Tag: Israeli Army - Page 117 - International Solidarity Movement

Tension rises in Khalil during Sukkot celebrations

21st September 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil Team | Hebron, Occupied Palestine

Sukkot is a joyful festival in Judaism; however its impact upon day-to-day life in Khalil has only caused greater problems for the Palestinians. Many residents of Khalil have commented that it is during this holiday period every year where daily life in the city becomes all the more difficult.

Last week soldiers began preparations for taking over a house next to the container checkpoint 209 (Quatoum/Abu Rish), which belongs to a Palestinian family. The family received a military order informing them that this house would be occupied by the Israeli army until Tuesday 24^th September, the end of Sukkot. Due to the large number of Jewish tourists visiting Hebron during Sukkot, reinforcement brigades have been sent to Hebron, and due to lack of accommodation for these additional soldiers, the army decided to take over this Palestinian house and use it as a military base for the duration of the holiday. Residents of this area have stated that since the soldiers began occupying the house, child detainments and arrests have increased, and there are further concerns that checkpoint 209 may be moved in an attempt to increase control in the surrounding area.

Today, Saturday 21^st September, several clashes and attacks took place between settler youth and Palestinian children and teenagers in Tel Rumeida. Additionally, as on every Shabbat, settlers invaded the roof of the Abu Shamsiyeh family and verbally attacked international activists who, at the request of the family, were monitoring the entrance to the roof as it is often entered without family permission. In the past, settlers have attacked the family by throwing stones, spitting at, beating members of the family and urinating into their garden.

On Friday 20^th September, clashes erupted in the afternoon as Palestinian youths threw stones at checkpoint 56. After the PA (responsible for this area of Hebron which is part of H1) chased away the stone-throwers, the clashes moved into the OldCity and souq of Hebron, which is part of H2 and thus under Israeli military control. Throughout Friday evening and most of Saturday, Palestinian youths were throwing stones and Molotov cocktails, whilst Israeli soldiers responded with sound grenades, teargas and rubber-coated steel bullets. International activists witnessed border police shooting teargas canisters directly at protesters, as opposed to shooting it in an arch as they are supposed to under Israeli army regulations. Further clashes are expected tomorrow as settlers and Jewish tourists invade area H1.

On Sunday 22^nd and Monday 23^rd September, tens of thousands of Jewish tourists are expected to descend upon Hebron for Sukkot celebrations. On important Jewish holidays, there is a tradition of the settler community, alongside Jewish tourists, visiting a house in H1 (the Palestinian-controlled part of Hebron) which they claim used to be the home of a rabbi and thus holds religious significance. The Israeli military has ordered the closure of the road outside checkpoint 56 leading to Yatta between 10am and 3pm on Sunday 22^nd September. The house that the settlers and Jewish tourists pilgrim to is located on said road, however it is the first time ever that the Israeli military has formally ordered the closure of the road and the shops located there. This order is a clear violation of the Hebron Agreement, signed in 1997 by the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli government, which divided the city into areas H1 and H2 under Palestinian and Israeli military control respectively.

Soldiers preparing to take-over house by checkpoint 209 (Photo by ISM)

Israeli forces use excessive force killing Palestinian civilian and wounding 4 others, including 3 children, in Jenin refugee camp

18th September 2013 | Palestinian Centre for Human Rights | Jenin, Occupied Palestine

Islam al-Tubasi (Photo by MaanImages) — Islam al-Tubasi, killed in Jenin by Israeli soldiers. (Photo by MaanImages)

In an excessive use of lethal force, on Tuesday morning, 17 September 2013, Israeli occupation forces killed a Palestinian civilian and wounded 4 others, including 3 children, in Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank.

According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) and the testimonies of the victim’s two brothers – Kamal, 34, and Mustafa, 23, at approximately 02:30 on Tuesday, 17 September 2013, Israeli forces in about 22 military vehicles moved into Jenin refugee camp, west of Jenin town. A number of young men gathered and threw stones at Israeli military vehicles. In response, Israeli soldiers fired rubber-coated metal bullets and sound bombs. The clashes continued for a few hours, but no casualties were reported. At approximately 06:00, Israeli forces moved back to edges of the camp. Half an hour later, a special unit of Israeli forces backed with 4 military vehicles moved into the camp. They stationed in the center of the camp. Israeli soldiers who were in black military uniform raided 3-storey apartment building belonging to Hussam al-Tubasi. Israeli soldiers blew up the doors of the house and stepped up to a room on the roof where the owner’s sons, Islam, 20, and Mustafa, 23, live. Islam and Mustafa got out of their room to find out what was going on as they heard explosions. Immediately, Israeli soldiers kicked Mustafa, pushed him to the ground and handcuffed him. He saw Israeli soldiers pushing Islam into the room. Two Israeli soldiers then pulled Mustafa down to the second floor and held him in a bathroom. In the meantime, sounds of shooting were being heard on the roof. A few minutes, Israeli soldier stepped down taking Islam who was bleeding. They fired at his legs again in front of the building and took him.

