Tag: International law - Page 10 - International Solidarity Movement

Two nights in Umm al-Kheir: a journal

5th September 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Umm al-Kheir, south Hebron, occupied Palestine

Spent the last two days at Umm Al Khair, a Bedouin village in the South Hebron Hills enjoying the wonderful hospitality, generosity, and loving kindness. This was not my first trip there. And as much as I hate to say it, as with most things in Palestine, things are so much worse than my last visit. The illegal colonial settlement of Carmel belonging to the entity called israel surrounds the village on almost every side. Some of the tents and housing units are less than 20 feet from the “security” fence. Housing units in the illegal settlement have increased and more are being built with plans to take more of the land owned by the village to continue expansion.

Some of the newest settler homes in Carmel

The villagers sit day after day waiting for the illegal occupation soldiers to come with their bulldozers to demolish more of their housing. People speak openly about their discouragement for their future but still stand steadfast that they will not be moved or defeated. Our tent was one of those closest to the Fence and for two nights we sat up most of the night while zionists threw stones and rocks over the fence at the tent at anything that appeared to move. The village leader says the violence is increasing all of the time and fears that one of these night something much worse than rocks will be thrown. Fortunately no one was hurt (physically) the past two nights but there was little to no sleep for us or any of the men of the village who sat up keeping and open eye and ear to try to spot the thugs doing this. The commotion would wake up many of the villagers and you could hear the crying of many frightened small children throughout the night.

The “security” fence less than 20 feet from the tent

This is an every night occurrence and everyone is exhausted, all of the time, and can only catch a few hours of sleep after sunrise. Phone calls to the police of the entity called israel Police as well as the Palestinian Authority Police are a waste of time. No one will respond to the calls for help to make the settler violence stop. Many internationals, such as ourselves go for a few nights (when we have the people to do so) to help with a protective presence but it doesn’t stop the ever increasing settler violence. The Bedouins are very peaceful people and are committed to nonviolence but they are called the terrorists by the zionists, and most of the zionist supporting governments of the world (such as the United States). More International presence is needed and more of the world needs to know the truth.

Right to education severely impeded for Qurtuba school students

29th August 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

Israeli forces in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron) are severely restricting, for the second day in a row, the freedom of movement for Palestinian students and teachers at Qurtuba school. Whereas on Monday students and teachers were detained by Israeli forces for almost half an hour before being allowed to continue on their way home after the school day, the following day Israeli forces prevented the students from bringing essential school materials and denying them, again, to pass the checkpoint.

Palestinian students detained at staircase leading to Shuhada Street when leaving Qurtuba school on Monday

Qurtuba school is located in the H2-area of occupied al-Khalil, under full Israeli military control. In order to reach Qurtuba school, all students and teachers are forced to pass at least one, sometimes two, or even three Israeli military checkpoints within Palestinian neighborhoods. The majority of the students and teachers accesses the school through a set of stairs at Daboya checkpoint. This checkpoint marks for Palestinians the spot where Shuhada Street has been ethnically cleansed of Palestinians, an undergoing policy which continuously forbids them from this point further down the road – the part of Shuhada Street where the illegal Israeli settlements in the heart of the city are located. At Daboya checkpoint, thus, the only possible direction for Palestinians is to go up the stairs, which lead to Qurtuba school.

At the end of 2015 though, right after the whole area of Tel Rumeida including Shuhada Street has been declared a ‘closed military zone’ by the Israelis, limiting the access to registered (that is, numbered Palestinians), the access to the staircase has been closed for use by Palestinians, whereas settlers are free to use the stairs as they please. The only exception to this closure is Qurtuba school’s students and teachers twice a day: in the morning at the start of the school day, and in the afternoon once school finishes – at least, in theory. Several times students and teachers have been denied passage or detained for hours at this spot.

