Tag: Donald Trump

Urgent Call out for Volunteers – Palestinians reject the ‘deal of the century’

Palestinians oppose the “deal of the century” at a protest in al-Khalil (Hebron)

At a time of heightened aggression against Palestinians by Israeli occupation forces suppressing “Deal of the Century” protests across the West Bank the International Solidarity Movement is issuing an urgent call out for volunteers.

 

What is the ‘Deal of the Century?’

On 28 January 2020 Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu announced their annexation plan for Palestine. Purportedly to bring an end to the 52 year occupation of Palestine by Israel, the ‘peace’ plan was put together without any Palestinian input and offers Israel a wish list of their long-held demands, at the expense of Palestinian rights and freedoms.  

Although the US claim the plan offers the prospect of a future Palestinian ‘state,’ it does so at an unacceptable price with Israel unashamedly benefitting. Some of the most significant points include:

  • A proposed Palestinian ‘state’ with very limited sovereignty, for example it would not be permitted to have its own Army, and Israel would retain security control over vital areas such as the sea in Gaza 
  • Establishing Jerusalem as Israel’s ‘undivided’ capital, stripping Palestinians of their current rights to their capital, East Jerusalem
  • Officially recognising illegal Israeli settlements constructed on stolen Palestinian land, bringing them under Israeli control  
  • Annexing further swathes of Palestinian territory including the Jordan Valley
  • Stripping thousands of Arab-Israelis of their citizenship and forcibly transferring them to the West Bank
  • Finally refusing Palestinian refugees the ‘right of return’ to their homes lost in the Nakba

The plan has been resoundingly rejected by the Palestinian leadership and people living through daily oppression. 

 

Why am I needed? 

Protests have erupted across the West Bank in response to Trump’s legitimisation of Israel’s crimes against Palestinians. As usual the protests have been heavily suppressed by the Israeli army with lethal force. Five Palestinian teenagers have already been killed by Israeli soldiers since the deal was announced while dozens more have been injured. Israel’s violent crackdown on Palestinian’s protests against the Deal of the Century are expected to continue. This means we need more volunteers to ensure there is an international presence to document and raise awareness about human rights abuses by the occupation forces. 

 

What would I be doing? 

ISM volunteers support Palestinian resistance by providing protective presence at demonstrations,  observing and documenting any human rights violations against Palestinians by Israeli settlers or soldiers. At this critical time of heightened political tension, we urgently need volunteers to join in solidarity with Palestinians fighting for their right to self-determination.  

Aside from the need for practical solidarity, experiencing the situation for yourself is vital to adequately understand why the ‘deal of the century’ is such a threat to the future of Palestine, and your personal experiences will equip you to lobby and campaign more effectively in your home country.

 

Occupation forces at checkpoint 56, al Khalil (Hebron)

 

Will I receive training? 

ISM will host mandatory two-day training sessions for prospective volunteers before they do any work on the ground.

 

How do I apply? 

You can join ISM as a volunteer for as little as two weeks. However you are likely to gain more from your experience if you can commit to a longer period. We welcome volunteers for periods of up to three months. 

Please send an email to ismtraining@riseup.net to register as a volunteer.

Israeli Violence Against Civilians, Press Continues Through Weekend in Hebron

9 December 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | al-Khalil, Occupied Palestine

Clashes continued throughout the weekend in Hebron, after Palestinian civil society groups called for “three days of rage” in response to Donald Trump’s widely unrecognized declaration that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. Across the West Bank and Gaza, Palestinians organized general strikes, as well as non-violent marches and demonstrations, all of which were met with military violence by Israel.

In Hebron, the violence from the Israeli army included the use of numerous rounds of tear gas, sound bombs, rubber coated steel bullets, and live ammunition against the press and civilians, including passing families and the elderly. Soldiers also entered shops and forced businesses to close, causing further disruption to daily civilian life. Some young Palestinians resisted the Israeli army’s invasion using stones, and also by throwing the Israeli army’s own tear gas canisters back towards the soldiers.

On Friday alone, between 15 and 20 Palestinian minors were arrested, including at least five that weren’t involved in the clashes, one of which was taken straight from his home. Of the five boys that ISM activists witnessed being arrested, four of them were brutally beaten by large groups of soldiers after they were subdued and handcuffed and posed no threat to the soldiers. As of 5:00 PM on Saturday, two of the boys remained hospitalized due to their injuries.

