Tag: Demonstration - Page 175 - International Solidarity Movement

Israeli army invade Ni’lin

21 January 2009

On Wednesday, 21 January 2009, at 12.30, residents of Ni’lin, along with international and Israeli solidarity activists, gathered to demonstrate against the construction of the Apartheid Wall. The demonstration began in the olive fields but was forced back when the Israeli army shot teargas and threw sound bombs. After the demonstration began, the army invaded the town from the fields and the checkpoint at the entrance of the village, firing tear gas canisters, rubber coated steel bullets and plastic coated steel bullets. The army proceeded towards the centre of the town, shooting at houses and cars. Israeli forces arrested three Ni’lin residents who were not participating in the demonstration and injured nine individuals.

Around 60 demonstrators peacefully marched into the olive fields carrying flags and chanting slogans against the Wall. As they approached the construction site, protesters were confronted by soldiers. The army shouted at the demonstrators to end their peaceful protest and quickly proceeded to use weapons against the individuals.

The demonstrators were forced to head back to the town and the army followed them. The soldiers fired excessive amounts of tear gas, sound bombs and rubber coated steel bullets, aiming directly at people. In all, four were injured with rubber coated steel bullets and five were hit with teargas canisters; one of whom had to be taken to Ramallah hospital. Several cars and shop windows from the shooting. One teargas canister ignited a fence that had to be put out by a fire engine. The army came further into the town, driving a jeep into the town centre, where soldiers continued firing before they eventually withdrew.

The three arrested individuals were playing pool in the local pool club at the time of the demonstration. According to two medics who were inside the pool club, the soldiers fired teargas and rubber bullets into the building, hitting one person in the leg. The army then entered the building and arrested three Ni’lin residents.

This is the second invasion of Ni’lin in one week. The Occupation is collectively punishing the Palestinians of Ni’lin for their resistance to the Apartheid Wall. When completed, the Apartheid Wall will annex land belonging to villagers. Furthermore, the simultaneous establishment of the Apartheid Wall and a tunnel will allow the Israeli army to bar all but one connection leading to complete control over movement for Ni’lin residents.

Closures in Huwwara and Beita villages

At 3am on January 17th, Israeli Occupation Forces invaded the villages of Huwwara and Beita. In Huwwara, they closed off the main street and used rubble from nearby construction sites to block side streets while several jeeps took up positions at either end of the village. While no official curfew was announced, several village residents were prevented from walking the streets. The head of Huwwara’s municipality was also prevented from entering his home. Nearly 12 hours later, around 3pm, the IOF withdrew from the villages having made no arrests.

The army claimed that they were punishing the villages for alleged rock throwing at settlers from the illegal Yitzhar settlement. The IOF originally threatened to maintain the closures for several days if the villages didn’t hand over those responsible for throwing rocks.

This act of collective punishment was not only damaging for residents of these two villages. The main street in Huwwara is part of the major road connecting Ramallah and Nablus. By blocking this road, the IOF were disrupting travel for hundreds of Palestinians from these cities as well.

Later that day, at approximately 4:30pm, around 20 children from Huwwara, accompanied by a small contingent of adults, walked to the nearby Za´atara checkpoint and held a small demonstration. For half an hour they chanted and held signs denouncing the mistreatment of the Palestinian people. The demonstration ended when a dozen Israeli soldiers, accompanied by the DCO, arrived and ordered the boys to return home.

Israeli forces kill seventeen year old as Hebron demonstrates in solidarity with Gaza

hamasdemoresized004 — Blood on the street

Israeli soldiers killed a 17 year old Palestinian youth and injured around 20 others on Friday during a demonstration in the H-2 (Israeli-controlled) Abu Sneineh neighborhood of Hebron.

The Israeli soldiers opened fire on the crowd assembling near the Wasaya Rasol mosque before the demonstration had even begun. A large barrage of tear gas dispersed some of the people nearest the soldiers, but the demonstrators quickly reassembled. The soldiers retreated up the street as protesters advanced throwing stones.

