Tag: Jerusalem

Al Walaja: Tunneling to get home

by Ramon Garcia

8 March 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

Sherinne Alaraj of the local Popular Committee stands at the site of the tunnel

 

Some Palestinians and Internationals gathered in the village of Al Walajeh on International Women’s Day to show solidarity to Omar and his family, especially his wife ,whose health has suffered from Israeli occupation in the small village.

Sherinne Alaraj of the local Popular Committee explained to internationals the circumstances of the family. Over a dozen individuals toured with her, learning of the family’s forced separation from their village.

The Apartheid Wall under construction in the village will leave the home of Omar and his family on the “wrong” side and separate it from the rest of the village. The Israeli military has thus constructed a “private” tunnel for the family to use in order to access their home from the village.  This tunnel is being dug up at the moment, and due to the heavy rains of last week, the family home was severely flooded.

The house sits behind the dirt dug to extend the segregation barrier

This is the price the family has to pay for having refused to leave their house. When the wall is finished, they will be surrounded by 4 electric fences.

The constant harassment from the occupation forces and the construction of the wall seriously affected the health of a woman residing in the house. She had a nervous breakdown, and the stress made her lose her sight for 3 months. When asked what her biggest fear was, she responded, “The kind of men my children will grow up to be in these circumstances.”

Occupation forces and police were present, telling us we were not allowed to assemble at the home. As Al Walajeh is officially part of Jerusalem, military law does not apply here. The situation of the village is quite special, as the land was annexed to Jerusalem, but not the people, who are therefore considered as “present absentees”, staying illegally in their own houses.

Two weeks ago, 14 demolition orders were handed out, and the village counts at least 100 in total.

Ramon Garcia is a volunteer with International Solidarity Movement (name has been changed).

Clashes and arrests in the town of Tur

by Asmaa Thaher

28 February 2012 | Jerusalem Center for Media

Broke out this evening clashes in the town of Tur East Jerusalem and the occupation forces arrested two young men from the region.

Our correspondent said that the clashes broke out near Al-Maqased hospital and Tur club down to the Sawwanah neighborhood crossroads.

He said that the occupation authorities used large amounts of tear gas, rubber and sound bullets, and youths response with throwing stones and iron bars at soldiers.

Witnesses said that soldiers arrested two young men at least in the confrontations that take place in the town for the fourth day in the neighborhood protesting to storm Al Aqsa Mosque on Friday.

Protester shot and killed at a demonstration at Qalandya checkpoint today, clashes continue in Jerusalem and the West Bank

25 February 2012 | Palestine News Network

During a violent protest in which the IOF used live bullets, tear gas and rubber bullets, twenty five year old Talat Ramia, was shot in the shoulder and died later from his injuries. According to medics, five other protesters were injured.

An Israeli army spokesman said the incident was under investigation. The official said initial indications showed that one of the protesters had “fired fireworks at IDF soldiers from several meters away, putting the soldiers’ lives in danger”. The soldiers “responded by firing, injuring the Palestinian in his shoulder.”

Funeral procession for Talat Ramia, 25, who died on Friday after he was shot by Israeli forces at a protest near Qalandiya checkpoint. (Maan Images)

The demonstration was held in response to rumours of a possible raid by Israeli settlers of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem today. Consequently there were violent clashes at Al-Aqsa mosque, in which four Palestinian people were arrested and more than fifteen sustained injuries from riot police.

This followed a week of unrest in Jerusalem, as the extreme Israeli group Likud threatened to break into the mosque last Sunday.

Al Aqsa Mosque is considered to be one of the most sensitive places in the Middle East and is considered the third holiest place in Islam, while it is considered by the Jewish as Temple Mount and is revered as one of the most sacred sights.

Witnesses stated that the police fired tear gas, forcing people to run inside for cover.

“We were praying when they started shooting tear gas towards us,” 58-year-old Umm Mohammad told AFP by telephone from inside the Dome of the Rock.

“At first, they were shooting at the Al-Aqsa mosque but we hid in the Dome of the Rock, and now they have started firing tear gas and sound bombs towards the gates,” she said.

Clashes continue this evening in Al-Rum, a town near Jerusalem city. Medical sources state that there are many injuries as the IOF are currently shooting live rounds.

Israeli police clash with Palestinians in al-Aqsa, kill one

24 February 2012 | Press TV

Clashes broke out after Israeli police fired tear gas and used stun grenades on hundreds of Palestinians who had gathered outside al-Aqsa Mosque following the Friday Prayers to protest against Israeli attacks on the holy site earlier this week. One man was killed amid protests in nearby Qalandia following the Zionist incursion into Al Aqsa.

Some reports, however, suggest that the attack came as Palestinians were praying. The clashes followed nearly a week of unrest at the holy site.

“We were praying when they started shooting tear gas towards us,” 58-year-old Umm Mohammad told AFP.

Four Palestinians were also arrested.

Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is one of the holiest sites in Islam, has been the scene of clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinian worshipers since the occupation of Palestinian lands.

On Sunday, Israeli police attacked al-Aqsa Mosque and arrested at least 18 Palestinians after Jewish settlers clashed with Palestinian worshippers at the holy site.

Israeli troops also clashed with Palestinian worshipers in the area on Tuesday and Thursday.

Municipality creates garbage dump inside Bab Alsbat cemetery next to Lion Gate in the Old City

22 February 2012 | Wadi Hilweh Information Center – Silwan

Large quantities of waste are being piled by the Jerusalem Municipality inside the Islamic cemetery (Bab Alsbat) next to Lions Gate in the old city, in a move that has upset and offended the City’s thousands of Muslim inhabitants. The Lions Gate, which lies close to the sacred Al-Aqsa Mosque, is now awash with the overpowering stench of accumulated garbage.

One resident stated that the Jerusalem Municipality “is unashamedly discriminatory in its practices. They not only use a sacred place as a rubbish dump, they even burn the rubbish here, inside a holy place  the Bab Alasbat cemetery. Why has UNESCO not tried to stop the Municipality?”

A resident Christian priest of the Old City told Silwanic that he considered the Municipality’s actions unlawful, and encouraging of racist in Jerusalem.