Soon after, Israeli forces brought backups into the camp. A number of young men and children gathered and threw stones and home-made hand grenades at Israeli forces that were surrounding al-Tubassi’s house. Israeli soldiers opened fire indiscriminately. As a result, 4 civilians, including 3 children, were wounded:

Saladin Na’el Ghazzawi, 23, wounded by a bullet to the right thigh;
Mohammed Khaled Taleb, 12, wounded a by a bullet to the thigh;
Abdul Rahman Taha Abu Sirriya, 12, wounded by a bullet to the right knee; and
Mohammed Wa’el Ghazzawi, 16, wounded by a bullet to the right foot.

In the afternoon, an ambulance of Palestine Red Crescent Society moved to Salem military post, northwest of Jenin, and received Islam’s body as he had be pronounced dead in an Israeli hospital. The body was taken to Jenin Hospital, where medical sources stated that the victim was hit by 2 live bullets to the abdomen and 2 ones to the legs.

It should be noted that Tubassi is the third civilian killed in Jenin refugee camp in 4 weeks. On 20 August 2013, Israeli forces killed Majd Mohammed al-Shahla, 21, and wounded 3 others, including 17-year-old Kareem Subhi Abu Sbaih, who succumbed to his wound on 31 August 2013.

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.

Strong resistance in Kafr Qaddum despite Israeli army repression

13th September 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Kafr Qaddum, Occupied West Bank

IMAG0023 — Protesters marching along the road (Photo by ISM)

The residents of Kufr Qaddum held their weekly Friday demonstration despite increased repression by the Israeli army in the last two weeks.

At approximately 10:00, more than 80 soldiers in nine military jeeps arrived in the village and positioned themselves on the top of the hill overlooking Kafr Qaddum and on the closed road that leads to the illegal Israeli settlement, Qedumim. The soldiers shot both tear gas canisters and sound bombs before the demonstration even began. Twenty-five year-old Nisfat Mahmoud Ishtawi was struck in the head with a tear gas canister and received medical attention.

During the midday call to prayers, soldiers overlooking Kafr Qaddum repeatedly shot tear gas in the direction of the mosque and many canisters fell into the yard and surrounding houses, despite the fact that there were no clashes with demonstrators at that time. Four weeks ago, Israeli forces fired tear gas directly into the mosque and many people attending the Friday prayer suffered from tear gas inhalation and had to receive medical treatment.

When the demonstration began, protesters from Kafr Qaddum and international and Israeli activists marched toward the closed road where they met extreme army repression. Israeli forces excessively fired tear gas, at times shooting tens of canisters at once toward the protest. Many protesters suffered from tear gas inhalation. As the army surrounded the protest, Israeli soldiers stationed themselves at the entrances of several houses and the residents were unable to leave or return to their homes due to the army presence. Moreover, Israeli forces continuously fired tear gas canisters inside and onto the roofs of several houses which border the road. Paramedics from Palestinian Medical Relief Society repeatedly came to the aid of residents suffering from tear gas inhalation in their own homes, including children and the elderly.

As protesters attempted to reach the area of the road closure on the eastern edge of the village, Israeli forces brought a bulldozer and several army jeeps to prevent the demonstration from continuing. When the demonstration ended, no protesters were arrested and the injured were expected to make a full recovery.

kufr qaddum last week 3 — Last week, Israeli forces shot large amounts of tear gas canisters at protesters (Photo by www.facebook.com/gcaballerophoto)

The army has been stepping up attacks on Kafr Qaddum in recent weeks. Last week the army were very aggressive on the demonstration gathering on the hill and firing teargas canisters at a low level so demonstrators would not be able to see them when fired, increasing the chance of being hit and seriously injured. In that same demonstration, the army drove jeeps down the road firing multiple teargas canisters at people, injuring demonstrators and journalists. One man was hit on the head by a teargas canister and a journalist was shot in the foot. Activist Murad Ishtawi was also shot in the leg and had to be taken to hospital and is still recovering from his injury. The jeeps were driven far into the village where the soldiers shot indiscriminately. One teargas canister broke through the window of a house and the inhabitants, who were the sick, elderly, women and children, had to be helped to evacuate, suffering from suffocation from the gas.

