Tag: H2

Israeli forces arrest man in Palestinian-controlled area of H1, Hebron [includes video]

by Team Khalil

8 January 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

Hebron arrest 7 January 2013A Palestinian man was arrested in Tel Rumeida, Hebron. Soldiers invaded homes without permission, indiscriminately beating men and children and forcing the residents out onto the streets.

At around 22:30 pm on Monday 7 January Israeli occupation forces entered the Palestinian-controlled H1 area of the city for the second time in a week. The soldiers forcibly entered homes; in one house five soldiers kicked the front door and forced their way past a young boy. On hearing the disturbance Sabri Dwaik aged 29 got out of bed and went downstairs. The soldiers attacked Sabri, pinning him to the floor and hit him with a rifle butt on his head. Sabri was handcuffed and still in his pyjamas was dragged out onto the street. The soldiers then threw a sound bomb towards the front door to deter anyone from following them.

One of Sabri’s cousins, who had gone onto the street to see what was happening, tried to intervene. The cousin attempted to free Sabri but was beaten, thrown on the floor, and dragged away by the neck. The Israeli occupation forces detained both men against a fence, pushing them and pointed their guns at them. After talking amongst themselves the soldiers decided to release Sabri’s cousin but Sabri was dragged passed the road gate into the Israeli-controlled H2 area of Tel Rumeida. Thirty soldiers brought people out of their houses and lined them up against a wall just inside H2 making them stand in the cold, wet night. Sabri was arrested, marched to a police vehicle and taken to Kyriat Arba police station.

Sabri Dwaik was charged with trying to steal a soldier’s gun as the soldiers were beating him inside his house. He informed the police officers that he wanted to make a complaint about the soldiers’ treatment of him. Sabri was told by the police officer that if he wanted to make a complaint he would have to stay in custody at Kyriat Arba police station for three days before he could make a complaint. Sabri was told by the police that he must apologise to the soldier who accused him of trying to steal his gun. “I do not have to apologise to the soldier because I have not done anything wrong,” Sabri said. After one and a half hours Sabri was released from the police station and returned home.

Sabri’s mother who is in ill health was very distressed by the events of the evening. The peace and quiet of another Tel Rumeida night was destroyed by the violence of the Israeli occupation forces. Local residents conjectured that the increased levels of violence and aggression of the Israeli occupation forces in the area is a response to the two well publicised incidents recently in Qufr Kadoum and Bab al Zawia, Hebron, where the Israeli occupation forces were seen to be weak in the face of Palestinian youth and their unarmed resistance. If the Israeli military are trying to send a message of intimidation to peaceful Palestinian residents of Tel Rumeida, then the message is clear: the Israeli military has no interest in peace, breaking into houses and forcing people out of their home in the middle of the night. Also the Israeli military has no interest in the due process of law, attacking people for no reason and when they complain, threatening that they will have to stay in custody for three days to do so. These increased levels of aggression and violence will not bring peace or stability to the troubled community of Tel Rumeida.

 

Video: Israeli forces arrest man in H1 Palestinian-controlled area of Hebron, 7 January 2013

 

 

Team Khalil is a group of volunteers of International Solidarity Movement based in Hebron (al Khalil)

Israeli soldiers vandalise Hebron home and arrest a student

by Team Khalil

6 January 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

broken-in-flatIsraeli occupation forces in Hebron raided a home, arrested a Palestinian and smashed his family’s belongings in the early hours of the morning.

Thirteen soldiers who came with two dogs broke down the door, arrested Ahmed Sharabati, 22, and vandalised the property without giving an explanation. As of this moment, Sharabati’s whereabouts are currently unknown.

The soldiers were present in the home for an hour and a half, during which time the terrified family was harassed, furniture was turned upside down and a window was smashed. The family spent six hours cleaning up after the raid.

