7 September 2018 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah team | Khan al-Ahmar, occupied Palestine
After an Israeli court ruling on September 5 2018 confirmed the eviction and demolition of the Palestinian Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar, residents of the village, Palestinians from across the West Bank and international activists have gathered each day in solidarity at the village, awaiting the arrival of the Israeli forces.
On the morning of September 7, 2018, around 09:40, as approximately 40 Palestinians and internationals were peacefully enjoying morning tea and coffee, a busload of an estimated 40-50 people from the Israeli zionist hate-group “Im Tirtzu” pulled off the highway by the village and approached. The Palestinians and internationals who were gathered at Khan al-Ahmar met the Israeli hate group at the entrance of the village before they entered it. The Palestinians questioned the purpose of the group’s presence were met with verbal insults and accusations of anti-semitism.
The non-violent presence of the Palestinians and international solidarity activists put pressure on “Im Tirtzu” to retreat back to the highway. Israeli forces; police, military, and border police, met the groups by the highway and proceeded to don their full riot gear. As “I’m Tirtzu” awaited their bus for pick up, the police demanded that the Palestinians and internationals return to Khan Al-Ahmar, even physically pushing several individuals. Police also forcefully grabbed the Palestinian flags in a show of unnecessary aggression as people were retreating.
By September 7 at 13:00, between 400-500 Palestinian solidarity activists, official Palestinian activist groups, government officials, media personnel, and international activists gathered under the tent at Khan Al-Ahmar for a prayer service. Following the prayer service, the group migrated to the highway, referred to as Route 1, to occupy the street in a peaceful demonstration of their resistance to the threatened eviction. Dozens of Palestinian flags waved in the breeze as demonstrators blocked highway traffic, chanting songs of resistance in Arabic. Fully armed police and military officers forced demonstrators off the street under threat of physical violence. The demonstrators moved but continued the protest for another 45 minutes by the side of the highway.
Palestinian and international solidarity activists will maintain a presence over the coming week in the village of Khan Al-Ahman alongside the village’s residents, who are all anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Israeli army set to carry out their eviction plans.
18th August 2018 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah team | Kafr Qaddum, occupied Palestine
A description of the events of Saturday, 18th of August, from the Norwegian ISM volunteer targeted and shot by a soldier in Kafr Qaddum
I, Kristin Foss (43) work as a volunteer for ISM (International Solidarity Movement). ISM is a non-violent, Palestinian lead organisation that responds to requests for assistance from Palestinians, who for various reason need international witnesses and/or protection. This can be for demonstrators, when houses get broken into by soliders or colonialist settlers on a daily/nightly bases, children needing to be walked to school as a result of being harassed by colonialist settlers, that they have been told their house or village is about to be demolished, that their access to water has been closed or broken etc.
I am fully aware that this job carries risk and that I will be exposed to dangerous situations, but this does not release Israel from their responsibilities with regards to international law. Israel portrays itself as a democratic state, with “The world`s most moral army”—as such, the minimum that could be expected from them, is that they adhere to international law.
On Saturday, 18.08, an Icelandic colleague, Anna, and I travelled to Kafr Qaddum, a village close to Nablus, West Bank. The inhabitants had asked for our presence due to violence from Israeli soldiers every Friday and Saturday.
The main road to Kafar Qaddum was closed for inhabitants, by Israeli soliders 7 years ago. The road was built and kept by the ethnic population to the region, throughout generations. Today the road is only open to Israeli colonizers, in the illegal settlements.
The local population of Kafr Qaddum now has to drive 14 km, instead of a couple, to arrive to Nablus, where many of the inhabitants study and work. The inhabitants have been protesting the closure of the road every Friday for 7 years—now also on Saturdays. Pre- or during demonstrations the village is invaded by soldiers who fire live ammunition, rubber coated steel bullets and tear gas at demonstrators. They have also sprayed skunk water (raw sewage) into the houses of inhabitants. Several inhabitants have been shot with live ammunition, including children and elderly. The inhabitants do not have any weapons themselves (!)—they want to be able to demonstrate in peace, and they want their road to be open for them to use.
