Tag: Demonstration - Page 12 - International Solidarity Movement

Kafr Qaddoum: Israeli forces shoot Palestinian journalist

3th of March, 2017 | Popular Resistance Committee of Kafr Qaddum | Occupied Palestine

Today, at the weekly Friday protest in Kafr Qaddoum, a large number of Israeli Forces raided the village and fired large amounts of live ammunition, rubber coated steel bullets, stun grenades and teargas at Palestinian protesters. One journalist, from Palestine TV, was shot in the head with a rubber coated steel bullet. A group of masked Israeli soldiers also took his telephone, and deleted all of his pictures and videos from the demonstration. The journalist is alive, but will be hospitalized over the night. Later a large number of masked Israeli Forces raided the village, trying to arrest Palestinians, and entering the house of a Palestinian family, scaring the crying children.

Palestinian protesters marching in Kafr Qaddoum, against the illegal closure of their road to Nablus

The protest started with a march at 12.30, after the Friday noon prayer in the local mosque of Kafr Qaddoum. A large group of Palestinians, journalists, and a few Israeli and international activists marched from the mosque towards the closed road that used to connect Kafr Qaddoum with the large city of Nablus.

After marching for around 30 meters, three Israeli Military jeeps and large numbers of Israeli forces arrived. They opened fire on the Palestinian protesters, who retreated back further into the village. Between 1 PM and 3 PM, Israeli forces continuously fired live ammunition, rubber coated steel bullets, stun grenades and teargas at the Palestinian protesters.

At several points, masked Israeli soldiers stormed the village, in an attempt to arrest the protesters. At one point, a large group of masked Israeli soldiers, entered the house of a Palestinian family, who were not participating in the demonstration. From outside the house, Palestinian children were heard screaming and crying, and Israeli soldiers were yelling intensely at the people inside the house.

Large number of Israeli Forces invading the Palestinian village Kfar Qaddoum — Israeli Forces invading the Palestinian village Kfar Qaddoum

Ahmad, a journalist from Palestine TV, was shot in the head by Israeli forces with a rubber coated steel bullet, and was bleeding heavily from his forehead. Israeli soldiers also took his private telephone, and deleted all of the pictures and videos he had made of Israeli soldiers firing live ammunition at Palestinian protesters. The journalist is now hospitalized, where he will stay under supervision over the night.

Palestinian journalist shot in the face by Israeli Forces with rubber coated steel bullets.

A local organizer of the protest described the situation as the feeling of “… a real war, with constant bullets being fired from 1 PM to 3 PM. Children crying and screaming. The situation was so terrifying.”

Israeli Forces fired large amount of live ammunition and rubber coated steel bullets at civilian palestinian protesters — Israeli Forces fired a large amount of live ammunition and rubber coated steel bullets at civilian palestinian protesters

Prior to the protest, Israeli Forces had also set up a roadblock at the entrance to the village, pulling cars over and checking people’s IDs, as an act of collective punishment.

For five years the people of Kafr Qaddum have been holding weekly demonstrations, protesting the closure of their main road to Nablus and the expansion of the illegal Israeli settlement of Kedumim, which surrounds the village. In 2003, the road was sealed permanently by an Israeli roadblock, extending the fifteen minute commute to Nablus to about forty minutes. The roadblock has had severe economic consequences for the people of Kafr Qaddum, as many who once worked in nearby Nablus have had to seek alternatives. The United Nations estimates that movement restrictions imposed by the Israeli Occupation, such as the situation in Kafr Qaddum, cost Palestine about 185 million USD each year.

After more than five years of weekly demonstrations, Kafr Qaddum continues to resist.

Israeli army attacks peaceful demonstration in Hebron and injures protesters : eye-witness accounts

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

On 24th February several hundred people joined together for a demonstration in al-Khalil (Hebron) in occupied Palestine. Palestinians, Israelis and international activists protested together against the occupation of Shuhada Street and Tel Rumeida in the heart of the city, closed by the military after the massacre of 29 Palestinians in the al-Ibrahimi mosque in 1994. The protesters marched from the centre of the city to the military base at the entrance to the closed zone but were fired upon with tear gas and stun grenades within minutes of the start of their peaceful protest. The protesters were immediately forced to disperse with many suffering from tear gas inhalation. Some needed treatment on site and some were taken to hospital.

