Tag: International law - Page 60 - International Solidarity Movement

Closure of major checkpoint in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron)

8th December 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil Team | Al-Khalil, occupied Palestine

Israeli forces on Monday, 7^th December 2015, have closed Shuhada checkpoint in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron) for an indefinite period of time.

This checkpoint marks the border between the H2 area of al-Khalil, under full Israeli control, and the H1 area, supposedly under full Palestinian control. Checkpoint 56 is the major checkpoint leading from the Palestinian market area at Bab al-Zawwiya into the Tel Rumeida neighbourhood and the small stretch of Shuhada Street that is still accessible for Palestinians.

With the closure of this checkpoint, Palestinian residents are facing another crackdown on their most basic rights. Palestinian freedom of movement is already severely restricted by numerous checkpoints and harsh checking procedures at the checkpoints. On November 1^st, Israeli forces also declared the area a ‘closed military zone’, further impinging on their freedom of movement.

Recently closed and blocked off Shuhada checkpoint

The closure of this particular checkpoint leaves the residents, families, children and elderly, but also school-children and teachers from Qurtuba school – forced to pass through this checkpoint on their way to and from school every day – stranded on the wrong side of the now inaccessible checkpoint. Anyone trying to go into this area is thus forced to take a very long detour, in order to navigate both the closed checkpoint and the ‘closed military zone’.

According to Israeli forces, the checkpoint has been closed for ‘renovations’. Information about the duration of the closure differs and ranges between one and two weeks. Still, it is not clear for how long this closure will be restricting Palestinians everyday life.

Increasing collective punishment in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron)

3rd of December 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

Israeli forces closed the al-Hareka neighbourhood putting up new roadblocks and completely closing off a whole neighbourhood in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron).

The neighbourhood’s access to the main street has been blocked off with an iron gate for a long time already. Recently, a group of about twenty soldiers arrived to the neighbourhood to further limit the freedom of movement of the Palestinian residents.

Military gate blocking entrance for cars

One resident, a journalist documenting the soldiers putting the new roadblocks that completely barr any access to about 200-300 people living there, was detained by the soldiers for over an hour. Soldiers attempted to stop him from filming this measure of collective punishment, a clear infringement on the freedom of press. In order to reach the main road or leave their houses, people living behind the wall are now forced to walk all the way around and will thus need at least ten minutes more to reach the military gate that is already blocking their entrance.

Children playing on the newly erected wall blocking off the neighbourhood

Watch a video of soldiers installing this new wall:

Or watch video here.

Additionally, soldiers have commanded the roof of a private family home for military purposes and have erected a small military base there. A group of six soldiers is permanently stationed on the family home and “they slept on the roof”, as a school-boy explained.

Israeli forces stationed on a family home

The al-Hareka neighbourhood is bordering the illegal settlement of Kiryat Arba, and thus is often the target of harassment and violence both from the Israeli forces as well as the settlers – often under the protection of the soldiers.

This is yet another measure to intensify the efforts to restrict – or completely stop – Palestinian freedom of movement. Such collective punishment measures have sky-rocketed in the recent weeks and months in occupied al-Khalil, and add to the increasing efforts to further exacerbate everyday life for Palestinians and eventually make them disappear completely.

“We were walking home and they shot at us”

2^nd December 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

On the evening of the 1^st of December 2015, five Palestinian boys were shot at by Israeli forces with live ammunition on their way home to Tel Rumeida. The five boys – between the ages of sixteen and seventeen years – were on their way home, passing through the Jabal Al-Rahma neighbourhood at around 8pm when three soldiers shot at them with live ammunition without any reason. One of the boys managed to run away, while the other four were injured.

The Jabal Al-Rahma neighbourhood borders with the Tel Rumeida neighbourhood and thus marks the border between the H1 and H2 area in Al-Khalil (Hebron). Both the Jabal Al-Rahma neighbourhood and the neighbourhood of Tel Rumeida have been subjected to house raids and increased violence, harassment and closures since the beginning of October. The Tel Rumeida area has turned into lawless zone with the declaration of it being a “closed military zone” on November 1^st, in which heightened harassment, violence and humiliation increasing daily. On the evening of the 1^st of December “we were walking home and they shot at us” explains one of the boys. This happened in the Jabal al-Rahme neighbourhood, in the H1 area of Tel Rumeida – supposedly under full Palestinian control.

