Tag: Children - Page 2 - International Solidarity Movement

Palestinian assaulted and work tools confiscated during early morning raid by Israeli forces

9th April 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah team | Kafr ad Dik, occupied Palestine

Shahar with his son Bilal (5-yo) and daughter Sahar (8-yo). Photo: ISM/Charlie Donnelly

At 2am on Wednesday morning, three intelligence vehicles and six military vehicles arrived at the building where Shaha Dharma lives with his family in Kafr ad Dik; Salfit municipality. For over two hours, Israeli forces raided, harassed, and searched the apartments of the three families living in the building.

Soldiers kicked and banged on the door with their rifles until Shahar Dharma went down the stairs to open it. He told the soldiers that his children were asleep, and that they should wait until they had been woken up as they would be scared if they saw the soldiers. However, Israeli forces pushed him aside and almost 60 soldiers poured into the building to search the three apartments.

Shahar’s daughter, Sahar, awoke to the sight of Israeli soldiers in her bedroom and froze in fear. Her father managed to enter the room and reassure her as she started to cry, whilst waking the other children – Bilal, 5, and Sahjar, 13 – to take them into the living room. Sahar held onto her father with a tight grip, and asked for her mother. Shahar had to remind his daughter that her mother passed away last year, but Sahar insisted: ‘I don’t care,’ she cried, ‘I want to be with my mother.’

Israeli forces spent two hours turning the apartment upside-down, searching every nook and cranny of the home. During the raid, the family’s mobile phones were confiscated whilst they were forced to stand in the living room and were not allowed to sit down. Shahar’s wife, who is eight-months pregnant, became sick and dizzy, whilst his mother who suffers from cancer was not allowed to go to the bathroom.

Notice left by Israeli forces on Shahar’s workshop. Photo: ISM/Charlie Donnelly

A paper, written in Arabic, was posted on the workshop door claiming intelligence had informed them that people in the area were aiding terrorists by constructing military equipment, and were a threat to Israel and the security in the area. The paper continued to say that people would not be harassed by Israeli forces, but would be left to live and work freely if they did not support ‘terrorists’. On the other hand, Israeli forces could not guarantee the safety of anyone who helped ‘terrorists’, nor the safety of their families and livelihoods. The locals claimed this was part of a ‘media operation’ by Israeli forces to claim a victory over ‘terrorism.’ But, as Shahar says, ‘If they had found anything illegal in my workshop I would already be in prison’.

Shahar refused to sign the receipt for over half an hour, partly because he could not read what it said, but also because it became clear that the Israeli soldiers had written that only one piece of equipment had been confiscated from his workshop. In fact, Israeli forces had confiscated various tools and materials from his workshop, including a welding torch, a drill, and a disk cutter, with a total worth of over 4,000 shekels. Eventually, Shahar was punched in his left eye by one of the soldiers and told that if he did not sign the receipt, they would arrest him: ‘What do you think?’ asked one of the Israeli soldiers, ‘Sign and stay with your children, or we can arrest you? You choice.’ After signing the receipt under duress, Shahar was taken outside and pushed against a jeep by two Israeli soldiers, who held up a sign in Hebrew whilst a third took a photograph. Finally, the captain of the Israeli forces told Shahar that if he reopened his workshop they would return with a bulldozer to demolish the building, for which the family would have to pay. The soldiers finally left the house approximately at 3:30 am.

Confiscation notice signed by Shahar under duress. Not all confiscated items were listed. Photo: ISM/Charlie Donnelly

Shahar does not know if he will ever get his property back. Having contacted the DCO (Distric Coordination Office) regarding the confiscation he was told that they would not help him as they were on holiday for Pesach for the next week.

The last time Shahar’s mother experienced a similar raid was ten years ago, during which four of her sons were detained. Two were released shortly after, but the other two men spent three years and four years in prison respectively.

The young Sahar has been unable to attend school or leave the house at all since that early morning, saying that she is ‘scared of the army’. Of the 25 people living in the building, sixteen of the residents are under the age of eighteen. Shahar sees this as just another form of ‘psychological warfare’ conducted every day against Palestinians by the occupying Israeli forces.