ISM activists attended in groups of two and three to support, document and protest. Here are some eyewitness accounts:

Group 1

“After midday prayers people started marching towards the old city, chanting slogans against the Israeli occupation and the settlers. After about ten minutes, the march was faced by a sizeable group of Israeli soldiers and border police. They marched towards the Israeli forces nonetheless, but were soon met with two stun grenades thrown towards protesters in the front line and teargas canisters shot throughout the street. I saw a teargas canister hit a north American army veteran below his left shoulder: it is entirely plausible that it was shot intentionally into the crowd. Shooting these canisters directly towards people is not only in direct contradiction of Israeli ‘rules of engagement’ but also potentially lethal.”

Group 2

“I was in front of the demo when the teargas canisters were fired directly into the first lines of protesters. Stun grenades exploded next to me and I couldn’t hear anything for the next minute. Everywhere on the street were clouds of teargas expanding and the demo turned into a big escape. I and many other protesters took refuge in the side streets, hiding from Israeli soldiers and tear gas.”

Group 3

“Our group started near the back. Tear gas started in great quantity within minutes and together with a large number of Palestinians and other internationals, we scrambled up a side set of stairs and spent the rest of the demonstration trapped there, tear gassed frequently and running in different directions to escape. There was no possibility of rejoining the march route. Red Crescent ambulances, with paramedics in gas masks, attended to the large number of people who were suffering from excessive gas inhalation and some were taken to hospital.”

Group 4

“Emotion, censored freedom, pain, oppression, … these are the words which describe the commemoration of the Ibrahimi mosque massacre, fifty years of occupation and the closure of Shuhada Street for over twenty years. After just ten minutes, the Israeli forces showed up in front of the crowd. They immediately stopped the demonstration, leaving no freedom to Palestinians and internationals to commemorate the Ibrahimi mosque’s victims. The atmosphere was tense as Israeli forces started to throw teargas into the crowd. Once again, Israel pretends to be a democracy but leaves no freedom to Palestinians to express themselves and to commemorate those they lost.”

2017 Open Shuhada Street Hebron Schedule

Against Settlements will use culture, creativity, and resistance for its annual Open Shuhada Street campaign February 19-25.

Campaign schedule:

February 19 Start of the open shuhada street campaign in Hebron

18:00 Candle lighting by children from Hebron’s old city.

February 20

16:00 Campaign participants will visit Shuhada Street families living under the most extreme conditions.

February 21

15:00 Raising the Palestinian flag in Tel Rumieda .

February 22

14:00 Tour of Hebron’s old city for diplomats, journalists, and a Veterans For Peace delegation from the US, including former CIA analyst, Ray McGovern.

February 23

12:00 Official visit to Shuhada Street from Israeli parliament member Dove Hanin. Mr. Hanin is a parliament member of Israel’s Arab party.
17:00 Film screening in Cinema Hebron

February 24

11:30 Open Shuhada Street protest in Hebron – Thousands of will gather to protest the closure of Shuhada Street. They will attempt to enter Shuhada Street.

February 25

11:00 Press conference and commemoration of Ibrahimi mosque massacre. After the press conference we will have a memorial candle lighting ceremony for the victims.

2017 marks 50 years of Israeli occupation and 23 year since the Ibrahimi mosque massacre in Hebron. On February 25, 1994 Israeli settler Baruch Goldstein opened fire in the Ibrahimi mosque killing 29 Palestinians in worship. Since then, Shuahda Street, once the main street and marketplace, has remained almost entirely closed to Palestinians. There are 20 checkpoints and front doors to Palestinian shops and homes are sealed shut.

Youth Against Settlements Open Shuhada Street campaign, held annually since 2010, aims to reopen Shuhada street and end the closures and inequality in Hebron and throughout Palestine and Israel. The following events below will be held in Hebron between February 19-25. International solidarity actions and educational events will be held throughout Europe and the US during the week.