When we arrived Saturday, there were already clashes. Soldiers were present at 2 points in the village. From both points they were shooting with rubber coated bullets, at a group of mostly very young boys, who were throwing rocks back at them. Anna and I were present at one of the points, observing and making sure our presence was known to the soliders.
The shooting was going for about one and a half hour, before it started to calm down. Apart from some tear gas inhalation there had been no injuries at this point.
When things were calm, I was approached by a senior citizen, asking if we could please help him. He had gone out to his drive way earlier as he was going to get in his car to pick up his wife. He did not notice that his drive way was full of soliders. The soldiers stole/confiscated his car and the keys, and parked it in the middle out the road as an economical shield. As it was calm, we agreed to accompany him to speak to the soliders and to ask for his car back. There was no shooting, nor stones being thrown at this point. Him, Anna and I started walking towards the soldiers, with our hands in the air. I had my camera phone in one hand. The man walked surprisingly fast and was soon with the soldiers, whilst Anna and I stopped some 20 metres behind, still with our hands up. I am filming at this point.
One of the soliders shouts something at me in Hebrew, I don’t understand, but I shout back that the man just wants his car back. Then he shouts that it is dangerous. I shout back that it is only dangerous because he is pointing a machine gun at me. Those far behind me posed no danger to the soldier, nor to me. One shot is fired as I am shouting, then another shot is directed at me, and hits me in the abdomen. I would say from approximately 20-30 metres. It is absolutely no doubt I was targeted and shot deliberately.
Being treated in the ambulence
It was extremely painful and I was in a state of shock, but quickly managed to withdraw to behind a brick wall. I was then helped by Palestinians who led me to the nearby Red Crescent ambulance. I received immediate treatment to my wound, the bullet had pierced some skin, so there was some blood, a massive bump and I was already black and blue. The ambulance staff was incredibly professional and calm.
After 5 minutes or so I wanted to go back to confront the person who had shot me—from a safe distance. I was angry about being shot, whilst unarmed, after having declared our mission—and whilst posing absolutely no threat. However, Anna then had to retire to the ambulance as she was suffering badly from teargas inhalation. We did join the protest a bit after this, but then decided to retire to the back as I felt very vulnerable and I was scared they would shoot me again.
I would like to add, that I know I am, and was, very lucky. I am Norwegian and have be shielded from this kind of violence my whole life. I do not have to be here and I can choose to go home at any given moment. This incident however, has only strengthen my resolve to keep fighting, in solidarity, with the Palestinians —who unlike me have no choice. Thousands of Palestinians have been shot this year alone. By rubber coated steel bullets and by live ammunition. Palestinians get shot for the crime of demonstrating for their basic human rights—or simply for the ‘crime of being born Palestinian’. Whilst my case have been blown up in media, theirs go unnoticed.
It is an unnerving feeling, the knowledge that a stranger has aimed his gun at me, perhaps discussed shooting me with his colleagues —and then made the choice to shoot me. That someone wanted to inflict pain on me, without knowing anything about me —to shoot me in the knowledge that it has no repercussions for themselves. Palestinians have to live with this everyday. The knowledge that at any moment an Israeli sniper might have them in their scope—and will shoot to kill or maim. Shoot them, shoot their kids, their parents, their friend, their loved ones. Violence. Because I am Norwegian, I can and will use my story to highlight what is happening here in the Norwegian media. But I do not, not even for one second, forget that what happened to me, is only a small taste, a minuscule taste of what life under Israel occupation is like. Free Palestine!
In solidarity!
Kristin Foss, activist with the International Solidarity movement
Right after the shooting
Bruises and a wound where the bullet pierced the skin
11th August 2018 | International Solidarity Movement, Al-Khalil Team | Hebron, occupied Palestine
Yesterday, on the 10th of August, the Friday demonstration in the city of Hebron (Al-Khalil) was violently repressed by Israeli forces. Unarmed protestors gathered after Friday prayers, around 13:30, to protest against the occupation and in solidarity with Gaza. During the first hour of the demonstration the soldiers held back, staying around checkpoint 56, but eventually stormed out from the checkpoint and into H1, the Palestinian controlled part of the city.
