Student shot and many others injured during night raid in Al Fawwar camp , Hebron

12th March 2013 International Solidarity Movement, Hebron , Occupied Palestine

By Team Khalil

One student is dead and three others were shot during an Israeli army night raid in the al-Fawwar camp south of Hebron on Tuesday. 5 others were also injured .25 year old university student, Mahmoud Adel Tete, was shot with live ammunition alongside his teenage brother and two other men last night at 9pm .

Funeral of  Mahmoud Adel Al-Tete
Funeral of Mahmoud Adel Al-Tete

Four army vehicles entered the refugee camp attempting to find a suspect they claimed had thrown a molotov cocktail at a settler car. However, they were swamped with stones as soon as they arrived from the Palestianian refugees furious about the sudden invasion of their camp. One of the vehicles was immediately descended on by people trying to destroy the army vehicle. The soldiers panicked, opening fire on the Palestianian refugees, shooting blindly into the crowd with live ammunition.

Within minutes there was fatal casualty, Mahmoud an active supporter of the prison hunger strikers, was shot in the head with an illegal “dum dum” bullet by a Israeli soldier, the shot killed him instantly. His brother, 15 year old Feres, was shot in the hand including Mahmoud Shadfan who was shot in the stomach and Rami Al Karanz who was shot in the leg, all with live ammunition. Several people were injured with rubber coated bullets, and purposely driven over by army vehicles attempting to disperse the crowd.

The al-Fawwar Camp has been firmly situated in South Hebron for sixty years, established in 1951, the camps many residents are villagers from now occupied lands from the 1948 armistice line. The camp is home to around 8,500 people who receive minimal assistance from outside organizations and are also subject to the road block at Beit Hagay which restricts their movements in the West Bank.

The funeral for Mahmoud Adel Al-Tete was held today and attended by an estimated 8,ooo people at 12:30PM in the al-Fawwar Camp. Following the death of Mahmoud and the injuries sustained by the Palestinians involved in last nights raid, clashes erupted in Hebron city and in the al-Fawwar camp, continuing well into the night.

Blood on the streets of Al Fawwar camp
Blood on the streets of Al Fawwar camp

Racist attacks are daily reality in Hebron, even for children

10th March 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Hebron, Occupied Palestine

by Team Khalil

Today a group of young settlers assault three Palestinian boys, Sharef (15), Ibrahim (14) and Walid Hamad (12), at the entrance of their home.

The Abu Aesheh family lives in a house surrounded by settlements and an army base. In addition to the harassment from their neighbours they also suffer various restrictions on transportion, building and with curfews among many others. All of these control tactics and random hate crimes are used with the purpose of forcing them to leave a home which they have lived in for 50 years, all so the settlers, with the help of the army, can occupy their home and their land.

The attack occurred in Tel Rumeida, Hebron. For many years the Hebron area has suffered from army harassment and settler violence, forcing some families to place iron bars around their windows and balconies in fear of attacks.

Non Violent Demonstration in South Hebron ends with violent military response

10th March 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Hebron, Occupied Palestine

By Team Khalil

On Friday afternoon near the illegal Beit Hagai settlement, a non violent demonstration over the closing of the vital road between Al Fawar Camp and Al Hareaq (South of Hebron) ended with military violence.

Soldiers fire tear gas at demonstrators
Soldiers fire tear gas at demonstrators

Within minutes of the demonstration beginning, the military responded by firing tear gas indiscriminately into the crowd. After retreating to a safer distance the crowd attempted to walk back to the road block, with one of the protesters calling out “We don’t want to fight, we come in peace,” which was ignored as the soldiers ushered in a skunk water truck, which showered the demonstrators and nearby Palestinian land.

Re-opening the road block has been a continuous struggle over the last 12 years (amongst the many struggles Palestinians are facing during the occupation), it serves as a symbol of the constant harassment and military control over how the Palestinian people move through their land.

Demonstrators attempt to shield themselves behind wooden board
Demonstrators attempt to shield themselves behind wooden board

Palestinian still detained after he was shot in the head at peaceful demonstration

5th March 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Hebron, Occupied Palestine

22 year old Ibrahim Saadi is still being held at Ofer Prison in Ramallah after being shot in the head close range by a rubber bullet and arrested during a peaceful demonstration in Hebron on Friday.
His brother told us he had recieved a number of stitches on his head before being transferred to Ofer.

