Tag: Injury - Page 2 - International Solidarity Movement

Demonstrators face military violence for protesting Israeli President Rivlin’s visit

5th February 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil Team | Hebron, Occupied Palestine

On Monday, February 2^nd, Palestinian demonstrators faced military violence at the hands of Israeli forces in occupied Al-Khalil (Hebron). Protesters gathered in Bab Al-Zawiye, on the H1 (Palestinian administered) side of Shuhada checkpoint, to denounce Israeli president Reuven Rivlin’s visit to the illegal Israeli settlement of Beit Hadassah. Israeli sodliers and border police fired rounds of tear gas and numerous stun grenades, injuring at least two protesters.

The demonstration was organised by local Palestinian organisation Youth Against Settlements against the visit of the Israeli president to the settlement, which is illegal under international law and serves as a frequent source of oppression and violence against local Palestinians. Palestinians claimed their own rights, trampled by the military occupation, in the face of the visit’s attempt to legitimate the settler colonisation. Some signs called for opening the once vibrant and now closed Shuhada street, some for an end to the illegal settlements, some for President Rivlin to be brought before the International Criminal Court.

Around fifty Palestinians began the demonstration outside of Shuhada Checkpoint, holding signs and banners and hanging Palestinian flags on the fence. Israeli forces stopped them from passing through the checkpoint, preventing them from protesting on Shuhada street, near where the president was due to speak. As protesters continued to demonstrate, holding signs, waving flags and chanting for an end to occupation, a group of Israeli soldiers and border police exited the checkpoint and pushed protesters further back. Soldiers also occupied the roofs overlooking Bab Al-Zawiye “I just heard a soldier on a roof say ‘okay, enough’ and five minutes later they started throwing stun grenades and tear gas,” stated an ISM activist. “It was extremely sudden, and very scary.”

Israeli forces targetted Palestinian activists and organizers, hitting many in the legs with stun grenades and tear gas grenades. One man was hit directly with a stun grenade, which detonated right by his leg. “He screamed and fell down, rolling on the ground” one ISM activist recalled. Another man was also hit in the head with a stun grenade after the Israeli forces continued to use potentially lethal force against unarmed Palestinian protesters.

Demonstrators then attempted to continue the protest into the souq (Al-Khalil’s Old City market), but Israeli forces threatened them with stun grenades and prevented them from advancing. The protesters decided to go back after the army launched one stun grenade directly into the group of demonstrators. The protest eventually dispersed in Bab Al-Zawiye, after being targetted by a few more rounds of tear gas grenades.

UPDATED: 18-year-old Palestinian and ISM volunteer both shot in the chest with .22 live ammunition

28th November 2014 | International Solidarity Movement | Kufr Qaddum, Occupied Palestine

Update 12th December:

The Italian activist know as Patrick is returning today to demonstrate in Kufr Qaddum.

Patrick at Kufr Qaddum shortly before he was shot.

Last Friday, while Patrick was still hospitalised, the residents of Kufr Qaddum flew Palestinian and Italian flags in solidarity.

Photo from Kufr Qaddum facebook page: http://tinyurl.com/olqb4sk

Patrick required surgery to remove the bullet from his chest and was released from hospital several days ago. Since his release, he attended an olive tree planting demonstration at Turmusaya on the 10th of December where Palestinian Authority Minister Ziad Abu Ein was killed by an Israeli soldier.

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During the weekly Kufr Qaddum protest today, an 18-year-old Palestinian demonstrator, and an ISM volunteer, were both shot in the chest with .22 live ammunition.

Olmo receiving treatment from paramedics in the ambulance on the way to hospital. — Patrick receiving treatment from paramedics in the ambulance on the way to hospital.

The Italian activist, known as Patrick, was wearing a yellow high visibility jacket when he was shot.

11 Palestinian demonstrators were wounded at the Kufr Qaddum protest. 18-year-old Sami Jumma was shot twice with live ammunition, once in the hand and once in the chest. He required surgery and is now in a stable condition. The remaining 10 injured protesters were shot with rubber-coated steel bullets and four required hospital treatment. One of whom was a 10-year-old child, although all four have now been discharged.

“We were standing with a group of Palestinian demonstrators when Patrick was shot. The military had fired three rounds of tear gas, and then a shot rang out an Patrick stumbled back. There was between five and ten minutes from the last tear gas canister fired and the bullet that shot Patrick. He was just standing there, peacefully protesting, wearing a hi-viz jacket, he wasn’t doing anything and they just decided to shoot him.” Stated an ISM activist present at Kufr Qaddum.

Patrick is currently stable, the bullet entered through his chest and it is now lodged in his chest cavity, he remains in hospital under observation.

In 2003, Israeli forces closed the road connecting Kufr Qaddum with the city of Nablus, and since then at least three people have died due to the increased travel time to the closest hospital. A journey that used to take 10 minutes now takes over 30. In 2011, Kufr Qaddum began their weekly demonstrations.

