Tag: Illegal occupation

About the legitimisation of the Palestinian oppression in Al Khalil (Hebron)

December 1st | International Solidarity Movement | Al Khalil, occupied Palestine

Last Saturday, November 23rd, was ‘Sarah’s day’, a festivity for the Jewish community that gathers Israeli settlers from all around the occupied Palestinian Territories and Jews travelling from abroad, in the Palestinian city of Al Khalil (also known as Hebron). This year in particular, there has been a special effort by the Hebron Fund to bring as many devotees as possible, who converged in the ‘H2’ zone of Al Khalil, including the old city area and all the surrounding illegal Israeli settlements.

A sign on Shuhada Street, Hebron,

In their daily life, Palestinians’ right of movement in this zone is severely restricted, and at times forbidden. The incoming celebrations worsened, if possible, the situation. In response to the huge influx of settlers and people coming from abroad, military involvement was significantly increased.

The outcome of these three different factors -massive presence of zionists, increased military presence and effective closing down of the area for the Palestinian residents – was a situation in which the incoming crowds were legitimated to do any type of action inside a de-facto ‘amusement-park’, with the complicity of the army, whose effective duty is to control and suppress local people and activists. The situation resembled the conditions under which the first settlement in Hebron was created. In 1968, a group of Israeli zionists reserved hotel rooms in the old city during a Jewish holiday. Their stay evolved into a permanent occupation, protected by Israeli soldiers and endorsed by the Israeli government.

Banner put by zionists during Sarah’s day.

What it was possible to witness from the participants in the Sarah’s day celebrations, seemed to be all the frustration and the rage cumulated during the year, crystallized, materialising into the basest actions, and enabled by an unlimited sense of power. These feelings were exemplified by banners such as “Palestine never existed… and never will” [source: Hebron Fund]. They transformed into overt hostility and aggression against the international activists observing the events. They emerged as physically violent attacks with pepper spray against unarmed Palestinian civilians, including children. This culminated with the stoning of a two-years old sleeping child.

A 2 years old kid stoned by the settlers in Tel Rumeida.


This gathering of zionists seems to flush out all the frustration due to the incompleteness of the apartheid process: the Palestinians in Al Khalil are guilty of not being fully subjugated by the racist policies of the state of Israel, and such a gathering is a good opportunity to remind them of the hierarchy that is supposed to be in place.

In view of all this, several questions are raised.
First of all, of course, why? Why such a rage and such a violent spirit? Does Israel not have enough? Illegally occupying a vast majority of Palestinian land seems not to be sufficient. The real occupation and the true oppression is carried out through the routine and persistent humiliation of Palestinians, and the feeling of impotence with which local people are left after every attack. However, it does not take much time for the Palestinians to resume their usual spirit of resistance. Their resilience is stronger than the fascist soul of a bunch of extremist settlers.

Secondly, what is the role of the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) present there? On
Friday afternoon, a group of almost 150 settlers attacked a barber shop on the way to the Kyriat Arba illegal settlement, assaulting the five people inside with pepper spray, wood and furniture. All around, a huge presence of IOF soldiers; did they stop this fascist aggression?

A couple of hours later, a 12 years old child was attacked by a group of settlers, spraying him with pepper spray and kicking him whilst on the ground. Nearby soldiers were stationed at an observation tower 50 meters away; did the soldiers intervene?

A 12 years old Palestinian kid gased and then kicked by the settlers.

In both cases the soldiers did not stop the violence. They observed, and they waited. They waited and watched while the illegal settlers vented their hatred against the Palestinians. At what expense?

A further, even more extreme example, took place on Saturday afternoon. The family of a Palestinian activist living in the Tel Rumeida neighbour (within the ‘H2’ zone) was gathered together in their home, when a group of settlers climbed on the roof and entered their garden. After shouting verbal abuse, the settlers began to throw stones at the house, the family came outside trying, in vain, to convince them to go away. One of the stones passed, not by chance, through a window and hit the two year old nephew of the activist, who was sleeping inside. The soldiers were on the rooftop, “containing” (i.e. observing) the settlers. A Palestinian ambulance could not reach Tel Rumeida: Palestinians are forbidden to drive inside ‘H2’. The only way for the family of the injured child to get him to safety and medical treatment, was to hold him and run, through the throngs of yelling settlers, towards the closest checkpoint. Then they could only hope for the medics to be able to pass the control and take the child. There are at least two past examples this not being possible. In one case, the victim died waiting at the checkpoint. On this occasion, mercifully the child could reach the ambulance, and the medical staff were able to take him to the waiting ambulance.

Palestinian medical staff trying to pass the check point 56 in order to enter Shuada street.


Hence it seems clear that the role of the IOF is not to prevent clashes. Not even to defend the Israelis. Their role is to indulge the settlers, whatever the price to pay for the others. In their amusement-park there is no place for disrupters, such as activists, adult and child Palestinians, who are systematically and brutally repressed.


