Tag: International law - Page 55 - International Solidarity Movement

11 years of peaceful resistance in Bil’in

February 18th, 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah team | Bil’in, occupied Palestine

On Friday, February 19th, residents of the village of Bil’in will march to celebrate the 11th aniversary of the beginning of the weekly protest against occupation. The small village of inhabitants has for over a decade united Palestinians and internationals to support their cause, following a non-violent, peaceful way of resisting against the illegal stealing and the occupation of their land.

Palestinians take part in one of the nonviolent demonstrations against Israel's wall in Bilin, September 2006. (Oren Ziv/ActiveStills) — Palestinians take part in one of the nonviolent demonstrations against Israel’s wall in Bilin, September 2006. (Oren Ziv/ActiveStills)

The protests were initiated in 2005 when Israeli forces started uprooting trees on land belonging to Palestinians on the outskirts of the village, claiming they needed to free the route for the future wall that would be built for ‘security reasons’. Residents of the village first tried stopping bulldozers, calling for international and Israeli activists to join and support them, but the land was seized, and the wall was built.

The protests still continued, and every Friday villagers march to the wall to protest its illegal route and the expansion of the illegal settlement of Modin Ilit that is located right behind the wall and build on the villages land. The popular resistance committee also engaged in a legal battle against the presence of the wall on their farmland. Organisations in Israel and around the world supported their cause, and soon the weekly protest became a famous example of civil disobedience and peaceful resistance in Palestine. In 2007, the Israeli court ruled that the wall has to be re-routed. After major delays, a part of the wall was re-routed, marking a small victory for the village who thus regained at least part of their land.

Residents of Bil’in never stopped protesting against occupation since then. During the demonstration, many were injured, and two of the villagers were killed by Israeli forces, Bassem Abu Rahmah, 29 and Jawaher Abu Rahmah, 36, were killed in 2009 and 2010 respectively. Bassem Abu Rahmah, 29 died after being hit by a high-velocity tear-gas canister in the stomach.

Despite the violent opposition of the army during the weekly protests, the villagers are determined never to give up their struggle for their land, justice, dignity and against the illegal Israeli occupation.

Poster for the anniversary of the popular struggle in Bi'lin — Poster for the anniversary of the popular struggle in Bi’lin

Call for Action: Save Mohammed al-Qiq

18th February 2016 | International Solidarity Movement| occupied Palestine

33-year-old journalist, Mohammed al-Qiq, is on hunger strike since November 25 2015, in protest against his imprisonment without charges or trial in Administrative Detention by Israel. Al-Qiq’s health has deteriorated to the point of facing imminent death. His wife Journalist Fayha Shalash is calling on journalists around the world and activists to act now to save her husbands life, any action will make a difference.
#FreeQeeq #MohammedAlQeeq #StopAD

Children living in closed military zone enjoy day of fun under the shadow of the occupation

13th February 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

On February 13^th 2016 Youth Against Settlements in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron) organised a children’s activity in front of Shuhada Street checkpoint.

Children drawing during fun-day organised by YAS

Around 50 children from the neighbourhoods located on the H2 (entirely Israeli military-controlled) side of the checkpoint – Tel Rumeida and the tiny strip of Shuhada Street still accessible for Palestinians – participated in the event organised by the Palestinian group Youth Against Settlements together with Old City resident Zleikha Muhtaseb.

The children have hardly had any chance to play and enjoy time with their friends since their neighbourhoods were declared a closed military zone on November 1^st 2015. For the last three months only residents registered with the Israeli military have been allowed to access this highly militarized neighbourhood, where Israeli forces have stepped up their efforts to crack down on Palestinian residents’ everyday lives even more than in the many other neighborhoods suffering under the harsh Zionist occupation. Extremist Israeli settlers from the adjacent illegal settlements meanwhile enjoy complete impunity for their actions.

Girls writing their wishes for the future on balloons

The children gathered at the Youth Against Settlements sit-in tent that was first erected over a month ago in protest of the ongoing restrictions and human rights violations inflicted under the closed military zone. They enjoyed creative activities including drawing, painting, balloons and face-painting.

Israeli settlers, walking inside the closed military zone without any hassle, harassment or ever being stopped, approached the checkpoint from the other side in order to gape at the children playing outside the checkpoint with balloons.

Settlers observing playing Palestinian children through the checkpoint

The immense psychological effect of the occupation on children living in these neighbourhoods was clearly visible in their drawings. They drew soldiers shooting Palestinians, families living in houses surrounded by barbed wire, imprisoned Palestinians dreaming of Palestinians guarded by a heavily-armed soldier; drawings also featured Palestinian flags and the words ‘I love Palestine.’