The soldiers took Sharabati, a student at Hebron university, without telling the family why or where he was being taken.

gas the arabsThe family’s home is located in H2, the Israeli controlled part of Hebron. The close proximity of soldiers and illegal settlers means that Palestinians are always under threat from violence and harassment. Palestinians returning home from the city centre are subjected to humiliating checkpoints and the area is infamous for its “Gas the Arabs” graffiti.

The Israeli occupation forces soldiers in H2 are soon due to be replaced by other soldiers and the locals believe they are intentionally being more aggressive to leave a lasting impression.

 

Team Khalil is a group of volunteers of International Solidarity Movement based in Hebron (al Khalil)

Israeli military conducts illegal operations in Tel Rumeida, Hebron

by Wyatt Black

31 December 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

The Israeli occupation forces have shown a large amount of aggression recently in the Tel Rumeida neighborhood of Al Khalil (Hebron). Three Palestinian homes near the ancient Jewish cemetery were entered and searched on the 30 December. Another apartment rented by internationals had soldiers attempting to forcibly enter that same night, the armies’ alleged reason was to get onto the roof.

Today (31 December) Israeli army personnel entered deep into the H1 Palestinian-controlled area of the neighborhood at 4 pm and apprehended a person at a shop who was using a knife for his work. They detained him for more than an hour, during that time he was kept blindfolded.

The Protocol Concerning the Redeployment in Hebron of 1997 cites that “Israel will continue to carry the responsibility for overall security of Israelis” and that “both sides reiterate their commitment to maintain normal life throughout the City of Hebron and to prevent any provocation or friction that may affect the normal life in the city.” In the above described case there is no doubt the Israeli military overstepped their bounds. There was no security threat to any Israeli, therefore apprehending anyone or entering any place was a clear violation of the Oslo III agreement.

When activists arrived at the scene there was no explanation given by the Israeli army for why they handcuffed the Palestinian worker and put him into a police car. The army commander demanded instead that the international asking questions hand over his passport. When the international refused and asked for a police officer, the commander insisted upon having it, even though he has no right to obtain such identification.

In addition threats have been made by soldiers to internationals living in Tel Rumeida. Sound bombs have been used at night in the H1 area around Palestinian homes as well and there have been unconfirmed reports of beatings inflicted to Palestinians by the army.

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Israeli soldiers in H1 and H2 area in Hebron

 

Wyatt Black is a volunteer with International Solidarity Movement (name has been changed)

 

Hebron: settler illegally enters Palestinian home

By Lucy Diamond

9 August 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

On the evening of August 2, an Israeli settler illegally entered a Palestinian home in Hebron, drawing the presence of the Israeli army which encouraged her to leave. Rather than face any consequences, the settler left the scene and a Palestinian man was arbitrarily arrested.

A Palestinian man is detained at Checkpoint 56 | Flora Alnur

Around 9:45 p.m., an illegal Israeli settler stopped her car in front of Checkpoint 56, one of the barriers between H1 area (Palestinian-controlled) and H2 area (Israeli-controlled) in Hebron. Immediately after, the woman forcefully entered a Palestinian home. Israeli soldiers intervened and took the woman outdoors, urging her to leave.

Hebron is a Palestinian city, but several illegal Israeli settlements have occupied both the center town and surrounding areas. The settlers enjoy a series of benefits, such as the exclusive right of driving in H2, or the wide dismissal of complaints of violence from them. When settlers illegally occupied a downtown area of Hebron, rather than comply by international law, the Israeli government supported the theft by closing the central commercial street to Palestinian access. Palestinian shops were closed and people forced by circumstance from their homes as a result of the illegal settlement.

Several Israeli soldiers crowd around a detained Palestinian man | Flora Alnur

Before the settler left the scene, she aimed a camera against the faces of all people present. While Israeli soldiers remained impassive, a Palestinian man raised his hand to the camera to hide his image. At this moment, soldiers chose to intervene and stop the man, Sami Abo Rumeli, from raising his hand to the settler’s camera. Soldiers detained Sami and demanded his documents, simultaneously allowing the settler woman to leave without consequences to her actions.

