Tag: Israeli Army - Page 111 - International Solidarity Movement

Crackdown on international human rights activists in Palestine: arrests, deportations, and abuse

31st January 2014 | International Solidarity Movement | Occupied Palestine

With the arrest of two international human rights activists at Salem Military Court, in Jenin district, on Wednesday 29^th January 2014, the total number of arrests of activists in the past month has risen to five, and the number of deportations to four. Arrested activists have reported verbal and physical abuse while in custody. Concerns have been raised within the human rights community as to whether the Israeli military is carrying out a concerted campaign of intimidation and deportation against internationals.

Violations of due process

The most recent arrests occurred as two activists, a Norwegian and a Canadian, were attending a hearing for Ahmad Atatreh, a 20-year-old Palestinian activist who had been arrested ten days earlier at a peaceful demonstration in the Jordan Valley.

Following the hearing, which the activists had attended in solidarity with Mr. Atatreh and his family, Israeli soldiers violently dragged the defendant by his handcuffs out of the courtroom. When the internationals asked why he was receiving this rough treatment, the soldiers took the passport from the Norwegian and arrested her on the accusation of having “slapped a soldier.” The Norwegian activist has a long-standing commitment to non-violent solidarity work.

The two remaining activists and the family of Mr. Atatreh left the court facilities and were getting into a car outside when they were approached by another soldier, who subsequently arrested the Canadian, accusing him of interfering with an arrest.

The activists were held overnight in the police station in the illegal settlement of Ariel. While in custody, the Norwegian human rights volunteer was punched in her face by Israeli police.

Under Israeli law, the activists should have been taken before a judge within 24 hours of their arrest. However, as in other recent cases the police disregarded this, instead initiating deportation procedures without following due process.

In the case of Vincent Mainville and Fabio Theodule, (Swiss and Italian citizens respectively), arrested 8^th January 2014 while trying to prevent Israeli soldiers from firing live ammunition at schoolchildren, although the judge later ruled that the activists had been illegally arrested, it was too late to prevent their transfer to immigration and therefore prevent their deportation. Neither man was allowed a court hearing as required by law.

Another activist, Sven W, a citizen of Germany, was arrested 18^th January 2014 while attending a peaceful demonstration in the Jordan Valley. Like Mr. Mainville and Mr. Theodule, he was deported without a civil court hearing.

“Since the outbreak of the Second Intifada,” says Neta Golan, co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement, “of the thousands of international human rights activists who have have been arrested, deported and denied entry, no criminal charges have been brought against any one of them. No international activist has stood trial for committing a crime. Despite this de facto vilification by Israeli authorities, charges have not once been pressed against an international human rights activist.”

Activists verbally abused, beaten while in custody

In addition to violating Israel’s due process laws, in each of these cases the Israeli military have beaten the activists in their custody. The Norwegian arrested on the 29^th reports having been beaten at the police station in Ariel.

While in custody, Mr. Mainville and Mr. Theodule were dragged by their handcuffs, causing their wrists to bleed. Mr. Mainville was also kicked in his ribs and his face. After many hours of detention, Mr. Theodule asked for water and was told by a border police officer, “If you want to drink, you can drink my piss.”

While in detention, Sven W. was blindfolded and forced to kneel on the ground for more than an hour. At this time, an Israeli soldier purposefully pushed Mr. W’s face in dirty water before taking him behind a military jeep and repeatedly kicking him in the ribs.

Two international activists arrested on visit to military court

29th January 2014 | International Solidarity Movement | Occupied Palestine

On Wednesday 29^th January, 2014, two international human rights activists were arrested at Salem Military Court, in Jenin district. The activists, Norwegian and Canadian, were at the court to attend a hearing for Ahmad Atatreh, a 20-year-old Palestinian activist who had been arrested ten days earlier at a peaceful demonstration in the Jordan Valley.

Following the hearing, which the activists had attended in solidarity with Mr Atatreh and his family, Israeli soldiers violently pushed the defendant, who was in handcuffs, out of the courtroom. When the internationals asked why he was receiving this rough treatment, the soldiers took the passport from the Norwegian and arrested her on the accusation of having “slapped a soldier.”

The two remaining activists and the family of Mr Atatreh left the court facilities and were getting into a car outside when they were approached by another soldier, who subsequently arrested the Canadian, accusing him of “attempting to prevent an arrest.”

The activists were held overnight in the police station in the illegal settlement of Ariel. Under Israeli law they should be taken before a civil court judge within 24 hours of their arrest, although in recent cases the police have disregarded this, preferring to initiate deportation procedures without following due process.

The Canadian citizen was released on Thursday afternoon. The Norwegian citizen is being processed for deportation.

In the past month alone, five international human rights activists have been arrested, leading to concerns of a military crackdown on international solidarity with the Palestinian people.

With regard to the case of Ahmad Atatreh, who was arrested on the accusation of assaulting a soldier, the judge postponed the trial for a further month, in order to re-examine the evidence. The next time he appears in court he will have spent six weeks in administrative detention.