Growing up in an environment where the Israeli military occupation, with all its concurrent human rights violations, deadly violence, humiliation and intimidation permeates everyday life, the impacts are hardly surprising. Saturday’s event was a great opportunity for the children of these neighbourhoods to just be children again, to play with their friends, have their faces painted, enjoy childhood.

As the event ended they lined up outside Shuhada Street checkpoint, which the children have referred to as the ‘death checkpoint’ since the September 22nd extrajudicial execution of 18-year-old Hadeel al-Hashlamoun, to wait to be allowed to walk back to their homes within the closed military zone.

Children waiting to cross back into their 'closed military zone' neighbourhood — Children waiting to cross back into their neighbourhoods under the closed military zone

Before preparing to leave to return to their neighborhoods, the children from Tel Rumeida and Shuhada Street demonstrated their solidarity with the Palestinian journalist and hunger striker Mohammed al-Qeeq on his 81st day of hunger strike against the illegal Israeli practice of administrative detention – imprisonment without charge or trial in an Israeli military legal system which consistently denies Palestinians any right to due process of law.

Palestinian children in solidarity with hunger striker Mohammed al-Qeeq

Ambulance to attempt to transfer hunger striker to hospital in Ramallah

9th February 2016 | Hebron, occupied Palestine

On Wednesday February 10th, 18:00 supporters will arrive at the hospital in Afula, accompanied by an ambulance and doctors, to transfer Mohammed Al-Qeeq for medical treatment in the Ramallah hospital.

Journalist Mohammed Al-Qeeq is on the 77th day of hunger strike and fighting for his life. He has expressed his wish to move from hospital in Afula where he is currently being held without charge to the Ramallah hospital but the Israeli police refuse to allow it.

Hanan Khatib, one of Al-Qeeq’s lawyers, delivered his message to the press: “Al-Qeeq says he is a journalist and his arrest is illegal. The court has frozen his administrative detention but decided he must stay in the hospital in Afula. Al-Qeeq refuses to stay in Israeli hospitals and will only accept medical treatment in the West Bank.”

Al-Qeeq, a 33-year-old journalist from Ramallah, is accused by the Israeli Shin Bet of being a Hamas activist. He was arrested on November 21st of 2015. According to his friends, Al-Qeeq was interrogated about “media incitement”, tortured and refused to cooperate. After four days he was issued an administrative detention order and announced his hunger strike.

On the 76th day of his hunger strike, Al-Qeeq lost most of his sight and hearing abilities and can barely speak. He is on the verge of death and may suffer a heart attack or organ system failure at any moment.

Last Thursday, the Israeli high court ruled to “freeze” his administrative detention and allowed him to receive visitors, but stopped short of ordering his release and refused to overrule the administrative order despite the fact that in his current medical condition he could not pose danger to anyone. Attorney Jihad Abo Raya explains: “In criminal law either a person is under arrest or he is free to move as he pleases, but for Palestinian detainees the court has created something new, they claim that Mohammed Al-Qeeq is no longer under administrative detention – but they also refuse to allow him to leave Afula hospital.”

For more information contact Attorney Jihad Abo Raya: 0522814579

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Intimidating military patrol of Palestinian market

9th February 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

Tuesday, 9^th February 2016, Israeli forces patrolled the Palestinian market in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron), harassing and intimidating residents.

Israeli forces ontheir patrol through the Palestinian market

A group of soldiers marched through the souq, the main Palestinian market since the closure of Shuhada Street for Palestinians after the Ibrahimi mosque massacre in 1994. Any male adult or youth was stopped on their way to work and forced by the Israeli soldiers to lift up their shirts and trouser-pants, as well as throw their IDs on the ground. After throwing their IDs on the ground Israeli soldiers ordered the men to move back, so they could pick up the IDs from a ‘safe distance’. Most Palestinians were dismissed after this humiliating procedure, whereas some of them were detained for minutes or violently body-searched.

Violent body-search of Palestinian young man

International human rights defenders documenting the Israeli forces violations of basic human rights of Palestinians, were intimidated and harassed by the Israeli soldiers in an attempt to prevent them from documenting. Soldiers took photos of the internationals with their private phones held right in the volunteers faces and as an initmidation tactic ID-checked them.

Israeli forces taking photos of human rights defenders with their private phones

During the more than one hour patrol Israeli forces repeatedly pointed their assault rifles at the internationals as well as Palestinians.

Israeli soldier 'ordering' Palestinians to stop by pointing his gun — Israeli soldier ‘ordering’ Palestinians to stop by pointing his gun

Not only adults were surprised and shocked by the sudden presence of heavily-armed soldiers right outside their houses, but also children on their way to school and work. Some children, scared by the soldiers, turned around rightaway after spotting the soldiers and ran back home instead of continuing their way to school or kindergarten. International human rights defenders walked several scared children past the soldiers so they could safely reach their schools and kindergarten.