Yes Theatre: Resisting occupation through theatre and socially engaged art practice

3rd April 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied West Bank

The Yes Theatre in Al-Khalil works with dedication, for a brighter future for the Palestinians in the occupied West Bank through a diverse set of cultural activities. Roughly eight new productions every year reach an audience of over thirty thousand Palestinians, and on occasion also tour theatres of Germany, France and Tunisia. Additionally, the Yes Theatre continually searches for new ways to share and develop its decade-long artistic practice, by engaging in dialogue with its local community, sharing their stories, hosting workshops, providing youth education, and internships with a job-guarantee. Their projects include Yes 4 Future, Yes 4 Kids, workshops that support women speaking in front of an audience, along with several plays that include female actors – something which is not a standard feature in Palestinian theatre.

ISM had a chat with general manager Mohammad Issa, and some of the artists, after having watched the powerful performance “3 in 1”, written collectively by Ihab Zahdeh, Raed Shiokhi and Muhamed Titi. The different stories of the play were inspired by meetings with the local citizens of Hebron, and depicts the everyday challenges of what Raed Shiokhi (actor) describes as the circles of life for Palestinians.

This play seems to evolve a lot around the occupation, but you also tap into the occupation of your own limitations?

“We like to say all the time that we live inside circles. We have the circle of the family, and then the circle of society. Then the circle of our government and the circle of occupation at the end. So occupation includes everything. So you go smaller and smaller and start with the family. They teach you what to do, and what not to do. Then the society, what is right, what is shameful and what is not. Then the government and the people in power who essentially are in full control, the governor, the mayor, and the religious leaders, who on several occasions in the mosques have mentioned and criticised our work. They corrupt our children and prohibit our cultural development. If we were to listen to their advice, we would have stopped a long time ago. Again and again we come to a point where it appears impossible to continue, but we remind each other of the message we have. As artists we feel stuck in between two fires. The fire of continuing your work of curiosity as an artist, and the fire of society trying to push you back.”

The autobiographical struggle of the 3 artists in the play clearly resonates directly with the personal struggles of the audience, and the different scenarios and situations repeatedly spread overwhelming waves of laughter and uncontrollable giggles. Seeing a Palestinian smile or laugh is a surprisingly common sight, given the extremity of their situation, but this collective release of emotions seemed to connect the spectators in a deep and intimate manner. The Yes Theatre is profoundly interested in this shared space, in which cultural resistance occurs. General manager Mohammad Issa says that for them the resistance will not succeed through the use of physical force or politics, but through intellect, culture and the empowerment of women and the young generation. Sustainability and competence development are key words that go hand in hand as the Yes Theatre engages in social activities, and training programs that employs thirty graduates per year.

The Yes Theatre finds alternative ways of resisting the occupation, but you also protest against internal restraints of Palestine such as gender inequality, socio-hierarchical imbalances and even restraints of religion. Do you envision what future Palestine could look like, or is dialogue the main objective?

“I totally agree that we are resisting, in our own way. We can’t throw the Israelis out of Palestine. This is the reality. They have to live with us, we have to live with them. What the political formula will be, whether we are talking about two states or one state, this is something that could maybe be solved later on, or maybe this dilemma is something that lies in the hands of the young generation. This is part of our national struggle, but at Yes Theatre we don’t have a vision for that, we don’t wish to impose anything. What we get from the local community is the material, and this material is brought back to the community in a creative manner. And the discussions we have around the material, in its context, must also be circulated in the community. We look for input and feedback from different focus groups, even in more traditional productions like “Ali Baba” (currently in production at Yes Theatre). I have my own views on gender equality, but the locals might have its own ways, and we need to take that seriously. That doesn’t mean that we should not advocate, or raise awareness, but we need to reflect the status quo, in order to talk about it, and find the precise questions, which are not ours – they are the questions of the local community.”