Ally Cohen, ISM media coordinator said, “The bullet entered Patrick’s chest near a main blood vessel, but thankfully did not puncture it. If God forbid it had, the lengthened journey to the hospital because of the closed road could have cost Patrick his life.”

ISM activist shot in the head with rubber-coated steel bullet

2nd November 2014 | International Solidarity Movement | Ramallah, Occupied Palestine

Today during a protest at Qalandia checkpoint, an Italian ISM volunteer was shot in the head with a rubber-coated steel bullet.

The injury is just two centimetres above her left eye.

Giulia, the ISMer, stated, “I was just standing on the side of a street, and the military was firing tear gas at the protesters. I was photographing the army when I felt the bullets strike me, one in the head, and another in my leg, and then all I could see was blood.”

At least one other Palestinian teen was hospitalized after being shot with a rubber-coated steel bullet.

Giulia was immediately transferred to Ramallah Hospital for medical treatment, requiring stitches for her injury.

Approximately 100 people attended the demonstration, where Israeli forces fired stun grenades, tear gas canisters, and rubber-coated steel bullets.

The protest was called today to commemorate the 97^th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration.

Israel army cuts electricity to Kufr Qaddum, six villagers dependant on oxygen machines evacuated to hospital

14th September 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Kufr Qaddum, Occupied Palestine

Kufr Qaddum was without the electricity since 11pm on Thursday night. Six villagers who are dependant on oxygen machines have been evacuated to the nearby hospital in Nablus. The following morning, at the Friday village demonstration, a young man was hit in the head by a gas canister and was taken to the hospital as well.

Boys and men of Kufr Qadum set out to the weekly Friday demonstration. (Photo by ISM)

The deliberate power cut was an added rage to the weekly Friday demonstration in Kufr Qaddum. A resident explained that the village electricity comes form the illegal Qedumim settlement and that “somebody decided to press the button and cut the supply to the whole village.”

Since 2011, villagers from Kufr Qaddum demonstrate each Friday against the Israeli military. The village of Kufr Qaddum has had much land stolen by the nearby illegal settlement of Qedumim and in 2003 the main road connecting Kufr Qaddum to city of Nablus was closed to Palestinians. “Protests would not stop until the main Kufr Qaddum road, currently usurped by the illegal Qedumim settlers, is returned to us,” the resident added.

The military bulldozer was already at work attempting to clear the rocks demonstrators had placed on the road to prevent the army vehicles from entering the village. As the demonstrators attempted to repel the bulldozer, a group of soldiers tried to keep the protestors away from the bulldozer with continuous barrage of tear gas, frequently fired directly at the protestors, a practice which is against the army’s own regulations, as it turns the “less-lethal” crowd dispersal means into a small rocket.

Early on in the demonstration, a young man was hit in the head by a tar gas canister and was taken to the hospital where he was treated and later released. The army withdrew at around 3pm.

Three people detained and several people injured during demonstration in Nabi Saleh

8th December 2013 | International Solidarity Movement | Nabi Saleh, Occupied Palestine

Yesterday, the village of Nabi Saleh held an event to commemorate the deaths of Mostafa and Rushdi Tamimi. It is the second year anniversary of the death of Mostafa who was killed during a demonstration. The 7th of December also marks 26 years since the beginning of the first intifada.

In addition to the weekly Friday demonstrations that are held throughout the West Bank, the popular committees also started having events on Saturdays, which will be followed by a demonstration in one village once a month. Yesterday in Nabi Saleh was the first of these events.Hundreds of people came together in the village square, where speeches and performances were held.The event ended with a dance performed by the youth. After that several hundred people marched to the army tower at the entrance of Nabi Saleh. Before even reaching the tower the army shot lots of tear gas canisters at the approaching protesters. Even though many people suffered from heavy tear gas inhalation, it did not prevent them from trying to get to the tower again. Demonstrators successfully reached the yellow gate which blocks access to the village from one side; several people went in front of it. The soldiers initially detained three people; one Palestinian, one Israeli and one international. They were all released after a short while. The soldiers made several further attempts to arrest Palestinians and internationals, all of which were prevented by the protesters.

Demonstration in Nabi Saleh, 7th December 2013
Photo by Thomas Severe

Israeli army is trying to arrest demonstrators, which was successfully prevented.
Photo by Thomas Severe

Meanwhile, Palestinian youth were throwing stones at soldiers and jeeps in the field, who responded with tear gas and rubber coated steel bullets. Mustafa Tamimi’s brother was shot in face, resulting in the breaking of his jaw.

Youth are throwing stones at the soldiers and the police.
Photo by Thomas Severe

The group in front of the yellow gate moved on together, blocking the army jeeps which were exiting the village.After protesters were forcefully removed they tried to reach the spring, which has been stolen by the settlers from the nearby illegal Settlement of Halamish.The army prevented this by attacking the protesters with more tear gas and rubber coated steel bullets. Soldiers were pushing them back into the village where the demonstration ended. The whole event lasted for about five hours, with one person being hospitalized and many others injured.