IOF during Sarah’s day.

In the end, what should Palestinians do in order not just to be spectators of their own everlasting humiliation? The answer is more complicated than ever. As time passes by, the imbalance of power shifts further away from them, as the recent US declaration highlights. Active resistance is undermined by both the continued oppression of the Israeli police and the internal conflicts within the Palestinians factions. The presence of international activists helps in documenting the constant violations of basic rights, but is certainly not enough to change the inertia of the dynamics. While hope for change by pure political means weakens, space is created for more radical, and sometimes more appealing, answers based on the juxtaposition of Islamist ideas to the zionist arguments. The international powers, focused on the pure capitalistic interest of maintaining good relationships with Israel as an ally, are responsible for this radicalisation. They, and all those who turn a blind eye to the injustices happening here lose the right to judge the Palestinian means of resistance, in the face of an oppression in which they are accomplices.

Palestinian protestors march to the apartheid wall to confront Israeli occupation in Nil’in

23/03/2018 International Solidarity Movement, Occupied Palestine

This Friday afternoon Palestinians gathered in the olive groves in the West
Bank town of Nil’in before marching to the apartheid wall to confront the
Israeli occupation.

At dawn on the 23rd of May 2004 a Palestinian farmer walked towards his
fields in Nil’in but was met with the sight of Israeli bulldozers uprooting
and clearing away olive trees. It is worth noting, that olive trees are an
important part of a Palestinian farmer’s income. The population of Nil’in
immediately started mobilizing in resistance against Israeli plans to seize
and destroy the land resulting in 2500 dunums being returned back.
Palestinian residents of Nil’in have been protesting non violently every
Friday since Israeli forces began the construction of the illegal apartheid
wall in 2008. The wall was built directly through the agricultural land of
Nil’in, preventing Palestinian farmers from access. The apartheid wall has
helped to facilitate the theft of 4000 dunum’s of Palestinian land, where
the illegal settlement of Hashmona’im now stands.

Protestors march towards the illegal apartheid wall.

Today after Palestinians had finished Friday prayers they marched towards
the apartheid wall. Israeli activists and International activists were also
present for the demonstration – it was an extremely hot day. Palestinian
youth proceeded to light a fire beside the apartheid wall before throwing
stones.

Friday prayers before the protest

An Israeli activist was shouting through a megaphone in Hebrew addressing
the Israeli forces in an attempt to demoralize them. International
Solidarity Activists asked what the Israeli activist was saying in Hebrew
and he told us that every time there is a new brigade of soldiers the
commander tells them why they are here, to protect the settlers and
‘defend’ Israel from the terrorists, meaning Palestinians. The Israeli
activist said that he was telling them that they are not protecting Israel
being stationed here inside the West Bank beyond the 1949 green armistice
agreement line. He also said that oppressing and using collective
punishment on Palestinians is a violation of Judaism and that settlers
living in the illegal settlement, were also violating Judaism living on
stolen Palestinian land.

An Israeli activist addresses the Israeli forces.

Although the soldiers came in their jeep behind the wall they did not come
through the gate to use weapons of violence against the protestors, which
is very unusual. After the protestors made their stand against the
occupation they returned back to the town. However Israeli forces have been
known to systematically target non violent protestors in Nil’in with the
use of tear gas, stun grenades, live ammunition, and collective punishment
against the Palestinian population of Nil’in.

Protestors at the illegal apartheid wall.

International solidarity activists sat down before today’s protest
underneath an olive tree with Hassan Moussa, who is the principal of the
elementary boy’s school in Nil’in.

Hassan Moussa stated that ” During the building of the apartheid wall in
2008 to 2009 Five Palestinians were killed in 12 months by the Israeli
forces. The first Martyr was Hassan Moussa’s nephew Ahmed Mousa, just 10
years old, and was shot in the back of the head with live ammunition”.
“When Palestinians went to bury Ahmed Moussa the next day, Israeli forces
attacked the residents of Nil’in critically injuring a Palestinian man
after firing three rubber coated steel bullets at his head within close
range. After three days of being in a coma the Palestinian later died of
his wounds”.

A Palestinian protestor looks over the land belonging to Bi’ilin and the illegal settlement of Hashmona’im.

Hassan Moussa then went on to say that “the only solution we have is to
remain steadfast and to keep raising our voices against this illegal
occupation”.

“We don’t want more violence or more blood spilled – we want peace”.

Remembering Mohammed Abu Khdeir two years after his brutal murder

2nd July 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Occupied Palestine

Today marks the two year anniversary of the brutal kidnap, torture and eventual murder of 16-year-old Palestinian Mohammed Abu Khdeir. The teenager was kidnapped in the Shufat neighbourhood of occupied Jerusalem by Ben David of the illegal settlement Geva Binyamin and two assailants on 2 July 2014, Abu Khdeir was then beaten, forced to drink gasoline and burnt alive.