Still from the award winning performance “3 in 1”

The artistic efforts that Muhammad Issa describes offer a space for its Palestinian audience, in which everyday terrors can be processed without fear. What might be referred to as “cultural resistance” has an essential significance for the Hebronites, as the daily struggle of facing the occupation, passing checkpoints, being searched, questioned, tear gassed or even shot, continues and worsens. Only in the last 10 days 3 youngsters have been shot dead in Hebron, withheld from medical attention, one of which was brutally executed by a soldier of the Israeli Forces, as has been seen in a viral video recorded Thursday the 24^th of March. It might seem near impossible to imagine how Palestinians could truly resist or even end the occupation. The situation that they face daily is not only humiliating and dehumanising, it’s paralysing. Searching for education and togetherness through cultural meetings, if nothing else, might offer an opportunity for unity and common understanding. The Yes Theatre raises a question: How do the people imagine Palestine would look when, or if, occupation somehow, someday ends?

Israeli airstrike kills 10 year old boy and injures others in Gaza

12th March 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, Al-Khalil Team |Ma’an, Occupied Gaza

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Update

Isra Abu Khosa, 6 year old sister of Yassin Abu Khusa, has died from the injuries she sustained in the bombing raid on Gaza by Israeli forces on Friday.

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Children were the latest victims of last nights continued assault on besieged Gaza by Israel. The young boy who was killed in the attacks has been identified as Yassin Abu Khusa, 10 years old. His sister Isra Abu Khusa, 6 years old, was wounded in the same attack, suffering severe head injuries and is in critical condition while another brother, Ayub Abu Khusa, 13 years old, is also seriously injured.

A young boy amidst the damage of the home in which a young child was killed

A Ma’an reporter based in Gaza said the children were in their house at the time the strike happened, located in northwestern Beit Lahiya. The family was still living in their home that was partially destroyed during the most recent offensive on the strip by the zionist regime in 2014.

Rubble from the attack — Rubble and a blood soaked mattress from the attack

The Israeli army claims the Israeli air force targeted four Hamas sites in the northern Gaza Strip after four rockets were reportedly fired from the strip on Friday evening.

Several rockets were fired from the blockaded coastal territory into southern Israel last year, with the Israeli military launching retaliatory air strikes in virtually every case with signature excessive force and more often than not leading to the deaths of many innocent civilians.

Children in the war torn buildings left by Israeli forces

Although the majority of last years’ rocket fire was attributed to small, rather insignificant militant groups operating in Gaza, Israel consistently holds the territory’s de facto leaders Hamas responsible, targeting the group’s military infrastructure in response.

Israel’s silent war on the children of Palestine

29th February 2016| International Solidarity Movement, Al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

Fortunately much of the world is now fully aware of Israel’s apartheid wall and the zionist state’s grotesque, illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories that it represents. But few are aware of the endless number of other apartheid structures scattered throughout Palestine with the direct purpose of further demoralizing and dehumanizing its proud people. At just four and five years old some might wonder if the Sasrriya kindergarten kids in Al-Khalil (Hebron) are aware of the apartheid fence they encounter every morning walking to and from kindy. On Sunday february the 29^th, whilst under the protection of international volunteers, these Palestinian kindergarten kids set off from home for a short yet challenging journey to school.

Palestinian children still find happiness in an apartheid regime — Young minds of the innocent blissfully unaware of the zionist apartheid regime

The kindergarten sits atop a hill. At it’s base is an apartheid fence. This symbol of persecution and maltreatment splits the path below in two. On the left is a well paved and regularly maintained strip. On the right is an old, eroding stretch of rubble littered with waste. The fence and its paths are located in the H2 area of Hebron, home to both Palestinians and illegal Israeli settlers, yet only one is accessible for these young Palestinian kids. With the well preserved strip specifically constructed for exclusive use by zionist settlers and the Israeli forces based in the area to serve them, the young children are forced to trudge up and down the dangerous, uneven path to get to and from kindy. Slipping and sliding on the loose ground below, the internationals always do their best to guide the kids through the uneven rubbish filled terrain and safely to their destination.

International activists do their best to keep the children safe from Israeli soldier harassment

“Its a horrible thing to see. To be exposed to this callous process of oppression and degradation at such a young age… I really feel for the Palestinian kids.” Human rights defender in Hebron.