On the 11th September the Israeli occupation forces invaded Kafr Qaddum at 3.30am where they arrested three people, 21 year-old Maen Taha Amer Qdoumi, 24 year-old Fadi Basim Jomaa Qadoumi and 16 year-old Ahmed Mohammed Barham Qadoumi as collective punishment for the ongoing demonstrations. The arrests show an escalation in aggression since the last arrest of three people on the 14th August including a 17 year-old child , Omran. Significant is the arrest of Ahmed, a minor, as children arrested are treated similarly to adults in the military court system and are disproportionately targeted for arrest by the Israelis.

last week kufr qaddum 2 — One man was hit on the head by a teargas canister (Photo from www.facebook.com/gcaballerophoto)

Arrests and repression continually target the inhabitants of Kafr Qaddum who continue to resist the theft of their land. Demonstrations started in July 2011 after the road that connected the village to the main city of Nablus was made settler-only. Residents of Kafr Qaddum have to make a longer journey to the city which resulted in the deaths of two residents due to the delay of reaching the hospital in Nablus, showing the need and determination of demonstrators, for the historical road to be returned.

Updated: Three Palestinian activists arrested during demonstration against road closure in Qaryut

10th September 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah Team | Qaryut, Occupied West Bank

Protesters marching towards the road (Photo by ISM)

Update 11th September: Abdallah Abu Rahmah was released at around 10pm last night. Bashar Qaryouti and Salah al-Khawaja have also been released. Bashar has needed medical attention after being beaten during his arrest.

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Three Palestinian activists have been arrested today related to a demonstration against a road block in the northern West Bank village of Qaryut.

More than 150 Palestinians participated in the protest marching from the village towards Road 60, connecting Ramallah to Nablus. As a group of protesters were approaching the road, two military jeeps blocked them, throwing stun grenades and shooting tear gas canisters. Israeli soldiers arrested two activists, Bashar Qaryouti and Salah al-Khawaja and beat others as they attempted to arrest more. Soldiers pursued activists from the road from many different directions and came through the olive trees trying to trap activists, shooting many teargas canisters.

More soldiers arrived in twelve military jeeps and fired teargas at demonstrators who had moved back to the hill. The soldiers occasionally moved forward but mainly stayed positioned by the road. Many demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and three were treated by medical personnel in the field. The demonstrators withdrew at 7pm.

Israeli soldiers taking Bashar (Photo by Issam Rimawi)

A flying checkpoint was set up on the road from Ramallah to Qaryout and Abdallah Abu Rahmah, a prominent Palestinian activist was arrested. Soldiers approached the car with a list containing the names and ID numbers of three local activists. Abu Rahmah was handcuffed and detained for forty-five minutes until the Israeli police arrested him.

Call to action: Join ISM for the 2013 Olive Harvest Campaign

22nd August 2013 | International Solidarity Movement | Occupied West Bank

olive-harvest14 — Israeli soldier stands next to Palestinian farmers harvesting their olives

At a time of regular settler violence in the West Bank, the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) is issuing an urgent call for volunteers to join us for the 2013 Olive Harvest Campaign at the invitation of Palestinian communities.

The olive tree is a national symbol for Palestinians. As thousands of olive trees have been bulldozed, uprooted, burned and destroyed by Israeli settlers and the military – according to the UN settlers alone destroyed or damaged over 7,500 trees just in 2012 – harvesting has become more than a source of livelihood; it has become a form of resistance.

The olive harvest is an annual affirmation of Palestinians’ historical, spiritual, and economic connection to their land, and a rejection of Israeli efforts to seize it. Despite attempts by Israeli settlers and soldiers to prevent them from accessing their land, Palestinian communities have remained steadfast in refusing to give up their olive harvest.

ISM volunteers join Palestinian farming communities each year to harvest olives, in areas where Palestinians face settler and military violence when working their land. Your presence can make a big difference, with Palestinian communities stating that the presence of international volunteers reduces the risk of extreme violence from Israeli settlers and the Israeli army.

We support Palestinians’ assertion of their right to earn their livelihoods and be present on their lands. International solidarity activists engage in non-violent intervention and documentation, practical support which enables many families to pick their olives.

The campaign will begin mid October and will last around 5-7 weeks. We request a minimum 2 week commitment from volunteers but stress that long-termers are needed as well. We ask that volunteers start arriving in the first week of October, so that we will be prepared when the harvest begins.

Training

The ISM will be holding mandatory two day training sessions which will run weekly on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Please see the join ISM page or contact palreports@gmail.com for further information.

In addition to the Olive Harvest Campaign, volunteers can also participate in regular ISM activities in support of the Palestinian popular struggle.

Join us in our solidarity with the Palestinian resistance at this crucial time of year!

In Solidarity,

ISM Palestine