The Israeli military judicial system has been criticized by various human rights groups for their lack of fair trial guarantees and discrimination in procedural law. For more information on Israeli military courts see: http://www.addameer.org/etemplate.php?id=291

Photo05931-450x600 — Salem Military Court

Two people were injured and dozens more suffered from tear gas inhalation at weekly demonstration in Bil’in

24th January 2014 | FFJ Media Center | Bil’in, Occupied Palestine

Two people were injured and dozens of other civilians, including international solidarity supporters, suffered from tear gas inhalation during Bil’in’s weekly protest against the wall and settlements. This week, the demonstrators also marched in protest of the continued siege and starvation of the Yarmouk refugee camp in Syria.

After the Friday prayers, the participants set off toward the village’s liberated land and, after reaching the main gate of the wall, Israeli soldiers stationed behind the wall fired tear gas, stun grenades, rubber-coated steel bullets, and live ammunition at the participants. The soldiers also chased the protesters through the olive groves and even into the outskirts of the village, leading to violent clashes that continued into the evening. Two people were wounded. Nemer Atta (19 years old) was shot by live ammunition in the foot and taken to the Palestine Medical Complex for treatment, and Wael Bornat (38 years old) was shot by a rubber-coated steel bullet. Dozens of village residents, Israeli peace activists, and international supporters suffered from tear gas inhalation.

The participants raised Palestinian flags at the rally, chanting and singing for national unity, and called for resounding popular resistance against the occupation, and for the release of all Palestinian prisoners and for freedom in Palestine, as well as lifting the siege on the Yarmouk refugee camp. Those injured are now reported to be in stable condition.

Demonstrators carry man shot in the foot by live ammunition (Photo by Mohammed Yasin/Hamza Burnat) — Demonstrators carry man shot in the foot by live ammunition (Photo by H

(Photo by Hamza Burnat) — (Photo by Mohammed Yasin)

Weekly protest at Kafr Qaddum met with exceptional violence

24th January 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Kafr Qaddum, Occupied Palestine

On Friday 24^th January, 2014, the weekly demonstration in Kafr Qaddum, in the Qalqilya district, was repressed by excessive force, to a much greater extent than on most Fridays.

By 11:00 a.m., clashes had already broken out between local youths and Israeli soldiers and border police on the outskirts of the village. The demonstration was not due to begin until 12:00 p.m.

During the demonstration, Israeli forces fired high-velocity tear gas canisters at head height, as well as rubber-coated steel bullets. Five people were injured as a result.

A further seventeen people were treated for tear gas inhalation as canisters were fired both at protesters and into residents’ houses. Among those treated were an elderly woman and a two-month old baby.

In addition, Israeli border police detained one Palestinian for the duration of the demonstration. The man was in Kafr Qaddum on a social visit to his fiancée, and was captured in an ambush by Israeli forces. He was later released.

The people of Kafr Qaddum responded to the repression with stones.

Kafr Qaddum has held weekly demonstrations since July 2011 to protest against the closure of the road leading to Nablus, as well as the broader issue of the occupation itself. In recent months, the town has seen an escalation in the number of night raids and arrests of its inhabitants.

Israeli warplanes kill member of Palestinian armed group and his cousin in Beit Hanoun, Gaza

23rd January 2014 | Palestinian Centre for Human Rights | Gaza, Occupied Palestine

In an extra-judicial execution attempt, on Wednesday 22 January 2014, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a civilian car in Beith Hanoun, Northern Gaza. As a result, both passengers, a member of a Palestinian armed group and his cousin, were killed immediately.

According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately12:05 p.m., an Israeli drone fired a missile at a civilian Citroen car. Ahmed Mohammed Jom’aah Khalil al-Za’anin (21), member of an armed group, and his cousin Mohammed Yousif Ahmed al-Za’anin (22), both from the al-Sekah area in Beit Hanoun were inside the car which was parked in front of the house of Ahmed’s father. As a result, the car was completely destroyed, and the bodies were maimed completely. The house of Mohammed Jom’aah al-Za’anin, the victim’s late father, was severely damaged with windows being smashed, a number of doors being broken and the walls being cracked.

An Israeli military spokesman confirmed that Ahmed al-Za’anin was targeted and killed. He added that Al-Za’anin had been responsible for launching rockets over the past few days at the Israeli towns adjacent to the Gaza Strip and was also responsible for planning to carry out military operations against military and civilian Israeli targets.

This attack is the second of its kind in 2014. On Sunday 19 January 2014, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a motorbike that was being driven by an activist of the al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad) in the northern Gaza Strip town of Jabalya. The activist was seriously wounded, while a passing child was injured.

Israeli forces have used drones in attacks against targets in the Gaza Strip previously. According to PCHR’s documentation, since 2004, 640 Palestinians, including 395 civilians (including 184 children and 14 women), have been killed and 440 others, including 402 civilians (including 365 children and 4 women) have been wounded in attacks carried out by Israeli drones.

PCHR is deeply concerned over the latest Israeli escalation, and:

1. Strongly condemns such Israeli crimes in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), which reflects Israel’s disregard for the lives of Palestinian civilians;

2. Reiterates condemnation for extra-judicial executions committed by Israeli forces against Palestinian activists, which serve to escalate tension in the region and threaten the lives of Palestinian civilians; and

3. Calls upon the international community to immediately act to stop these crimes, and reiterates its call for the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligations to ensure protection for Palestinian civilians in the oPt.