When the soldiers started shooting, some of the residents of the Jabal Al-Rahma neighbourhood reacted quickly and tried to help the injured boys. Two of the boys immediately had to be evacuated to Alia Hospital in Al-Khalil (Hebron) where they had to spend the night. Both of them were shot with live ammunition into the legs and foot respectively. One boy immediately had to be brought to Al-Ahli hospital with serious injuries to both his stomach and legs. He had to undergo two surgeries to remove four bullets and is still in critical condition. The fourth boy was shot into the chest and then taken by the soldiers, before anyone could offer any first aid and bring him to a safe area. So far, it is unclear how severe his injuries are and where the soldiers have taken him.

The soldiers made use of their fire arms without there being any threat to them or anyone else and thereby severely injuring minors and unlawfully kidnapping one of them. Despite these illegal and highly immoral actions, they don’t have to face any consequences for their actions, whereas the families of the boys have to deal with the additional hardships of the impunity of Israeli forces.

Arbitrary arrest of local activists as settlers lay siege to soumud house in Hebron

28th November 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

Yesterday night, Israeli forces arrested two activists from the local activist group Youth Against Settlement in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron). Illegal settlers, under the protection of the Israeli forces, then layed siege to the YAS center, the Soumud house, trapping everyone inside.

Illegal settlers close to the Soumud house. Photo credit : Youth against settlements

Israeli forces stormed the house in the evening around 7 pm, and arrested 16-year old Ahmad al-Azzeh, accusing him of ‘having a knife’. Soldiers also arrested Issa Amro under the accusation of ‘disturbing the soldiers’ and ‘hiding a terrorist in his house’. Issa Amro was detained in a bathroom for more than four hours, with his hands cuffed behind his back and blindfolded. He was interrogated for long periods of time. Whereas Issa Amro was released after more than 5 and a half hours, Ahmad al-Azzeh’s arrest was extended for another 4 days. He has been arrested merely on a soldier’s accusation of ‘seeing him with a knife’. This ridiculous allegation is clearly a means to intimidate the whole group and on the long run force them to leave the area.

Israeli forces arresting Issa Amro. Photo credit : Youth against settlements

After the arrest, settlers from the nearby illegal settlement approached the Soumud house, protesting and demanding Israeli forces to close it immediately. Groups of settlers have been outside the center the whole evening, and even brought mattresses to sleep in front of the house’s door the whole night. Everyone there, thus, was trapped inside without a possibility to leave. The whole time, Israeli soldiers present in large numbers allowed the settlers to do as they pleased, without ever intervening. A group of about 30 settlers camped outside the Soumud house, thus laying a siege to it and forcing everyone inside to spent the night there. As of Saturday, 28th November 10:30am, settlers are still outside the center.

The local activist group, Youth Against Settlements, has constantly been targeted by the Israeli forces for their non-violent resistance to the Israeli occupation. Only a month ago, Israeli forces took over the center for military use, destroying their media equipment. Settlers have repeatedly attacked the group members and wrongfully accused them of crimes.

Call from Palestine: Stop the execution of our children

27th November 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

We, the undersigned Palestinian political forces and organizations, appeal to local and international institutions, human rights organisations and democratic forces for immediate and decisive action concerning the execution of Palestinian children by Israeli occupation forces and settlers. To date, 18 Palestinian children have been killed and executed in cold blood at the checkpoints and on the streets since the beginning of the current Palestinian uprising. Dozens of Palestinian children have been injured, arrested and brutally interrogated by Israeli forces.

These practices carried out by Israeli occupation forces and settlers rise to the level of war crimes and require confrontation and a response to halt this murder of Palestinian children.

We therefore request from human rights and humanitarian groups, as well as social movements, trade unions, democratic parties and concerned individuals throughout the world, to take responsibility and work to halt these crimes, which represent a flagrant violation of international conventions and treaties.

Signed (in alphabetical order):

Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Hebron

Hebron Defense Committee

International Solidarity Movement

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Hebron

Palestinian People’s Party, Hebron