The death and several injuries occurred in the first half hour of the protest as the soldiers fired rubber coated steel bullets and live ammunition in addition to the tear gas. Soldiers fired on the demonstrators from various locations including rooftops.

hamasdemoresized002 — Clashes at demonstration

Mus’ab Da’na arrived at a local hospital in critical condition and died shortly afterwards of bullet wounds to the head. About 20 others were treated for various injuries, hospital officials said, including three shot with live ammunition in the thighs.

The funeral began at Al Hussein mosque with the body then transferred to the Cemetery of the Martyrs in the Haret Al Sheikh neighborhood in Hebron.

This Friday’s demonstration was the second major demonstration in the Abu Sneineh neighborhood following a turnout of 5,000 – 7,000 on the previous Friday. Many other demonstrations and protests occurred in Hebron this Friday including the entrance to the Old City near the Bab Al-Zawiye neighborhood. There also, stone throwing youths were attacked with tear gas and rubber coated bullets.

Israeli forces shooting at demonstrators

Five injured during Bil’in demonstration

Bil’in Popular Committee Against the Apartheid Wall and Settlements

Friday 16th January 2009

Residents of Bil’in demonstrate against the Israeli’s rejection of the international efforts for ceasefire.

The residents of Bil’in today gathered after the Friday prayer in an act of solidarity with the people of Gaza. They were joined by international activists and the Israeli Anarchists Against the Wall, all opposing the war on Gaza. The protesters carried Palestinian, Venezuelan, and Bolivian flags, in a show of support for the two South American countries who, this week, cut diplomatic ties with Israel due to the war on Gaza.

The demonstration was symbolically silent, as the protesters wore the UN, EU, and the Arab League flags on their chests and carried shoes bearing Israeli and American flags in their mouths, to symbolize the power the two countries have to gag that rest of the world. Other demonstrators wearing the three flags covered their mouths with tape to show the world’s silence presented by the UN, EU and the Arab League against the Israeli massacres in Gaza.

The values of human rights and respect that the international law protect are being violated by the Israeli and the American government, all these rights and decisions are denied by Israel.

The protest marched towards the wall which is built on Bil’in’s land, the Israeli army was behind concrete blocks and fired tear gas canisters as soon as the crowed got closer. The army chased the protest back to the village using rubber coated steel bullets and tear gas. Dozens suffered tear gas inhalation and four were shot with live bullets: Their names are Abdullah Ahmad Yasen, Yasen Mohammed Yasen, Wajdi Abu Rahme and Mohammed Shukat Al- Khatib.

The Israeli army kidnapped Rashad Abed Dar-Aldeik yesterday (15th January) when he was near the Apartheid Wall. He was taken to Ofer prison

Demonstration against the Apartheid Wall in Ni’lin

15th January 2009

After the women and children demonstration the protest against the Wall continued. The demonstration was attacked with teargas and sound bombs. The soldiers entered the village and kidnapped and brutally beat an international man who was later released.

The demonstrators were halted before they reached the olive fields on the outskirts of the town. Around 50 Palestinians, International and Israeli activists were fired upon with teargas including the new teargas. The army was so close that the teargas was falling into the centre of town. Many people suffered from teargas inhalation and two people were hit with the canisters requiring medical treatment.

This continued until after a large barrage of teargas and sound bombs the army entered the town from the olive fields. The army on foot ran down the streets pointing their rifles around corners and into doorways and shooting teargas down the streets.

An International activist was left stranded when the army fired a concentration of teargas and sound bombs as they made a rapid approach into the village causing the demonstrators to flee back to the town centre. The activist had stayed behind a house when he was suffering from teargas inhalation and when the army advanced he was trapped behind them. A following group of soldiers to the ones who entered the town found the activist who immediately put his hands up. The army responded by beating him with their rifle buts along with kicking and hitting him as they led him into the olive fields using a dirt road. Along with beating the activist they also stuck the firing end of their rifle into his neck and pushed him up against a wall. After kidnapping the international activist the soldiers withdrew form the town and when they were leaving though the olive fields they released the international hostage.

I was here when they murdered Arafat and Mohamed, the way the army were acting when they came into the town made me think they were going to do something similar. I was afraid for my life when they would find me and I feel if I was Palestinian they would have just shot me.