The autopsy found that gasoline was poured down Abu Khdeir’s throat and that there was soot in his lungs which shows that he was still breathing as this attackers burnt him alive. The autopsy also found that he was repeatedly beaten over the head with a sharp object, most likely a tire iron or a wrench.

Two days prior to Abu Khdeir’s abduction the group attempted to kidnap a 7-year-old boy Moussa Zaloum although he was able to escape with the help of his mother. The family reported the attempted kidnapping to Israeli police although they did not investigate the incident.

Three days after the attack, Mohammed’s cousin, 15-year-old American citizen Tariq Abu Khdeir was detained and brutally beaten by Israeli border police, an event caught on camera, before being released.

Earlier this year, a relative of Mohammed Abu Khdeir, 63 year old Coheir Abu Khdeir was also badly assaulted in an attack carried out in Shufat. When his family went to Israeli police they refused to take their complaint insisting that the 63-year-old would have to come to the police station himself.

On 2 July 2015 there was a peaceful demonstration held in commemoration for Mohammed Abu Khdeir which was violently dispersed by Israeli Forces. The Israeli Forces used pepper spray and tear gas on the non-violent demonstrators which included Palestinians, international activists and journalists.

Earlier this year, the ringleader of the attack Ben David was sentenced to life in prison and an additional 20 years while his two assailants, both minors at the time, were sentenced to life in prison and 21 years respectively.

Two years on we wish to remember Mohammed Abu Khdeir to ensure we don’t forget the tragedy of this brutal act of torture and murder.

5th Annual BDS Conference Held in Ramallah

9th of April 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah team | West Bank, occupied Palestine

Held on the 68th anniversary of the Deir-Yassin massacre, the fifth annual BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanction) Conference took place in Ramallah. The event featured a keynote address from Ahmed Kathrada – an icon of the South African Anti-Apartheid movement and former political prisoner. The conference was taking place in the tenth year of non-violent resistance by the BDS movement.

The day was extremely well attended, in spite of recent statements by Israeli Intelligence Minister Israel Katz, that euphemistically encouraged assassination attempts against BDS Activists by calling for: “civil targeted killings.” This aggressive attitude was demonstrated in Israel’s attempts to deny and/or obstruct travel to the conference for Palestinians living inside the 1948 borders of Israel and from the West Bank in general. This resulted in coaches of attendees from Jerusalem being delayed and some being denied access.

Mr. Kathrada’s keynote address concerned the mirroring of aspects of the struggle against Apartheid in South Africa and the current struggle by Palestinians against the illegal Israeli occupation: “[The Palestinian experience] is similar to the experience of black South Africans under Apartheid. However, in some ways the violence of Israel’s occupation is even worse than that which South Africans had to contend with.”

Mr. Kathrada went on to describe his 26 years and 3 months in prison, 18 years of which were spent on Robben Island. He drew an audible response of sadness and disbelief when comparing his own experience and that of Palestinians, as he observed that he was, “convinced that Palestinian political prisoners under Israel’s Apartheid policies have it worse.”

In addition to the keynote speaker, other speakers at the event were split between between those linking BDS to the “Globalised Nonviolent Struggle for Justice and Rights” and speakers on “Spreading the BDS anti-Normalisation Culture Among Palestinian Communities in the Homeland and Exile”.

Notably at the conference, Dr. Wassel Abu-Yousef, speaking on behalf of the PLO Executive Committee said: “the PLO has taken into consideration the importance of having a relationship with the BDS movement at all levels.” This demonstrates a committment in the wider Palestinian political community to the policy of non-violent resistance as espoused by the BDS movement.

This peaceful commitment stands in contrast, however, to the arguments put forward at the anti-BDS conference in Jerusalem last month, where various pro-Zionist figures put forward their agenda against BDS. That conference included Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan inexplicably linking BDS to jihadism and Islamic terrorism.

Speeches on the day in Ramallah, however, (both live and pre-recorded), far from calling for jihad, were secular, peaceful and informative in their detailing indivdual groups committment to BDS.

Representatives of a wide variety of groups spoke, demonstrating their community’s links to the BDS movement. These included speakers from BDS in Jerusalem and Gaza (the latter prevented from travelling by Israeli blockade and delivering a report via pre-recorded message); those representing Palestinian women’s groups – Women’s Campaign for Boycotting Israeli Products and the General Union of Palestinian Women – political prisoners, media, schools, trade unions and refugees. As well as local campaigners, international groups provided updates on their BDS campaigns from the USA (specifically in relation to progressive American Jews) South America, Egypt and the EU.

The conference concluded with an address by Omar Barghouti – co-founder of BDS – and a conference-wide discussion on the future of the movement.

For more information on BDS and to learn how you can get involved visit: https://bdsmovement.net