and is formally under control of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and H2 in which Israel retains responsibility for security matters. Al-Khalil’s old city is part of the latter and through the restrictions imposed on it over the last 20 years it has transformed from a bustling market area into a ghost town. These restrictions are part of the security measures taken by the Israeli military in order to ensure the protection of about 700 settlers living amidst approximately 7,000 Palestinians. For the latter, lives have transformed into one big restricted zone (see grey area on the map).

In the grey-coloured area of H2 Palestinian movement is restricted by checkpoints and various road blocks. To some roads (indicated in red) Palestinians are completely denied access.

OCHA counts 121 obstacles (walls, slabs, fences and barriers) limiting free movement in this area including 20 checkpoints, 6 of which are fortified, equipped with face-recognition technology and metal detectors. For the Palestinian residents this means that going about any simple daily activity can become a lengthy and uncertain process. The Israeli security policies in al-Khalil do not only restrict their access to health, education, housing and work but also deeply affect their family lives and social fabric. As a result of the difficult living conditions in H2 the number of Palestinian residents has considerably dropped over the years. The existence of a restricted area is based on the Hebron protocol from 1997 that lead to the division of the city and called for a buffer zone between H1 and H2. However, the function of this buffer zone doesn’t correspond to its initial idea. Rather than preventing violence between Palestinians and Israeli settlers it has become a tool for the Israeli military to exercise violence against the local Palestinian population and effect their forcible transfer. Israel thus uses the buffer zone to solidify its colonial practices under the guise of security concerns.

Another example of who draws the borders around Khalil

Back to Netanyahu’s visit: After mid-day, H2 was under near complete lockdown. There was a massive police and army presence in the streets, several of them stationed on the roofs of Palestinian houses. 3 of the major checkpoints accessing the restricted area of H2 were closed for the whole afternoon. Whoever happened to be out at the wrong time, would spend their afternoon waiting in front of a closed gate.

And life stands still – Palestinians waiting in front of a checkpoint that stayed closed for more than 6 hours the day Netanyahu visited al-Khalil.

In the neighbourhood where the memorial ceremony took place, the Palestinian residents were put under curfew. A small demonstration took place close to the restricted area but within H1, which is formally under Palestinian control. The Israeli military didn’t hesitate to enter the area though as well as use cars and their Palestinian occupants as shields for their operations. Two demonstrators were arrested. In the evening, I thought to myself: “It could have been a lot worse.” It took me some time to realise how normalised the situation in al-Khalil had become for me in order to come to such a conclusion. Night raids, closed check-points, curfews and arrests. All of this has been happening for decades and so the 4^th of September 2019 was nothing new. It was just another example showing who draws and manages the borders around the lives of Khalilis. Whom those borders protect, and whom they hurt.

Protesters break through replica of Apartheid Wall in Bethlehem symbolic run

Protesters gather for symbolic marathon near Apartheid Wall in Bethlehem

June 19 2019 | International Solidarity Movement | Bethlehem, occupied Palestine

Hundreds of people gathered in cities across the Palestinian Territories and England on Sunday June 15, to participate in a symbolic marathon in honour of the international right to freedom of movement.

The project, called “Small Park Big Run’, takes place every year thanks to the cooperation between solidarity groups in Sheffield and the Palestinian regions of Gaza, Nablus, Ramallah and Bethlehem. Two ISMers joined the run in Bethlehem, organised by Aida refugee camp community centre Aida Youth Centre, where the event was happening for the first time.

The purpose of the race was to raise awareness about Palestinian oppression focusing on Israel’s flagrant violation of the Palestinian people’s human right to freedom of movement, to raise money for local groups and to condemn the “Deal of the Century,” – the US’s new Middle East ‘peace’ deal devised by Trump’s radical Zionist son-in-law Jared Kushner.

In Bethlehem, the race kicked off near the infamous “300 checkpoint” where thousands of Palestinians are forced to queue as early as 3am every morning to make it to their jobs in Israel on time. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, it is just one of the 700 road obstacles which controls Palestinian movement within the West Bank and one of its 140 checkpoints. Protesters ran past another important symbol of the control and the oppression that the Palestinian Territories face everyday – the 708km Israeli West Bank Barrier.

Protesters finished the race by breaking through a replica of the Division Wall – a symbolic finish line – at the entrance to Aida Refugee Camp.

