The Beita Municipality condemns in the strongest terms the crime of execution committed by the occupation forces against the American solidarity activist of Turkish origin, Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, by firing live bullets at her and hitting her directly in the head, where she fell on the land of our town of Beita, to be her last message of solidarity written in blood against injustice and tyranny.
The martyr Ayşenur passed away while carrying out her noble message, in solidarity and support for the legitimate and just rights of the Palestinian people, and in confronting the occupation’s plans to settle on Mount Sabih, this authentic part of the town of Beita.
Beita Municipality demands that the American administration in particular, and the international community in general, exert real pressure on the Israeli government to remove the settlement outpost on Mount Sabih by an extremist group of settlers, which has led since its establishment over the past three years to an explosion of the situation in Beita and its surroundings, leading to the martyrdom of fifteen citizens, the last of whom was the American citizen Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, in addition to wounding thousands of citizens.
Beita Municipality calls on the international community and the American administration in particular to open an investigation committee into the assassination of the American citizen who was killed by American bullets at the hands of the Israeli occupation forces, and also calls on the international community to intervene urgently to stop the crimes committed in our town of Beita and in all Palestinian areas.
Beita Municipality extends its most sincere condolences to her family, friends and loved ones, and we ask God to inspire them all with patience and solace.
Child confronting Israeli soldiers, July 19, Beita.
24 July 2024 | International Solidarity Movement | Beita
Residents of Beita, south of Nablus, have restarted the weekly Friday demonstrations to resist the further theft of their land. In June, the Israeli security cabinet greenlighted the “legalization” of Evyatar, an outpost established on Sabih Mountain, situated on the outskirts of the town.
Beita residents have a long history of steadfastly resisting the colonization of their land. While demonstrations had almost ceased since October 7 due to the escalation of violence from Israeli occupation forces, July 5 saw a renewed push with dozens of Palestinians, accompanied by international and Israeli activists, marching down the adjacent mountain and through the valley towards the outpost.
The protestors were met with violence from the army as they burned tires in a show of protest. In response, volleys of tear gas were used to disperse the crowd, followed by rubber-coated steel bullets and live ammunition.
On the following Fridays, the army prevented the protestors from marching down the valley and instead pushed everyone back, firing tear gas which set fire to the surrounding fields of olive trees.
Field of olive trees burning due to tear gas. July 19, Beita.
Israeli settlers first tried to take over lands belonging to the town of Beita at the top of Jabel Sabih in 2013 and again in 2018, but were repelled by popular resistance mounted by the people of Beita. Settlers returned again in May 2021 to establish the Evyatar outpost, this time with documented support by Israeli forces stationed to guard them.
By July 2021, the Israeli army was forced to evict the settlers, striking a deal with them that steps will be taken to legalize the settlement at a later stage. The settlers left but the structures remained and the land was not returned to Palestinians. Settlers returned to Jabel Sabih in June 2023.
The establishment of the new outpost sparked an unprecedented wave of resistance, mobilizing thousands to demonstrate day and night in the vicinity of Jabel Sabih, trying to scale it to repel the settlers and dismantle the outpost. The Israeli response was one of intense military repression, killing 17 protestors over the past few years, causing serious injuries to thousands, including many suffering debilitating injuries, and arresting hundreds more.
The land represents a strategic spot on the road stretching all the way from Tel Aviv to the Jordan Valley, allowing for contiguity between Israeli settlements while preventing the latter for Palestinian villages.
**Martyrs**
– Mohammed Hamayyel, 15 (March 11, 2020)
– Islam Dwikat, 22 (April 9, 2020)
– Karam Amin Dwikat, 17 (October 15, 2023)
– Issa Sliman Barham, 40 (May 14, 2021)
– Tareq Ommar Snobar, 27 (May 16, 2021)
– Zakaria Maher Hamayyel, 25 (May 28, 2021)
– Mohammed Said Hamayyel, 15 (June 11, 2021)
– Ahmad Zahi Bani Shamsa, 15 (June 16, 2021)
– Shadi Ommar Sharafa, 41 (July 27, 2021)
– Imad Ali Dwikat, 38 (August 6, 2021)
– Mohammed Ali Khbeissa, 27 (September 24, 2021)
– Jamil Jamal Abu Ayyash, 32 (December 1, 2021)
– Fawaz Ahmad Hamayyel, 47 (April 13, 2022)
– Immad Jareh Bani Shamsa, 16 (October 9, 2023)
– Mohammed Ibrahim Adili, 13 (November 23, 2023)
– Maath Ashraf Bani Shamsa, 17 (February 9, 2024)
– Ameed Ghaleb Said al-Jaroub, 34 (March 22, 2024, died of a bullet wound injury to the head sustained on August 21, 2023)
Israeli soldier harassing the press. July 19, Beita.
On Fridays 6th, people in Deir Istya protested against a new outpost that was built three months ago close to the village.
After the prayer almost 70 protesters, among them members of the local Popular Resistance Committee, residents from the surrounding villages, ISM internationals and Israeli activists went down from the hill and, waving their flags, tried, peacefully, to reach the outpost.
