Tag: Kafr Qaddum - Page 14 - International Solidarity Movement

Army violently represses Kafr Qaddum demonstration

21th June 2013 | International Women’s Peace Service | Kafr Qaddum , Occupied Palestine

On Friday, June 21, the residents of Kafr Qaddum gathered for the weekly demonstration following the Friday prayer. Many residents were prevented from attending the prayer, as 60 soldiers entered the village before the demonstration even began.

Protesters having much more fun than the Army (Photo by IWPS)

At approximately 11:30, people in the village noticed soldiers entering from the main road closest to Qedumim settlement. They quickly gathered to keep the soldiers away, building defensive stone barricades along the main road. As they faced-off with the army, Israeli soldiers repeatedly pointed their guns at the crowd in order to scare people back to the center of the village.

Nearly one hour later, the soldiers descended down the main road, firing many tear gas canisters and sound bombs at the fleeing crowd. Many people suffered from tear gas inhalation and the surrounding shops and houses also filled up with toxic gas.

At 13:40, the army entered the village again, led by a bulldozer, which cleared away some of the barricades and provided cover for the approaching soldiers, who continued to shoot tear gas at the demonstrators.

At 14:00, one protestor was shot in the back with a plastic-coated steel bullet and was carried away to receive medical attention. Ten minutes later, a camera man and a correspondent for Palestine TV were violently beaten and arrested by the army, showing the Israeli military’s clear disregard for freedom of the press and a journalist’s right to report the news. All of their equipment was confiscated and throw into a nearby field.

Car window shot out by Israeli soldiers (Photo by IWPS)

Demonstrators shouted for the men’s’ release to no avail. Twenty minutes later, two more young men were shot with plastic coated steel bullets, one in the chest and another in the arm and the stomach.

Approaching 15:00, yet another young man was shot in the hand with a plastic-coated steel bullet, severely cutting his fingers. Following his injury, the army raided the village for the last time of the day when nearly 30 foot soldiers chased protesters back to the center of the village, firing tear gas and sound bombs.

The Israeli army presence continued into the early evening and at 16:00, the group of fifty protestors celebrated their daily acts of resistance by eating ice cream, dancing and singing in front of the 30 remaining soldiers and border police.

Israeli army detains a 10-year-old during the weekly demonstration in Kafr Qaddum

14th June 2013 | International Women’s Peace Service | Kafr Qaddum, Occupied Palestine

On Friday 14 June, the Israeli army arrested a 10-year-old child during the weekly protest in Kafr Qaddum. Israeli soldiers fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at the villagers; many local residents suffered from tear gas inhalation.

At approximately 12:00, when residents and international solidarity activists started gathering for the demonstration before the Friday prayers, nearly 30 foot soldiers stormed the village from the main road leading toward the illegal Israeli settlement Qedumim. As they entered the village, they fired tear gas canisters directly at the group before the demonstration even began. Local youth resisted the incursion, chasing the soldiers back from the bystanders toward a hill overlooking the village.

Tyre barricades burning (Photo by IWPS) — Tyre barricades at Kafr Qaddum demonstration (Photo by IWPS)

Over the next two and a half hours, soldiers shot tear gas and threw sound bombs at demonstrators in the olive groves next to the main road of the village. At approximately 12:30, soldiers detained a 10-year-old boy. While in their custody, soldiers tied his hands, grabbed him by the neck, beat him and threatened to “drop [him] from this rock.”

Nearly one and a half hours later, the boy was released and residents of Kafr Qaddum celebrated his return. Soldiers continued to fire tear gas at local youth protesting at the edge of the village close to the illegal settler colony of Qedumim. No further arrests were made and the demonstration ended at around 15:00.

Kafr Qaddum is a 3,000-year-old agricultural village that sits on 24,000 dunams of land. The village was occupied by the Israeli army in 1967; in 1978, the illegal settler-colony of Qedumim was established nearby on the remains of a former Jordanian army camp, occupying 4,000 dunams of land stolen from Kafr Qaddum.

The villagers are currently unable to access an additional 11,000 dunams of land due to the closure by the Israeli army of the village’s main and only road leading to Nablus in 2003. The road was closed in three stages, ultimately restricting access for farmers to the 11,000 dunams of land that lie along either side to one or two times a year. Since the road closure, the people of Kafr Qaddum have been forced to rely on an animal trail to access this area; the road is narrow and, according to the locals, intended only for animals. In 2004 and 2006, three villagers died when they were unable to reach the hospital in time. The ambulances carrying them were prohibited from using the main road and were forced to take a 13 km detour. These deaths provoked even greater resentment in Kafr Qaddum and, on 1 July 2011, the villagers decided to unite in protest in order to re-open the road and protect the land in danger of settlement expansion along it.

Israeli soldiers standing on the hilltop during the demonstration (Photo by IWPS)

Kafr Qaddum is home to 4,000 people; some 500 residents attend the weekly demonstrations. The villagers’ resilience, determination and organization have been met with extreme repression. More than 120 village residents have been arrested; most spend 3-8 months in prison; collectively they have paid over NIS 100,000 to the Israeli courts. Around 2,000 residents have suffocated from tear-gas inhalation, many in their own homes. Over 100 residents have been shot directly with tear-gas canisters. On 27 April 2012, one man was shot in the head by a tear-gas canister that fractured his skull in three places; the injury cost him his ability to speak. In another incident, on 16 March 2012 an Israeli soldier released his dog into the crowded demonstration, where it attacked a young man, biting him for nearly 15 minutes whilst the army watched. When other residents tried to assist him, some were pushed away while others were pepper-sprayed directly in the face.

