6th August 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, Huwwara team | Kafr Qaddum, occupied Palestine
On Friday 4th of August residents of Kafr Quaddum held their weekly demonstration against the closure of a road, once the main transport route from the community to Nablus. The weekly Friday demonstrations began on 1st July 2011.
Palestinians march in Kafr Qaddum during last Friday’s protest
The closing of the road was justified as a security measure for the nearby illegal settlement of Kedumim, and has led to residents of Kafr Quaddum having to use a significantly longer route to Nablus, and the surrounding area.
Last friday’s demonstration started around 1 PM, with local residents, joined by Israeli and International activists, marching through the village.They were met by Israeli soldiers who used tear gas, sound bombs and rubber-coated steel bullets to suppress the crowd. The demonstration was pushed back from several directions, with Israeli forces raiding the house of local resident Jamal Jumaa, and using it as a strategic point from which to disperse the protesters.
Kafr Qaddum residents have been protesting the closure of a main road since 2011
Despite the use of excessive violence by Israeli forces, no one was injured during the three hour demonstration.
Drones were also deployed in order to surveil residents participating in the protest, so as to identify targets for arrest.
Israeli forces repressed the demonstration and raided the house of Jamal Jumaa, a local resident
In the six years since the weekly demonstrations began, locals report that 85 Palestinians have been shot with live ammunition, with a further 170 people arrested.
6th August 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine
On Tuesday 25th of July some 50 Israeli settlers illegally occupied a Palestinian house in illegal occupied Al-Khalil (Hebron) in H2 in an attempt to take control of the house. The settlers have stayed in the Palestinian building for six days, protected by the Israeli police, who should have instead evicted the settlers due to the unclear legal status of the building. Due to the settler presence, the Palestinian families living in the building complex are limited in their movement both by the settlers and Israeli forces and are disturbed by the settlers chanting and dancing on the courtyard.
Settlers illegally occupy parts of a Palestinian house in occupied Al-Khalil.
The settlers and their children raided the house around 4:30 pm on Tuesday afternoon and opened the door by force. The Israeli army claims that they arrived at the scene after the settlers raided the house, but one Palestinian family living in the building confirmed that the Israeli army was already present when the settlers raided the house. The family opened the door in the hope that the Israeli forces would protect them, but instead they allowed the settlers passage. After breaking in the settlers were celebrating loudly in front of the building until midnight.
Israeli settlers gathering and chanting loudly in front of the house they illegally occupied.
The following morning the situation was still going on and there were more Israeli police and army present. Also different media came to the site, but were not allowed to enter the house. A journalist tried to enter the house after getting invited by the family of Abu Rajab, to document the situation and interview the family but the police prohibited him violently from entering, intimidating the host and his family. On the same Wednesday morning, a Palestinian man living in the house was assaulted by the settlers as he was trying to enter his house. In the evening the scene was dominated by a huge group of young settlers chanting, dancing and shouting at passers-by guarded by heavily armed border police. Also a settler, known for his violence, was seen talking familiarly to the army forces and harassing Palestinian media representatives.
Israeli settlers showing aggression towards residents of the house as well as journalists.Palestinian man living in the house was assaulted by the Israeli settlers as he was trying to enter his house.
This was not the first time that something like this has happened in the same building. In 2012 the settlers tried to take over the same house, but the civil administration decided that the settlers did not have enough evidence for their claim of ownership over the property. The families were removed from the house then and have been trying to dispute the case in court ever since. The Palestinian owners deny ever selling the property and accuse the settlers of forging documents to steal the house from them.
Israeli police present at site, but not evicting the settlers illegally occupying the house.
It may be no coincidence that the illegal occupation of the house comes during the tensions surrounding the restrictive Israeli measures at Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. It seems the settlers are using the momentum now to disregard the law and take the house when everyone is looking at Jerusalem. It has already been 12 days that the Israeli police has allowed the continuation of the illegal occupation.
Israeli settlers on the courtyard of the house – a view from the window of a Palestinian family living in the house.
30th July 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, Al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine
An Al-Aqsa solidarity march organized this Friday in occupied Hebron was heavily repressed by Israeli Forces. Soldiers and border police fired stun grenades, teargas, putrid-smelling “skunk” water, rubber-coated steel bullets and live ammunition at demonstrators, injuring many. Several young protesters were also beaten and detained.