Blocked by the army, there was a long confrontation between protesters, soldiers and Border Police.
The protesters were making clear their reasons for demonstrating while the soldiers were trying – shouting and pushing violently – to repel them.
Finally the Border Police started to launch a lot of sound bombs and gas canisters. 10 people suffered for the gas and one needed assistance from the Red Crescent volunteer. The soldiers arrested a journalist and the Minister of the Commission of Resistance to the Wall and Colonies: handcuffed and blindfolded them and violently pushed them into their military jeep.
A sniper held a group of boys in his sight, preventing them from continuing the protest.
Flags, voices and the absolute awareness of being right against sound bombs and gas canisters of one of the strongest army in the world… this is Palestine.
Palestinian activists marked the third consecutive anniversary of the revival of national events to resist the occupation of the lands of Beit Dajan – east of Nablus. At noon on Friday-2-9-2023, Palestinians set off to participate in the weekly march from the village of Beit Dajan to the illegal outpost in the village to confront the occupation and settlers, and to demand the departure of the occupation and the return of confiscated lands.
Palestinian, international and Israeli activists have participated in the weekly demonstration against the occupation and in defence of the village lands that were confiscated by the Israeli occupation forces for 3 years in a row.
Palestinian activists from the National Action factions and the Colonisation and Wall Resistance Commission (CWRC) participated in the weekly demonstration to express their anger and condemnation and continue to face the occupation until the liberation of the village lands. The occupation forces suppressed the demonstrators with tear gas, stun grenades and rubber bullets, and the Israeli occupation forces assaulted the demonstrators.
The Palestinian activist Mansour, Moayyed Shaaban (the head of the CWRC), and Nasr Jaish (the activity and coordinator of the National Action factions in Nablus
and the village of Beit Dajan) were attacked.
Medical and press crews were also attacked. Journalists Abdullah Bakhsh and Diana khwaelid were assaulted and dozens were injured by suffocation.
For three years now, the Palestinians in the village of Beit Dajan have been continuing their patriotic activities and weekly demonstrations until they regain their right to stay, liberate the village from the occupation and settlers, and regain their lands. The demonstrators were threatened to retreat and leave the area at gunpoint, but the Palestinians decided to continue and face the occupation despite everything.
An international activist from the International Solidarity Movement also suffered an injury to her foot and was treated earlier by Palestinian medical staff.
Palestinian, international and Israeli activists raised the Palestinian flag to emphasize the right to survival and the Palestinian presence in the village, the area and the confiscated lands.
On Friday, August 4, a peaceful demonstration was violently attacked by the Israeli army around the West Bank village of Deir Istyia, Salfit governorate.
About 30 Palestinians from Deir Istiya, including women, the elderly and children were on their way to the land north of the village, accompanied by a number of Israeli and international observers, to peacefully protest a new illegal Israeli outpost, when they were stopped in a gorge a few kilometers from the village by about 20 armed Israeli soldiers, who prevented the peaceful demonstration from continuing further.
The demonstrators then held Friday prayers within walking distance of the soldiers, after which they began chanting slogans in Arabic and English such as “Ihtilal Barra Barra” (“Out with the occupation”) and “Israel is a fascist state”.
After a few minutes, a Palestinian woman managed to get past the line of Israeli soldiers while waving a Palestinian flag. In response, Israeli soldiers, who were on the road and on the high ground surrounding the gorge, began firing stun grenades into the crowd, followed by tear gas fired at eye level and rubber-coated steel bullets. The mayor of Deir Istyia was wounded by a rubber bullet to the stomach fired at point-blank range, and received assistance from paramedics on the scene.
Citizens of Deir Istyia have been protesting every Friday for two months against a new illegal Israeli outpost that was built in May on Palestinian farmers’ land near the village.
Since 1967, when Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem, some 300 settlements and outposts have been built in the occupied Palestinian territories (source OHCHR). These settlements, where between 600,000 and 700,000 settlers live, are illegal under international law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits an occupying power from moving part of its civilian population into the territories it occupies. The illegality of the colonies has been confirmed by various Security Council and UN General Assembly resolutions. Outposts are illegal even under Israeli domestic law (source OHCHR).
Palestinians perform prayers at Friday demo
Illegal settlements are often intentionally built on Palestinian agricultural land and pastures, or in close proximity to a Palestinian village. The illegal occupation of land for settlement construction involves multiple arbitrary violations of Palestinians’ human rights, including restrictions on freedom of movement, house demolitions, expropriation, and diversion of water resources from Palestinian-owned agricultural land to settlements.
Illegal Israeli settlers’ attacks on Palestinian civilians are also a daily reality. OCHA reported an increase in settler violence, with almost 600 incidents registered in the first six months of 2023, while 2022 was condemned for a “record year” of Israeli violence in the occupied West Bank.
“Armed and masked Israeli settlers are attacking Palestinians in their homes, attacking children on their way to school, destroying property and burning olive groves, and terrorising entire communities with complete impunity,” the experts reported.