Numerous Youth Against Settlements activists will be traveling from Hebron to Europe to participate in activities and give talks on Open Shuhada Street. Activists, Ayat Jaabari and Sondos Azzih will travel to Germany; Nour Abu Aisheh and Sohiab Zahdeh to Italy; Ahmad amro , Mohanned Qafisheh to the Netherland and Brussels; Anas Amro and Izzat Karaki to Sweden, Murad amro to France and Switzerland, Hijazi Ebido to Denmark: and Abed Salaymeh to the UK.

European partners for the campaign include: European partners for the campaign include: AsopashaPalestinia, Friends of Al Aqsa, Friends of Palestine, Internationalt Forum, Kurve Wustrow, London Palestine Action, Netherlands Palestine Committee, Palæstina Aktion, Palæstina Fredsvagter (International Solidarity Movement), Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and the Palestine Solidarity Association of Sweden.

Source: Youth Against Settelments

Khalil children: a candlelit vigil for the 1994 massacre

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

On February 19th children from al Khalil came together at dusk in the old city to light candles to commemorate the 29 Palestinian men who died in the massacre at the Ibrahimi mosque here in al Khalil in 1994. They sang and chanted their hopes for a free Palestine, the end of occupation, settlements, and an end to the ghetto conditions in which they live at the heart of al Khalil. At the same time, Israeli soldiers with machine guns stood over them on the rooftops watching and pacing, their shadows projecting giant armed figures onto the wall opposite.

The event was organised by Youth Against Settlements and was attended by internationals, press and filmmakers. It is part of the annual campaign to Open Shuhada Street and to end the ghetto conditions suffered by those who live within the checkpoints around the old city. A week of events is planned, in the streets, schools and houses of the city, with a demonstration planned for Friday 24th.

Photograph courtesy of Youth Against Settlements

Non-violent action in al-tuwani

17th of February, 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | South Hebron Hills, Occupied Palestine

Saturday 4th a group of villagers from Al Towani, South Hebron Hills, held a non-violent demonstration against settler violence and illegal settlement expansion, which affects their village. This non-violent demonstration was met with harassment from residents of the illegal out-post settlement of Havat Ma’on, and a large presence of Israeli army and Israeli police. Towards the end of the demonstration a large group of settlers, the Israeli police and army invaded the Palestinian village. They were met with non-violent resistance from residents of the village and eventually spread.

Colonial Israeli Settlers from nearby settlement, enter the Palestinian village.

At 10:00 a demonstration consisting of about 15 Palestinian villagers, supported by international and Israeli activists, left the village of Al Towani to go through the lands stolen by the illegal settlers out-posts Havat Ma’on. This is an area where local children experience violence and threats on a near daily from settlers while going about their daily lives. The demonstration was mostly women and children from the local village, protesting against the violence they experience and the continued expansion of the settlement.

“Banner made by protesters, reading: Women for Freedom of Movement”

Upon arriving in a piece of land that is currently threatened by the illegal extension of this out-posts demonstrators stopped to sing songs, sang, and plant some olive trees. At this point, a settler from the illegal out-posts came down, openly wearing a gun and started to harass people demonstrate, filming all and calls for the Israeli army and police.

Israeli Forces are ordering Palestinian protesters to move.

Shortly after a large group of Israeli forces arrived and the demonstration moved to another piece of land, again chanting, singing songs, and plant more olive trees. At this time came around 8 Israeli army vehicles with two Israeli police vehicles. The soldiers and police stood talking to the settlers before they came to the demonstration to declare the country a “closed military zone”. They used this excuse to disperse protesters while the non-military settlers to remain where they were. This order was non-violently resisted as did the military threaten a Palestinian man with arrest – strongly to take him away from the demonstration. At this time began to move, and the man was released.

While this was going on a group of about 20 settlers from the illegal out-posts invaded local Palestinian village Al Towani. They were met with strong nonviolent resistance from the community and some of the people at the demonstration who rushed back to confront this illegal intrusion into their country. The Israeli army and police came to protect the settlers – refuses to demand they leave. It was only through the strength of the local community, as the settlers finally left the Palestinian village.

Al Tuwani is a village in the South Hebron Hills, which has experienced many problems from extremist illegal settlements and out-posts built on their land. Children of the village and the nearest face violence and intimidation by settlers and the Israeli army while walking to school which makes shepherds while we are trying to get access to land. The village has for many years been using non-violent resistance to resist the occupation.