Palestinian kindergarteners are forced to use the dangerous route by Israeli forces

Parents will only allow their children to attend kindergarten under the guidance and protection of international activists. Each morning volunteers from all over the world pick up the excited children from their homes and make their way up the apartheid path hand in hand. With Israeli soldiers and illegal settlers regularly abusing and harassing the innocent young children, the presence of these international activists is essential to ensure the safety of the kids. But even with the efforts of these human rights defenders Israeli forces and zionist settlers still attempt to dehumanize the kids, often hurling rubbish at them, making animal noises, learning their names to confuse and scare them and even attempting to take their hand and lead them astray. The harassment is so great that even the kindergarten teachers fear for their safety when leaving for the day and seek out the protection of the volunteers through multiple checkpoints.

“The kids are so innocent, they are born innocent… They aren’t born full of hate or division, no child is. But occupation deliberately attempts to poison them with it in the hope of one day labelling them the cause of this disaster.” ISM volunteer.

International volunteers ensuring the kindergarten kids get home safe

“It sums up Zionist Israel perfectly. Gutless and heartless in their ethnic cleansing of Palestine. They can’t even give kindergarten kids a break… They just want to make life so unbearable for these poor people, from every possible angle, so they quit and leave.” International activist on the scene.

Apartheid can be defined as any system or practice that separates people according to colour, ethnicity, etc. The structures built throughout the Palestinian territories are representative of this process of separation and the collective punishment imposed by the zionist State of Israel. Not only are the Palestinians encaged by an immoral apartheid wall built on illegal boundaries, but the young kids of the nation are being exposed to similar structures of division on a daily basis, teaching them a self image of contempt, isolation and inferiority.

The journey to kindergarten crosses an apartheid fence, razor wire and abusive Israeli soldiers

Teachers and kindergarten children are forced to deal with these structures daily, with no end in sight. As the confidence and dignity of the precious Palestinian children is slowly stripped away, those responsible are never held accountable. Much like the excessive force used at many checkpoints, where tear gas and stun grenades are often used on young kids, this psychological abuse is sadly a crucial component of zionist occupation that the rest of the world has long accepted. It is now up to the rest of the world to feel Palestine’s pain and show much needed love and support for it’s wrongly condemned people.

Palestinian kindergarteners full of love

Escalating tear-gas deployment against school children in Hebron

Monday morning, October 12th, 2015 Israeli forces pummeled Palestinian children going to school near Salimeh & Queitun checkpoints in Hebron with a total of 19 rounds of tear-gas and one stun grenade fired. The onslaught began at 7:41 am when a crowd of children could be heard playing noisily in the street near several primary schools. Suddenly their laughter turned to screams and the sound of running and gunfire as the first canisters were shot and could be seen flying over the crowd with their white streams of gas. The children scattered, many towards an adjacent street near Queitun checkpoint, where they milled around or walked back and forth, joking with each other in between being attacked with a total of 14 more canisters on that side and 3 more on the side where the first shot was fired. Israeli forces went so far as to fire at least one shot directly into an enclosed school yard where two children, ages 11 and 14, were injured to the point of requiring treatment by ambulance. Teachers and school administrators on the scene report that this is a near-daily occurrence, which is echoed by the number of children who exhibited the normal physical symptoms of exposure to tear-gas, but appeared undeterred from their daily business as though hardened soldiers. Of course they are not soldiers at all, but mostly pubescent and pre-pubescent children who are being displaced from any normal sense of peace and from their natural role as students by constant threats to their lives and safety. For these Palestinian youths, childhood is another of many precious things being stolen, occupied, or destroyed by Israeli Forces and the Zionist government.

Within the last week, use of tear-gas in attacks on children on their routes to school has sharply increased in Hebron, spiking so far at a blistering 35 total canisters and/or grenades shot at children within a few hours in a tiny area heavily populated with schools. It is illegal and dangerous to shoot tear gas into an enclosed schoolyard, and this incident is just one example of a recent trend in brutality against Palestinians that includes fraudulent arrests, intense harassment, beatings, chemical weapons, murder, or all of the above, but does not include any recourse for Palestinians victimized by these forms of violence, or any consequence whatsoever for its perpetrators.