First, they stormed Baba Zawya, trying to capture and arrest youths protesting against the occupation. The soldiers shot large amounts of tear gas and stun grenades at the demonstrators during their break into H1, with the result of two young children suffering excessive tear gas inhalation. ISM activists followed the soldiers to witness their actions, and while they stood close, watching defiantly, the soldiers shouted at the activists and violently pushed them. Israeli forces arrested three youths and two men. Four of them were eventually but released, but the whereabouts of the fifth is currently unknown. The demonstration ended at 19:30.
The Friday demonstrations in Hebron are an important part of the inhabitants’ resistance against the apartheid and occupation of their city. Checkpoints, restricted access, collective punishment and lack of freedom of movement is a part of daily life for Palestinians in Hebron. As an example, al-Shuhada street used to be the heart of the old city, but was closed to Palestinians in 1994 after a settler from a nearby illegal settlement, named Baruch Goldstein, murdered 29 Palestinians and injured over a 100 inside the Ibrahimi mosque. After that shops were forced to close down and it became known as a ghost town. Palestinians are restricted from walking or driving down al-Shuhada, and Israeli forces have welded the doors shut on Palestinian homes facing the street. Meanwhile, settlers face no such restrictions.
Israeli and international protesters demonstrated at Gaza fence in solidarity with The Great Return March
On Friday August 3rd, “Return”, a group of Israeli and international anti-Zionist activists, including activists from the International Solidarity movement, protested on the east side of the Gaza fence in solidarity with the Great March of Return.
They raised the Palestinian flag so that demonstrators in besieged Gaza could see it. They also carried a banner in Arabic reading “Jews for Return”. The Israeli and international demonstrators were assaulted and arrested by the Israeli military and police. Hours later they were released from the Netivot police station.
At the same time, one Palestinian demonstrator was reported to have been killed by the Israeli military and 220 injured, many from live ammunition. According to health officials in Gaza, this brings the number of slain protestors to at least 153 and injured to more than 16,000 since the weekly protests began on March 30.
“”We were beaten and abused by the Israeli military today but it is nothing compared to the violence Gazans face on a daily basis,” said Omer upon his release from police custody. “We will continue to do whatever we can to subvert this violent and horrific siege, and work for justice.”
On Saturday May 19th, over twenty soldiers escorted armed settlers through the souq
Every Saturday, Zionist settler tours take place in the narrow alleys of the souq in Al Khalil’s (Hebron). These guided tours usually last for about an hour, and settlers are always accompanied by armed Israeli forces, intimidating local Palestinians who are trying to make a living by selling their goods in the market.
The tours began in 2008. At the moment they are usually made up of 50 or more settlers, accompanied by around 30 armed soldiers and border police.
Palestinians often have to stop and wait as the tour makes its way down the narrow streets of the souq. If they are allowed to pass at all, pedestrians are forced to walk through a crowd of settlers, soldiers and border police. Businesses in the souq are affected, as shopping streets are brought to a standstill.
On recent Saturdays, ISM volunteers have seen small children attempting to get past the tour, but repeatedly being told to wait by the army escort.
Each week international volunteers from ISM, the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme for Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) and Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) walk ahead of and behind the tour, in an attempt to monitor and observe the situation. These observers often face harassment from Israeli forces. For example, on Saturday 5th May, after the tour had finished, six international volunteers were surrounded and detained by 13 paratroopers. The commander of the group demanded IDs from the internationals, and threatened that if they ‘made problems’, they would be imprisoned for one month, barred from Al-Khalil, or from entering Israel in the future. This is one small example of how the Israeli military works to prevent any scrutiny of its illegal occupation.
One shopkeeper in the souq told ISM, “We don’t know the settlers’ intentions in coming into our streets, why do they have to come here? Perhaps they are wanting to take over this area.”
Another shopkeeper told us, “I really feel distressed and unsafe during the tours. Even though they have army units with them, some of the settlers carry shotguns. I think they come here [on the tours] because they think think this is their city. It puts a lot of pressure on us Palestinians. I have even seen the people on the tours spitting at international volunteers.
We never know when they are going to come, sometimes they come late afternoon. Sometimes, when there are hard times here, they even come at night.”