People walk over the broken pieces of a replica of the separation wall, used as a symbolic finish line

Freedom of movement is guaranteed under international human rights law, which fundamentally stipulates that everyone shall be free to leave any country, including his or her own, and that no one shall be “arbitrarily deprived of the right to enter his or her own country”. The importance of this right results from the fact that this is a prerequisite to the exercise of other human rights, such as the rights to family, health and education.

Israel’s restrictions on the freedom of movement in the West Bank includes checkpoints, roadblocks and permit restrictions, as well as the Division Wall it has constructed along the West Bank side of the pre-1967 border. The Society of St. Yves, a legal centre based in Jerusalem, reports that: “Combined, the application of military law and control of the issuance of permits have the effect of segregating and oppressing Palestinian nationals and relegating them to second-class citizens in their native homeland”.

Other threats that reduce the right of movement is the presence of settlements officially established by the Israeli government after 1967, which is considered illegal by the international community, and the building of new outposts without government approval and so considered illegal even for Israeli law.

Palestinians hold pictures of Trump to condemning his ‘”Deal of the Century” in Bethlehem

Residents and schoolchildren blocked at the Tel Rumeida checkpoint for 30 minutes

21st October 2018 | International Solidarity Movement, Al-Khalil Team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

This morning, schoolchildren and other passers-by encountered the Eastern Tel Rumeida checkpoint blocked in both directions and had to wait 30 minute to pass it on their way to school or workplace, while a young man was detained inside for 30 minutes.

At 7:10 on Sunday, October 21, a young man entered the Easter Tel Rumeida checkpoint and went in the concrete check-cabin inside it. ISM volunteers heard the soldiers inside this concrete check-cabin, shouting in Hebrew language very loud and aggressively to this young man from behind their bulletproof glass window. He was then ordered to wait, possibly for remote identity check. They kept him detained inside for half an hour, until 7:40.

Schoolchildren and other residents could not enter and pass the checkpoint while the young man was being detained inside. Some of hem tried to slip trough a hole in the barrier gate, but the Israeli forces inside strongly forbad them to do so. They all had to wait until 7:40 before they could pass the barrier, and were therefore late for school and work.

The outgoing turn-gate was blocked too. An old man and a female schoolteacher could not pass it.

First, the occupation forces inside blamed it on the electricity, and then on the unwillingness of the detained man inside the concrete check-cabin to pass the security scan inside, but ISM volunteers witnessed that it was plain harassment of the young man inside and of all the others who had to wait outside.

For blocking the outgoing turn-gate, there was no reason at all.

Tel Rumeida is located inside H2—under strict Israeli military control—and home to multiple and constantly expanding illegal settlements. Palestinian citizens of Tel Rumeida are are subject to constant harassment, delays and humiliation in the checkpoints around the area. Tel Rumeida’s settlers frequently carry weapons and intimidate Palestinian residents.

Israel’s military control of Hebron consists of settlements, settler-only roads, checkpoints and military bases. Because of this, restricted access, collective punishment and lack of freedom of movement is a part of daily life for Palestinians in the Old City of Hebron, who face settler harassment and looming Israeli military presence on a daily bases.

Residents of Tel Rumeida participate in two sit-ins at checkpoints to demonstrate against increased harrassment in the area

23rd June 2018 | International Solidarity Movement, Al-Khalil Team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

On Thursday the 21st of June, a group of around a hundred Palestinian residents of Tel Rumeida gathered at the checkpoint outside of the Jabal Al Rahma mosque to protest against the constant delays, harassment and humiliation that happen in the area. A large amount of the protesters were young children and women, sitting peacefully by the checkpoint.

Residents of Tel Rumeida begin to gather at the Jabal Al Rahma mosque checkpoint on Thursday evening (photo: ISM)

The demonstration was prompted by a recent increase in strip searches carried out by Israeli forces on Palestinian citizens in the checkpoints of Tel Rumeida, which is in the H2 area of the city and so under strict Israeli control. Imad Abu Shamsiya, a resident of Tel Rumeida, stated that on Tuesday the 19th of June, Israeli forces demanded that residents took off their clothes when passing through a checkpoint to enter their homes. Up until now, inspections at the checkpoint have consisted mainly of ID checks, bag checks and body searches, where men are forced to lift up their shirts and the legs of their pants.

A man in Tel Rumeida is forced to remove his clothing at a checkpoint (photo: IMEMC)

A member of the Abu Aisha family who was visiting from abroad told International Solidarity Movement activists, “I was held at this checkpoint by Israeli forces for two hours when I came to visit my father because my name was not written in their book. My father lives here, my brothers live here, we have the same name – but I could not pass to see them in their house for all that time because of paperwork.” Eventually, after a long wait, he was allowed to pass.