Palestinians demonstrate in Bab al-Zawiya, central al-Khalil (Hebron)
The Al-Aqsa solidarity march started from the Al-Hussein Mosque and continued on Ain Sarah street towards Bab Al-Zawiya towards Israeli controlled H2. Even before the march reached Bab Al-Zawiya, an Israeli video drone was seen flying above the scene and soldiers were getting ready on the other side of Shuhada checkpoint to face the demonstrators. The march reached Bab Al-Zawiya around 1:30 pm, at which point the Israeli forces came out through Shuhada checkpoint, which separates Palestinians from Shuhada street, and forcing some of the demonstrators ran to Wad al-Tofah Street, while others withdrew to the adjacent Ain Sarah street.
Border police reach stalemate with demonstrators on Wad al-Tofah street
Israeli forces followed the demonstrators down Wad al-Tofah street, firing rubber coated steel bullets indiscriminately at young boys and men. A skunk truck also drove down Ain Sarah and sprayed chemically treated skunk water on houses of uninvolved Palestinian civilians. A standoff ensued in which demonstrators lit tires on fire and a young boy was shot in the leg with live ammunition, before being quickly taken to hospital. Israeli forces eventually withdrew from the scene. These areas are located in the H1 area, supposedly under full Palestinian control.
Palestinian rushed to hospital after being shot by Israeli forces
The demonstrators moved up Ain Sarah, and once the protest seem to calm down the Israeli forces started shooting at demonstrators. At this point two more Palestinians were shot and injured. Israeli police and soldiers drove further along Ain Sarah, got out and started chasing the demonstrators. At 14:46 they detained a minor who, after being pulled down, was beaten down on his head and kicked on his back. Protesters withdrew down Ain Sarah, pursued by police and soldiers firing rubber-coated steel bullets and showers of teargas.
Teenager arrested after having been beaten by Israeli forces
As the soldiers seemed to withdraw towards the Bab al-Zawiya area again, the demonstrators followed them and some started to throw stones and light up tires. The Israeli forces promptly responded with stun grenades, tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets. The Israeli soldiers also broke into a shop in Bab Al-Zawiya, leaving an explicit note. After violently detaining a 15-year-old boy, they took him into the building, blindfolded him and then transferred him through Shuhada checkpoint. After this, the army returned again to attack the demonstrators.
Note left by Israeli soldiers in a shop that they had broken into in Bab al-Zawiya. The Hebrew states ‘Israel lives’.
One of the following attacks forced the group of young men and teenagers up the hill north of the entrance of the vegetable market. Soldiers positioned on the roof of the nearby building threw teargas and stun grenades towards the demonstrators. With around 50 border policemen in the back and support from a sniper lying at the entrance of the street, a troop of 12 soldiers went up the hill, trying unsuccessfully to break into a building. They proceeded to throw teargas and stun grenades at a group of four activists who were taking photos nearby. At the intersection at the end of the road protestors were showered in teargas and the crowd dispersed. Amidst the teagas fog a teenager, thought to be around 14 to 16 years old was shot, presumably by the sniper down the road, and was evacuated in the car of a passerby. After this incident the soldiers went back down and disappeared from Bab Al-Zawiya.
Israeli sniper takes aim at young demonstrators
The clashes lasted altogether around four and a half hours during which the Israeli forces displayed unnecessary and excessive violence not only towards demonstrators, but also towards the media. The army seemed out of control, breaking into Palestinian offices in Bab Al-Zawiya, demonstrating violence and intimidating journalists, targeting children and beating up demonstrators who were already detained, and not resisting arrest.
Soldier attempts to arrest Palestinian child after having violently assaulted him
The demonstration was in solidarity with the demonstrations in Jerusalem against the new access restrictions introduced by Israel at the Al-Aqsa compound. The Palestinian community had earlier called for a ‘day of rage’ in response to the restrictions, which Israel described as ‘security measures’.
Palestinian boy holds flag amidst the chaos on Ain Sarah street, al-Khalil
Thousands of Palestinians took to the streets of al-Khalil this Friday to protest Israel’s tightening of access restrictions to Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa mosque. The protest was suppressed violently by scores of Israeli soldiers and police, who fired live ammunition indiscriminately into crowds of young men and boys.
Thousands march in Hebron against access restrictions at al-Aqsa mosque
At least 10 Palestinians were wounded with live ammunition, including one young man shot in the stomach, and another near the heart. Many more were wounded by rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas, with hospitals and ambulances struggling to hope. The situation was made worse by Israeli forces storming the nearby hospital once, and twice occupying its entrances.
Hussein Ben Ali stadium, capacity 30,000, overflows with worshippers
The demonstration followed the closure of Hebron’s mosques in solidarity with those unable to worship at al-Aqsa. Instead, worshippers prayed at Hussein Bin Ali stadium before marching down Ain Sarah street towards Bab al-Zawiye.