In declaring that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, Donald Trump formalized the United States’ position as one in contravention of international law and the opinion of the international community. The international community has expressly stated – through UN Resolution 181 and others – that it doesn’t recognize any claim to sovereignty over Jerusalem by Israel, which is why most states maintain their embassies to Israel in Tel Aviv rather than Jerusalem.

Hundreds of Israeli Soldiers Violently Suppress Demonstration in Hebron

December 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | al-Khalil, Occupied Palestine

In response to Donald Trump’s declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel hundreds of heavily armed Israeli soldiers invaded the Palestinian controlled areas of Hebron to clash with demonstrators.  The clashes were likely also fueled by a general strike of work and schools by Palestinians.

An elderly man waits to go home on a street taken over by soldiers. Such disruptions of Palestinians’ daily lives are common in occupied Hebron.

At roughly 10:30 AM, at least two groups of over 50 soldiers each entered H1 (Palestinian controlled Hebron) with rifles, tear gas cannons, sound bombs, and rubber coated steel bullet magazines.  They entered through Checkpoint 56, from which they went into the city center, home to shops and restaurants, as well as innocent bystanders.

An elderly man, who was hit by tear gas while walking down the street, is helped to safety by a Palestinian Red Crescent Society medic.

Dozens of Palestinians, including small children, the elderly, those documenting the scene on their phones, and hospital patients at the Alia Hospital – at which soldiers fired multiple rounds of tear gas – were injured by tear gas and sound bombs.  The soldiers also fired live ammunition aimlessly at buildings with no regard for civilian safety, a war crime and form of collective punishment.  One boy, age 15, was shot with live ammunition when soldiers fired numerous rounds down a populated street.  They then surrounded him, confiscated videos of the incident, and arrested him.

The blood of a 15 year old Palestinian boy shot by Israeli soldiers.

As of 3:00 PM, at least 7 young boys were blindfolded, handcuffed, and brought back into Checkpoint 56.  At one point, soldiers held and terrorized an eight-year-old boy in a secluded, trash-filled corner of an alleyway, and proceeded to use him as a human shield while they walked up and down the street.

Protests are likely to continue throughout the West Bank and Gaza for at least the next few days, and possibly even longer, after Donald Trump formalized the United States’ position on Jerusalem as one in contravention of international law and the opinion of the international community.  The international community has expressly stated – through UN Resolution 181 and others – that it doesn’t recognize any claim to sovereignty over Jerusalem by Israel, which is why most states maintain their embassies to Israel in Tel Aviv rather than Jerusalem.

Donald Trump forced to change travel plans after Palestinians protest in Bethlehem

Donald Trump abandoned plans to visit Bethlehem’s Church of Nativity today due to the presence of a Palestinian protest outside the building.

 

Palestinians protest in solidarity with prisoners’ hunger strike today in Bethlehem

The US President changed plans at the last minute, reportedly infuriating the Palestinian Authority by breaking with official protocol. Instead, Trump conducted a short meeting with Mahmoud Abbas and a press conference in which he condemned last night’s terror attack in Manchester.

Security arrives at the compound to prepare for President Trump’s visit

Security was high at Trump’s meeting, with the American convoy entering and exiting the Palestinian compound quickly and discreetly this morning. The President was greeted by an American marching band upon his arrival. Bethlehem’s Hebron Road was blocked off by scores of heavily armed Palestinian security service officers, and the whole process was observed by at least four snipers positioned on nearby rooftops.

Sniper tells ISM activist not to take photos

Palestinians had been holding a protest outside the Church, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, in solidarity with the 1,500 prisoners currently on hunger strike in Israeli jails. The prisoners have refused to eat since the 17th of April, and many are now refusing to drink water as well.

The prisoners are demanding an end to the practice of administrative detention, where Palestinians can be imprisoned indefinitely without charge, an end to solitary confinement and the right to family visits. Israel has yet to begin negotiating with the prisoners. In the last few days, 70 of the prisoners have been moved to civilian hospitals due to a ‘serious deterioration’ in their health conditions.