Tag: Demonstration

Protesters commemorate the Nakba at Qalandyia

15 May 2011 | International Solidarity Movement

From 11.00 this morning until 21.00 at night, the International Solidarity Movement joined with thousands of Palestinians and other Internationals in commemorating the Nakba by demonstrating at Qalandiya checkpoint which separates the West Bank from Jerusalem and the rest of pre-1948 Palestine. As protesters united in denouncing the expulsion of Palestinians from their land in 1948, the Israeli army responded to the mass mobilisation with live ammunition, teargas and rubber-coated steel bullets. The teargas used was a different, more powerful type than is usually used during demonstrations and resulted in severe cases of asphyxiation. Protesters resisted the occupation forces by throwing stones. A report from the Palestinian Red Crescent said two protesters were hit with live rounds, 15 were injured by rubber-coated steel bullets, and 120 suffered tear-gas inhalation, however protesters remained undeterred by the military’s disproportionate use of force and continued protesting into the evening. Undercover police officers infiltrated the demonstration, arresting protesters. Qalandyia checkpoint remained open with vehicles moving in both directions as the military fired ammunition and teargas into lanes of traffic targeting protesters. The military also fired teargas at ambulances, injuring medics and making it difficult to access and treat the wounded.

Israeli forces violently arrest demonstrators in al-Walaja

15 May 2011 | International Solidarity Movement

At 11 AM on al-Nakba remembrance day, 500 residents from the West Bank village of al-Wallajeh and international supporters marched towards the Israeli Apartheid Wall. The Wall was built to separate the villagers from their original land from which they were expelled in 1948. The demonstration was violently attacked by the Israeli military with rubber coated steal bullets, tear gas and protesters were beaten
with batons and rifles. One youth was hospitalized after being injured by a rubber coated steal bullet .

Eight Palestinians including twins aged 11 and 6 internationals (American, Dutch, German and Canadian nationals) were arrested. The army proceeded to raid the village and invade each house, searching for people who had participated in the demonstrations. The raids as well as confrontations between the army and the village youth are ongoing.

The Arrested Palestinans are:
Mazen Qumsiyah
Basel Al Araj
Ahmed Al Araj
Mohammad Al Araj
Allah And Mohammed Abu Tin 11 year old twins
Tarek Abu Tin
Adel Abu Tin

Al-Walaja is an agrarian village of about 2,000 people, located south of Jerusalem and West of Bethlehem. Following the 1967 Occupation of the West Bank and the redrawing of the Jerusalem municipal boundaries, roughly half the village was annexed by Israel and included in the Jerusalem municipal area. The village’s residents, however did not receive Israeli residency or citizenship, and are considered illegal in their own homes.

Once completed, the path of the Wall is designed to encircle the village’s built-up area entirely, separating the residents from Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and almost all their lands – roughly 5,000 dunams. Previously, Israeli authorities have already confiscated approximately half of the village’s lands for the building of the Har Gilo and Gilo settlements, and closed off areas to the south and west of it. The town’s inhabitants have also experienced the cutting down of fruit orchards and house demolition due to the absence of building permits in Area C.

According to a military confiscation order handed to the villagers, the path of the Wall will stretch over 4890 meters between Beit Jala and al-Walaja, affecting 35 families, whose homes may be slated for demolition.

Injured Jerusalem teen dies of wounds

14 May 2011 | Popular Struggle Coordination Committee

Milad Ayyash
Milad Ayyash

Milad Ayyash, the 17 year-old who was critically injured yesterday in East Jerusalem passed away at the Muqassed Hospital, after all attempts to save his life failed. The killing comes as tensions soar over the upcoming Nakba anniversary.

The violent response of Israeli authorities to the protest marking 63 years since the Palestinian Nakba (catastrophe) took a heavy toll, as 17 year-old Milad Sa’eed Ayyash was mortally injured yesterday afternoon during clashes in the Batten al-Hawwa neighborhood of Silwan.

