Tag: Israeli Army - Page 114 - International Solidarity Movement

Further Israeli army harassment in Tawayel

2nd November 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Tawayel, Occupied Palestine

Today, Saturday 2nd November, a number of Palestinians supported by international activists traveled to the village of Tawayel to help rebuild a house for a family that was made homeless after Israeli forces demolished their property on Tuesday 29^th October.

By mid morning up to 60 people had gathered on the farm and electricity poles were replaced, however heavy machinery was forced to leave due to fears that the Israeli army would return and confiscate it. Work continued to lay the foundations of the replacement house by hand.

At approximately 3pm Israeli soldiers arrived shortly followed by two military vehicles. Israeli forces inspected the site but did not speak to anyone until the vehicles arrived. The Palestinians present were asked for ID and the questioning was aggressive, one Palestinian was threatened that he would “pay a price” for his involvement.

Construction has been halted as a result of the incursion and the family affected remain housed in a tent. Additionally their livestock are being watered from a truck at considerable expense, as the water reserve was destroyed in the same demolition.

Israeli Forces use excessive force killing Palestinian civilian in Qabatya village near Jenin

31st October 2013 | Palestinian Center for Human Rights | Qabataya, Occupied Palestine

In an excessive use of force, on Thursday morning, 31 October 2013, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian civilian in Qabatya village, southeast of the northern West Bank town of Jenin.

According to investigation conducted by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 01:00 on Thursday, 31 October 2013, Israeli force moved into Qabatya village, southeast of Jenin. They stationed in the eastern part of the village. They raided a house belonging to the family of Emad Shawkat Kmail, 30, and arrested him. They then moved towards the western part of the village. There, they raided a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians: Rassem Tawfiq Khzaimiya, 60; Mo’men Saba’na, 23; and Ayman Abdul Rahman Abu al-Rub, 28. At approximately 05:00, while Israeli forces were withdrawing from the village taking the detainees, a number of young men gathered at the western entrance of the village. They blocked it with iron barriers and set fire to tires. When Israeli forces passed by the area, the young men threw stones and empty bottles at them. Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at the young men. They then fired live ammunition directly at the young men. As a result, Ahmed Emad Youseg Tazaz’a, 22, was seriously wounded by a bullet to the heart. He was immediately evacuated to al-Razi Hospital in Jernn, but medical efforts to save his life failed. He was pronounced dead at approximately 06:00.

PCHR is deeply concerned over this crime, which further proves the use of excessive force by Israeli forces against the Palestinian civilians in disregard for the civilians’ lives. Therefore, PCHR calls upon the international community to take immediate and effective actions to put an end to such crimes and reiterates its call for the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to fulfill their obligations under Article 1; i.e., to respect and to ensure respect for the Convention in all circumstances, and their obligation under Article 146 to prosecute persons alleged to commit grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention. These grave breaches constitute war crimes under Article 147 of the same Convention and Protocol (I) Additional to the Geneva Conventions.

VIDEO: Mornings in Khalil: child and adult detention

30th October 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil Team | Hebron, Occupied Palestine

This morning, Wednesday 30th October, as children made their way to school Israeli soldiers burst from an alleyway firing stun grenades and detained two 10-year-old boys. In a separate incident nearby, a Palestinian was detained and taken to a military base for unknown reasons.

This morning international activists were monitoring checkpoint 29 where many children pass through on their way to school, when approximately 6 Israeli soldiers ran from an alley, firing stun grenades directly at a group of children. The soldiers immediately grabbed one child (10-year-old) Nor and another (10-year-old) Mohammed, before firing another stun grenade towards the rest of the school children causing them to flee in panic.

Israeli soldiers marched the two young children to a nearby police station, refusing to answer why they were being taken when questioned by international activists. When a relative attempted to communicate with the boys, Israeli soldiers forcibly pushed him away and refused to answer his questions.

The children were detained inside the police station for approximately 45 minutes before being transferred to the Palestinian District Coordination Office (DCO) at 9:30.

Shortly after the young children were released, a Palestinian was questioned at a checkpoint on his way to work when he was aggressively pushed, handcuffed and taken to Tel Rumeida military base. No reason was given for this detention and the Palestinian was released shortly after.

Children in Khalil are routinely harassed on their way to school in this way; arrests and stun grenades are commonly used against them. Palestinians living under occupation experience regular detentions and arrests which are executed without just cause or reason.

Israeli soldiers blocking the entrances of Ni’lin village

28th October 2013 | Ni’lin Village | Ni’lin, Occupied Palestine

Since last week the village of Ni’lin is being targeted daily by midnight raids from the Israeli occupation forces. The soldiers have been shooting tear gas into people’s homes while they are sleeping. Only two people have been arrested but ten houses have been invaded by the soldiers.

Israeli forces in the village of Ni'lin (photo by Ni'lin village) — Israeli forces in the village of Ni’lin (photo by Ni’lin village)

The arrested are Naha Nafi, 21, and Tariq Kawaja, 24. Another three young men were sought after but could not be found.

The situation has escalated in the last few days. Israeli soldiers have started blocking the entrances of Ni’lin preventing people from entering or leaving the village. For the villagers who commute to Ramallah for work or studies this collective punishment has caused huge problems.

However, 11 pm on Saturday night a large number of Israeli jeeps invaded the village, seemingly just to cause disturbance. The soldiers began harassing villagers, firing their rifles without any apparent reason. As youths gathered to drive the soldiers out of the village they were directly fired upon with rubber coated steel bullets. One young man was hit in his leg and many bystanders suffered from tear gas asphyxiation. Also at this occurrence tear gas was fired into the homes of sleeping villagers.

At present the entrances to Ni’lin is still being blocked by the Israeli military. The villagers are awaiting their next move with anxiety.

Palestinian boy beaten at checkpoint leads to clashes in Hebron

24th October 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil Team | Hebron, Occupied Palestine

On Tuesday 22nd October in Khalil, a15-year-old Palestinian was beaten for not having identification (ID) that the Israeli government does not issue until the age of 16.

At approximately 2:30pm on Tuesday, Mahmod from Tel Rumeida (not his real name) was attempting to pass through checkpoint 56 on his way home. When asked to produce his ID, he explained to the soldiers that he was only 15-years-old so had therefore not yet been issued an ID. The soldiers did not believe this and pushed him against a wall, whilst in this position a soldier struck him three times, twice in the abdomen with the butt of his rifle and once on the back of his head with his fist.

Mahmod then collapsed to the ground and started to have a bout of violent seizures. These seizures lasted for over 15 minutes before he was taken to an ambulance on the H1 (Palestinian) side of the checkpoint. By this time his family arrived and was able to accompany him to hospital.

Upon seeing the injuries of Mahmod some local Palestinian youth proceeded to throw stones at the building that was in front of the checkpoint. This proceeded for 15 minutes before a group of Israeli soldiers occupied two local Palestinian buildings overlooking the checkpoint. The Israeli forces began by throwing stun grenades at the youth and sporadically firing rubber coated steel bullets at the gathering crowd.

The clashes continued this way until Israeli forces began to move forward, forcing the Palestinian youth back, allowing Israeli soldiers to occupy a building in this Palestinian “controlled” area. Upon entry to this building the army took control of the roof before having to withdraw one level as rocks were thrown towards there position. It seemed that as the soldiers were unable to clearly see the gathering crowd, they blew a small hole in the side of the occupied building to allow them to fire rubber-coated steel bullets. This indiscriminate fire blew out the back window of a passing Palestinian vehicle. The clashes lasted for around three hours, with many stun grenades thrown by the Israeli army, though no more injuries were reported.