International Solidarity Movement (ISM) volunteers and other Palestinians were present and documented the happening with photos and videos. Soldiers unsuccessfully tried to turn them away.

This unequal treatment of the settler who forced her way into a home, and Sami who attempted only to hide his face from her camera, caused a controversial reaction. Many people arrived to observe and document the event, causing several soldiers to group. Some 13 soldiers were surrounding Sami as he was detained. Eventually Sami was handcuffed and taken away. Before being released later that night, he suffered hits and mistreatment in the soldiers’ hands.

Video taken depicts the moment when Sami Abo Rumeli is surrounded by soldiers, to be detained without reason.

Lucy Diamond and Flora Alnur are volunteers with the International Solidarity Movement (names have been changed).

Hebron: Palestinian streets closed for Israeli settlers

By Jonas Ravn

6 August 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

In Hebron on the evening of July 29, almost 100 Israeli settlers from the illegal settlements occupying the centre of the city crossed into the Palestinian-controlled area H1. The settlers illegally entered H1 supported by a heavy Israeli military presence.

Earlier that evening, 4 Israeli military vehicles were witnessed driving through H1 area. At the same time, some 60 Israeli settlers gathered at Checkpoint 56 which marks the border between H1and H2 (the Israeli-controlled areas of Hebron). Several of the settlers, besides being armed with assault rifles, were also carrying compact tables and large bags of food.

Shortly before 7 p.m., Checkpoint 56 was closed to all Palestinians. Soon after, the Israeli military escorted the settlers through the checkpoint into the Bab al-Zawiyeh neighbourhood of area H1.

After the group of settlers passed through, Checkpoint 56 was reopened to Palestinians but the streets of Bab al-Zawiyeh were closed to Palestinian pedestrians and cars who were told to use a parallel street. The 4 military vehicles seen earlier were now parked and soldiers forced Palestinian shops to close down. Thus the otherwise lively Bab al-Zawiyeh was almost deserted.

The Israeli brigade commander declared that the street was a Closed Military Zone (CMZ), and when

asked for the CMZ paper permit he replied,“this is a Closed Military Zone because I say so.” The same commander pushed several International Solidarity Movement volunteers in the chest for their inquiries.

Several Palestinians attempted to enter to their homes in H2, as they regularly would, but were aggressively refused at the checkpoint and directed to a lengthy detour. The detour is made kilometres longer by the fact that Palestinians are denied access to Shuhada street.

At 7:30 p.m., just before eftar when most Palestinians would be breaking the day’s fast, a group of about 30 settlers gathered at Checkpoint 56. A short while later, this group was escorted down the closed-off street to join the other settlers now numbering almost 100.

20 minutes later, a group of 20 settlers returned back towards H2. As they passed the empty square of Bab al-Zawiyeh they clapped their hands and started chanting in Hebrew, celebrating the empty Palestinian streets. Several pointed, laughed, and made rude gestures at the few Palestinians remaining on the edges of the street.

At around 8:30 p.m., the settlers returned to H2 in smaller groups and escorted by soldiers. Again they pointed, laughed, and took photos of Palestinians they passed. At 9 p.m., the last soldiers packed up and left the area. Immediately, shops reopened and Palestinians returned to the streets. Slowly, Bab al-Zawiyeh began to look like itself again.

More than 50 soldiers and almost 100 illegal Israeli settlers were participating in what is a yearly event. Annually, dinner is had at a site in Bab al-Zawiyeh which they consider a sacred place in Judaism. In practice, this dinner serves as an aggressive reminder of who is in charge. That Israel with more than 4000 soldiers stationed in Hebron, can do as they please despite what the lawful agreements may dictate.

It is noteworthy that this occurred in a week that has been rampant with military night raids, harassment and abuse against Palestinian residents of Hebron who are celebrating the month of Ramadan.

Jonas Ravn is a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement (name has been changed).