This setting alone creates an atmosphere not especially conducive to learning, with the constant uncertainty of what will happen: whether you will be checked, searched, detained or arrested at a checkpoint on the way to school or home, whether your teachers will get to school or settlers might attack you on the way or inside the school, in what becomes a vital part of the (psychological) occupation of the Palestinian civilians living in this area. On Monday, 28th August, the students were detained with their teachers after the end of the school day, waiting at the top of the staircase for the soldiers to finally decide to allow them to reach their homes. On Tuesday, when students wanted to bring school books, they were again detained by the soldiers at the top of the stairs, while down on Shuhada Street, infamous and aggressive settlers Anat Cohen (ענת כהן) and Ofer Yohana (עופר אוחנה) gathered to watch the show of power by the Israeli forces. Eventually, the soldiers denied children the possibility of carrying their school materials altogether, and the children went back to their classes without books.

Palestinian students detained and eventually denied to bring school materials by Israeliforces on Tuesday

These actions constitute severe infringements on the Palestinian students basic human right to education, and are deliberate attempts at the quiet transfer of the Palestinian community from the whole area. Israeli forces are creating a coercive environment in order to leave no other option for Palestinians to leave the area and thus create an already connected area of illegal settlements – free of any Palestinian presence.

Israeli forces arrest 3 children, and harass Palestinians in occupied Hebron 2nd day in a row

24th August 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

Israeli soldiers, for the second day in a row, invaded the old town in Hebron (al-Khalil), arresting four people. The occupation forces blocked the main road for 4 hours restricting the movement of the Palestinians. The Israeli forces used stun grenades to control the crowd.

Israeli forces restricting the movement of Palestinians

Around 9 am a group of soldiers went into the streets of the old town in Hebron. They arrested one man, and brought him to the military base. At the same time, the forces blocked the main market road, restricting people from moving between the market and their homes. This has impact on the trade based economy in the old town, where the shopkeepers are already in economic hardship, due to the Israeli occupation and, amongst others, the enforced movement restrictions.

Israeli forces throwing stun grenades at Palestinians

Around 11.45 am the Israeli soldiers withdrew into the military base, except for one military unit, who patrolled the area. Around 3 pm the Israeli forces returned to their previous position in the old town, and blocked the road yet another time, this time arresting 3 children. 2 boys aged 13 and 14, and one boy aged 7. The father of the 7-year-old, intervened and managed to get his son free whereas the other two children were taken by the soldiers without their parents or guardians presence. The details about were the two other arrested children were brought, are still unclear. Around 3.30 pm, the occupation forces violently dispersed the crowd by throwing a stun grenade towards a group of Palestinians, including children and elderly, and afterwards retreating to their military base.

Update: Umm Al-Kheir: soldier attacks elderly man

23rd August 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil-team | Umm Al-Kheir, occupied Palestine

In the demolition threatened village, Umm Al-Kheir, in the south Hebron Hills, a military truck of the occupation forces arrived in the village to check buildings for potential demolitions. Suliman Eid Hathaleen, a 70-year old resident tried to stop them, but was violently forced to move aside by an Israeli soldier.

Israeli soldier violently forced a resident from Umm Al-Kheir to the side of the road

Suliman was roughly pushed and was thus injured by the soldier. But this is sadly not the first time that the old man was harassed by the occupation forces.

The bruises left on the residents arm, after the Israeli soldier pushed him away violently

An ISM team was at the village to stand in solidarity with the residents of Umm Al-Kheir and filmed the attack .

The resident from Umm Al-Kheir protesting against the demolition threat

Photo credits to the Bedouins of Umm Al-Kheir.

Three children arrested in occupied Hebron

23rd August 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

Three underage boys, 2 aged 13 and 1 aged 14, were arrested today in occupied Hebron (al-Khalil), the soldiers accusing them of throwing stones. Up to 40 soldiers went out of their military base in Bab al-Baladdbiya, and raided several houses searching alleged suspects.

Israeli soldiers raiding homes and arresting three underage boys

Israeli occupation forces arresting 3 children

After arresting the three children and bringing them to the military base, the heavy armed military presence stayed in the old town and raided several houses, ID-checking young male Palestinians and blocked the main market street, preventing residents from reaching their houses.

Israeli soldiers blocking the streets, and denying Palestinians access to the streets

The occupation forces violently controlled the crowed by shooting teargas into the crowd, and throwing stun grenades.