Ibrahim Saadi with wounds to head being dragged down street by soldiers
Ibrahim Saadi with wounds to head being dragged down street by soldiers

The peaceful protest organised in remembrance of the Abraham mosque massacre in 1994 was broken up by tear gas and stun grenades in Hebron on Friday. Many parts of Hebron have been shut off to palestinians since the massacre, including Shuhada Street which was once a busy commercial area.
The demonstration was organised by Hebron Defence League and was attended by Palestinian, Israeli and International activists who sat down on the road close to the gate which blocks access to Shuhada street. Soldiers threw tear gas canisters and sound grenades at the demonstrators causing many to disperse.

When the remaining demonstrators regrouped, they were prevented from moving anywhere else by a line of soldiers. Soldiers attempted to take the megaphone of one activist but was blocked by both Israeli and International activists.

Not long after the demonstration ended , 22 year old Ibrahim Sa`adi was dragged unconscious down the street by a group of soldiers with his face covered in blood. According to several eyewitnesses including his brother, Ibrahim was shot at close range with a rubber bullet. His eight year old sister saw the entire scene and was left in shock.
After the news of Sa`adi`s arrest spread , clashes erupted around bab al zawiya area of Hebron. Dozens of demonstrators were injured , including one international, as the army fired rubber coated steel bullets, tear gas, stun grenades and live ammunition. The clashes continued until after sunset.

Israeli Occupation Forces stand in between peaceful demonstrators
Israeli Occupation Forces stand in between peaceful demonstrators

Earlier that morning 19 year old Abdel Basset was arrested by soldiers in Tel Rumeida A witness who filmed the arrest was made to delete the video by the soldiers.

Ibrahim Saadi is dragged down the street unconscious by soldiers
Ibrahim Saadi is dragged down the street unconscious by soldiers

By Team Khalil

Fierce clashes in Hebron rage after death of Arafat Jaradat in Israeli detention

24 February 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Hebron, Occupied Palestine

Palestinians protesting last night’s death of Arafat Jaradat while in Israeli administrative detention clashed with Israeli Occupation Forces throughout today in Hebron. Israeli officials claim that Jaradat died in an interrogation centre of a heart attack despite having no health conditions prior to his detention. In a recent court appearance, Jaradat told his lawyer, that “he had serious pains in his back and other parts of his body because he was being beaten up and hanged for many long hours while he was being investigated”. Jaradat was father to a 4 year-old daughter and 2 year-old son and worked as a petrol station attendant;  his widow, Dalal, is currently pregnant.

Teenager shot in thigh with live ammunition now in critical condition
Teenager shot in the thigh with live ammunition and now in critical condition

Centered around the Bab al-Zawiyeh area of central Hebron, soldiers primarily fired rubber-coated steel bullets and stun grenades at around 1500 demonstrators. Skunk water and teargas was also used excessively at times. An alarm to disperse crowds was played at high volume followed by a warning from the ‘American Technology Corporation’. Dozens were injured (including journalists and one ISM volunteer) with ambulances driving back and forth amongst the crowds.
At least three were injured by live ammunition, including one teenager who was shot in the thigh with a live bullet, which were fired at demonstrators throughout the day. He was taken to Ramallah hospital, but was swiftly moved elsewhere as his condition became critical.

Around an hour ago the soldiers announced that they were about to fire live ammunition into the crowds.
The army was clearly expecting a backlash for the death of Jaradat, with soldiers stationed on the rooftops throughout the old city since the early hours of the morning. Less than 500 meters away on Shuhada Street, around two hundred settlers wore fancy dress, drank alcohol and danced on the street in celebration of the Jewish holiday Purim .

Soldiers fire teargas and steel coated rubber bullets at demonstrators
Soldiers fired teargas and rubber-coated steel bullets at demonstrators
Journalist treated for teargas inhalation
A journalist being treated for teargas inhalation
Soldiers fire tear gas and steel coated rubber bullets at demonstrators
Soldiers mixed their use of rubber-coated steel bullets, teargas and live rounds
Skunk water is sprayed to disperse demonstrators
Skunk water was sprayed to disperse demonstrators

Team Khalil