Demonstrators assemble in Bab al-Zawiya, before being dispersed by tear gas and sound grenades
Once the march reached the market, some children began throwing stones and fireworks at the gate of Checkpoint 56, which separates Palestinians from Shuhada street.
Israeli forces push up Ain Sarah street
Soldiers responded by storming out of the checkpoint, firing tear gas and throwing sound grenades. Hundreds of demonstrators retreated back up Ain Sarah street as soldiers regrouped in the square with various armoured vehicles. The soldiers then pushed up towards al-Manarah roundabout, meeting a crowd of young men and boys. Soldiers responded to stones with live ammunition, immediately hitting a 20-year old man in the leg.
Palestinians flee live ammunition fired by Israeli forces
Meanwhile, a similar confrontation was occurring on the neighbouring Ain Sarah street, with snipers shooting a 20-year old man in the foot and a 17-year old boy in the leg.
20-year old shot in foot by sniper on Ain Sarah street
Soldiers and police continued to fire tear gas and .22 calibre ammunition at the crowd, until a volley of stones forced them to retreat towards Bab al-Zawiye.
A man is bundled into an ambulance under live fire from Israeli forces
A second offensive, however, saw Israeli forces push back towards Alia mosque. Palestinian youths continued to throw stones at the heavily-armed soldiers and police, who then sent out a water cannon to spray the boys with chemically-treated, foul-smelling ‘skunk’ water.
Israeli forces shoot foul-smelling skunk water onto Palestinian teenagers
Soldiers pursued the water cannon, and chased protesters into Queen Alia hospital, surrounding it for more than half an hour.
Soldiers occupy hospital parking lot
In the mean time, around 60 soldiers and border police pushed forward and assembled with several vehicles at the intersection, while roughly 20 more occupied the roofs of nearby residential buildings.
Smoke billows above Ain Sarah street from a tyre-fire below
Three teenage boys who had been watching the protest from their roof were blindfolded, handcuffed and detained by soldiers that stormed their building.
Three boys are blindfolded, handcuffed and arrested
A group of young Palestinians continued throwing stones at the Israeli forces, as well as rolling flaming tyres down the hill towards them. As soldiers began to push up the hill, Palestinians watching from the hospital parking lot barricaded themselves in, but without success. Doctors asked the soldiers, who were now occupying hospital grounds for a third time in one afternoon, to leave.
Israeli forces assemble at the bottom of a hill
Eventually the soldiers retreated back down the hill, regrouping with the border police and other soldiers. Despite Palestinian teenagers continuing to throw stones and tyres down the hill, Israeli forces began to head back to their bases. Local youths followed them as they made their way back to Bab al-Zawiye and Checkpoint 56.
Army Jeep leaves Ain Sarah street following the clash
Israeli forces attacked a peaceful demonstration in Bethlehem this Wednesday, using tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets on the crowd of around 200 Palestinians. The demonstrators were protesting the new access restrictions introduced by Israel at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque. Palestinian leaders had called for a ‘day of rage’ in response to the changes.
Demonstrators marched down Hebron Road towards Rachel’s Tomb, chanting and holding signs. When the group reached the checkpoint gates, they were immediately attacked with tear gas and sound bombs. While most demonstrators subsequently fell back, Palestinian youths responded by throwing stones at the Israeli soldiers and police, who in turn responded with rubber-coated steel bullets and more tear gas.
There were several arrests as Israeli forces harassed Palestinian activists and journalists near the checkpoint. A busload of tourists arrived at a nearby hotel during the clash, and were hit by a volley of tear gas. Israeli forces twice used a Venom launcher attached to the top of an armoured vehicle to fire tear gas into the crowd.
A group of demonstrators held two prayers in the middle of the road, close to the checkpoint, despite Israeli police firing tear gas at other protesters. These prayers were performed as an act of solidarity with worshippers in Jerusalem, who cannot pray at Al-Aqsa mosque due to the new restrictions introduced by Israel this week.
As well as harassing journalists and activists, Israeli occupation forces checked the IDs of random demonstrators and illegally demanded to photograph journalists’ passports.
![Israeli forces violently repress Al-Aqsa solidarity demonstration in al-Khalil (Hebron) [VIDEO]](https://palsolidarity.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/IMG_8019.jpg)
![Major clashes in Hebron as thousands take to the streets [VIDEO]](https://palsolidarity.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/IMG_6859.jpg)
![Israeli forces attack peaceful demonstration in Bethlehem [VIDEO]](https://palsolidarity.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/IMG_0957.jpg)