On Friday the 22nd June, for the second day in a row, residents of Tel Rumeida participated in a sit-in at Shliva checkpoint to demonstrate against the constant harassment and humiliation, in particular the introduction of strip-searches, caused at the checkpoints in the area.

Residents of Tel Rumeida participate in another sit-in at Shliva checkpoint on Friday afternoon (photo: ISM)

Heavily armed soldiers were stationed at either end of the peaceful protest and after around two hours hours declared that demonstrators had two minutes on the clock to leave.

Heavily armed soldiers were stationed at both sides of the checkpoint on Friday (photo: ISM)

Taysir Abu Sneina, the mayor of al-Khalil, also came to speak with residents and sit in solidarity.

Taysir Abu Sneina speaks to demonstrators through the checkpoint before entering to sit in solidarity with residents (photo: ISM)

Funeral held in Nabi Saleh for Izz al-Deen Tamimi, shot dead by Israeli soldiers

Mourners carrying the body of Izz Tamimi, 21 years, yesterday in Nabi Saleh

The funeral of 21 year old Izz al-Deen Tamimi was held yesterday afternoon on Wednesday 6th June in Nabi Saleh, a village north of Ramallah. Israeli soldiers shot the young man with three live bullets in the early morning, hitting his neck and chest. Israeli undercover agents and soldiers had entered the neighbouring village of Beit Rima in the early hours of Wednesday morning and arrested a Palestinian man. They also shot and wounded one other man using rubber coated steel bullets. As they were leaving the village of Beit Rima and passing through Nabi Saleh to exit to the south, young men from the village gathered to protest the Israeli army’s aggression. Izz al-Deen Tamimi was shot three times with live ammunition. Watch a video here of the aftermath of Izz’s shooting, as family and neighbours in Nabi Saleh rush to Izz and try to ensure his medical treatment.

The IDF released a statement on Twitter that a Palestinian man threw a ‘large rock’ at Israeli soldiers during an arrest, and that ‘in response, the soldier who was hit by the rock fired towards the suspect, who was injured and given medical treatment at the scene. Despite this, the suspect died. No IDF troops were injured.’ However, this conflicts with eyewitness accounts that after shooting Izz the Israeli soldiers took him and laid him down for thirty minutes before they allowed an ambulance to attend. During this time Izz reportedly lost a great deal of blood, and was later pronounced dead at the hospital in Ramallah. A local man told ISM that he went to the soldiers surrounding Izz and asked them ‘why did you have to shoot him in the neck? Why did you have to kill him?’ It should be asked whether shooting a man with live ammunition is a legitimate and proportionate response to a stone being thrown at heavily armed soldiers, none of whom was injured.

Izz al-Deen Tamimi’s funeral procession left Ramallah hospital and passed through the city centre, with hundreds of people in attendance. After leaving the city centre, cars of family and other funeral attendees were stopped at ’Atara checkpoint north of Ramallah by Israeli military in an apparent effort to halt mourners from attending the funeral in Nabi Saleh. The Institute for Middle East Understanding (IMEU) released this video showing Israeli soldiers harassing and intimidating mourners trying to reach Nabi Saleh. After this provocation, mourners were allowed to pass through. Hundreds of attendees joined the funeral in Nabi Saleh as men walked with Izz’s body up to the cemetery at the top of the village. Meanwhile, many Israeli military vehicles and heavily armed Israeli soldiers gathered at the checkpoint to the south of the village.

After the funeral, men look on as Israeli soldiers gather on the road below.

Several Israeli military vehicles arrive and gather near the road below Nabi Saleh

Israeli soldiers stand behind concrete blocks and point their gun towards the village of Nabi Saleh after the funeral of Izz Tamimi

ISM spoke with Bassem Tamimi, from the Popular Committee of Nabi Saleh and prominent anti-occupation activist. He said, ‘what will the world do now? Will the occupation end? … The international community may produce another report, another human rights report, but today it will have Izz’s name on it, but then what will happen?’ He seemed frustrated that the brutal occupation and the disproportionate violence that goes with it continues despite periodic media attention when there is a ‘flare-up’ such as has marked the recent Great Return March and Nabka 70 demonstrations. Nabi Saleh has been an ongoing site of struggle against the occupation and the policy of illegal settlement expansion in the West Bank. To find out more about the resistance to the occupation in Nabi Saleh read this interview with Manal Tamimi published today which reveals the extent of Israeli army violence, repression and harassment the people of the village face.