Ayyash, a resident of the Ras el-Amud neighborhood in East Jerusalem was shot in the abdomen with live ammunition as Border Police officers and settlers clashed with local youth. He was evacuated to the Muqassed hospital with no pulse and in critical condition, where he underwent surgery in a failed attempt to save his life. Ayyash was pronounced dead early this morning.

For more details:
Assaf Sharon (Sheikh Jarah Solidairty Movement): 054-494-6274
Jonathan Pollak: 054-632-7736

The bullet extracted from Ayyash’s abdomen has been found to belong to a handgun. This type of bullet is rarely used by the Israeli police in crowd control situations. The bullet therefore indicates the likelihood that the youth was shot by one of the settlers’ security guards. Last September, Samer Sarhan, was killed by settler security in Silwan.

Friday witnessed harsh Israeli responses to protests across the West Bank and Jerusalem. Soldiers and police carried out dozens of arrests including many in East Jerusalem. Dozens of injuries were recorded throughout the day.

The violent reaction of Israeli security forces to Nakba demonstrations yesterday is proof of Israel’s inability to handle Palestinian civil resistance in means other than military. As September looms, it seems as if Israel chooses to tread the same path of neighboring regimes, such as Egypt and Syria, by shooting unarmed protesters in its attempts to quash dissent.

Teen critically injured as Israel cracks down on Nakba demos

13 May 2011 | Popular Struggle Coordination Committee

Updated 14 May 2011: Milad Ayyash died of his injuries reported below.

17 year-old was critically injured from live fire in East Jerusalem. An American protester suffered serious head injury after being hit by a tear-gas projectile shot directly at him from close range.

Israeli military and police forces responded violently to demonstrations commemorating 63 years to the Palestinian Nakba (catastrophe) of 1948 today all over the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Milad Sa’eed Ayyash, a 17 year old from the Ras el-Amud neighborhood was shot in the stomach with live ammunition. He has reached the Muqassed hospital with no pulse and the doctors are now fighting for his life.

Tension also rose in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan, where 19 protesters have been injured and 11 were arrested. During the evening hours, large police forces raided houses in Silwan and carried out additional arrests.

In the village of Ma’asara, south of Bethlehem, two protesters were arrested during a peaceful demonstration that was attacked with tear-gas for no apparent reason. One of those arrested is a member of the village’s popular committee. In Nabi Saleh – a regular target for military aggression recently – soldiers and Border Police officers injured no less than 25 protesters, including a Palestinian women in her 50s who was beaten up so badly that her wounds required her removal from the Salfeet Hospital to the bigger and more advanced Rafidiya Hospital in Nablus. A 25 year-old American demonstrator suffered a serious head injury and an Israeli activist was diagnosed with two open fractures in his hand. Both were injured by tear-gas projectiles shot directly at them from short range, in violation of the Israeli Army’s open fire regulations. Four protesters were arrested in Nabi Saleh, including two Palestinian women.

Villagers of Jaloud protest their electricity being cut

13 May 2011 | International Solidarity Movement

Today the village of Jaloud held a non-violent demonstration against the decision of Israel to cut off the electricity of seven families living on the outskirts of the village. The villagers and several international organizations marched from the village to the aforementioned houses carrying banners protesting the theft of their land and electricity. Jaloud, which is home to nearly 1,000 villagers is, according to the plan of the District Coordinating Office located in area B. However a small number of properties fall into area C outside of this plan, despite being inhabited for over 80 years and have recently been served with notices that they will have their electricity cut off. They have been given a court date of 19th May, where they will be able to object to this decision. Village Mayor Abdullah Haj Mohamd says that he doesn’t know what the families will do if their power is cut as they are reliant on electricity for their everyday life and farm work.

Jaloud, which has been inhabited for over 6,000 years is now surrounded by seven illegal Israeli settlements and a military base. Since the beginning of the occupation the village has lost 80% of it’s land to settlements and it suffers from frequent attacks by the settlers, often at night. The village has also been targeted by the Israeli military who three months ago uprooted and removed 200 olive trees the villagers had planted on their land. This most recent move from the state of Israel can be seen as an attempt to prevent the expansion of the village and force families back into the centre, all the while facilitating the expansion of the surrounding settlements.