The events of the past week are part of a continuous campaign by the Israeli military to harass and intimidate the people of Kafr Qaddum into passively accepting the human rights violations the Israeli occupation, military and the illegal settlers inflict upon them.

“We are the army…we will catch you or we will come to your house” – Soldiers threaten children of Kafr Qaddum

7th June 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Kafr Qaddum, Occupied Palestine

In the early hours of the 7th June, the Israeli military conducted a night raid on the village of Kafr Qaddum for what is reportedly the tenth time in the last three weeks. This follows threats made by soldiers against children of the village and continued harassment, day and night. Friday’s demonstration was a chance for the children of the village to show that they are not afraid and demand justice. Although the peaceful march was violently repressed with excessive use of tear gas, the villagers remain steadfast.

Pictures of Kufr Qaddum children posted by the army with threats — Child pictures with threats by army

Recent weeks have seen a rise in night raids on the village, many for several hours with gas, rubber bullets and live ammunition fired both at random throughout the village and at people who leave their homes to protect their families. During Thursday night’s two hour invasion from 12.30-2.30am, Israeli soldiers fired live ammunition into the air to threaten residents and shot multiple rounds of tear gas, some through the windows of people’s homes. One home was that of a seven month-old baby who was suffocated by the gas and had to be treated in an ambulance.

This child abuse follows the army’s recent pasting of posters around the village showing the faces of four 15-16 year old children. The message on the posters read, “We are the army, take care, we will catch you if we see you, or we will come to your house.” During night raids over the course of the last weeks Israeli soldiers have also stolen tyres from the village, which are used in the course of the Friday demonstrations to block the army from entering the village.

At today’s demonstration, the children of Kafr Qaddoum held placards calling for the soldiers to face justice for their threats against them and for their repression of the people of the village and of Palestine. Around one hundred people calling for justice marched through Kafr Qaddum towards the Israeli roadblock which prevents access for villagers to the main road to Nablus; the obstruction means an extra 14 kilometres on the journey and is emblematic of the restriction of movement imposed by the Israeli authorities on Palestinians in the West Bank.

Children of Kufr Qaddum demand justice and refuse intimidation (Photo: ISM)

As protesters walked along the road they were immediately showered with tear gas, which was shot in multiple rounds from ‘the tempest’ – a jeep-loaded device used to shoot up to sixty canisters at a time. Soldiers also shot metal gas canisters directly at the peaceful demonstrators, violating Israeli rules of engagement which state that tear-gas should be shot at an arc into the air. Several people were injured and many suffered from tear gas inhalation and needed to be treated by Palestinian ambulance teams. Tear gas fired by Israeli forces sparked fires in olive groves around the village, requiring the fire brigade to also be called.

Israeli forces continue to threaten and repress non-violent resistance to the occupation with tactics such as threatening children and attacking the village at night, but Mourad a villager today stated, “Despite the fact that our village is under siege and our people suppressed, we are still determined to continue our march and achieve our goals.”

Israeli jeeps with attachment to fire 'the tempest' of tear gas — Israeli jeeps with attachment to fire ‘the tempest’ of tear gas (Photo: Kafr Qaddum Media)

Violent repression continues by the Israeli Army against protesters in Kufr Qaddum

31th May 2013 | International Women’s Peace Service | Kufr Qaddum, Occupied Palestine

UPDATE 1st June: Last night, two Israeli military jeeps invaded Kufr Qaddum. Soldiers threw stun grenades and stuck several posters with photos of four children around the village. The posters read: “We are the army. Be careful. If we see you, we are going to catch you. If not, we will come to your houses and take you”

Poster with the photos of the children (Photo by resident of Kufr Qaddum)

*******

On 31 May the residents of Kufr Qaddum held their weekly demonstration after the Friday prayer and were violently repressed when the Israeli army invaded the village, firing tear gas and sound bombs directly at the protesters and into several houses and the local mosque.

Window broken by Israeli soldiers during army incursion in weekly Friday demonstration (Photo by IWPS) — Window broken by Israeli soldiers during army incursion (Photo by IWPS)

The protest began at around 13:15 with the regular march to the eastern side of the village toward the road closure that separates Kufr Qaddum from the illegal Israeli settler colony Qedumim, which was built on land stolen from Kufr Qaddum. As protesters approached the last house on the edge of the village, the road was blocked by one Border Police jeep and a bulldozer. A standoff ensued between Israeli forces and local youth who built defensive stone barricades along the main road to prevent an army incursion. After half an hour, Israeli soldiers began to shoot tear gas canisters from a device know as “The Tempest,” which fires multiple canisters simultaneously. As the protesters retreated from the continuous barrage of tear gas from Israeli foot soldiers, the bulldozer advanced into the village, clearing the barricades along the way.

Residents at the western part of the village alerted the protesters in the east that the Israeli army was seen on the road outside the entrance. As residents attempted to construct new barricades, 3 Israeli army and Border Police jeeps charged into the village, accompanied by others invading from the north and the east, attempting to surround the protesters. Many residents took shelter in nearby houses as army and border police forces in the center of the village began to fire directly at people. Several women came out from their houses to confront the soldiers, who continued to shoot indiscriminately at local youth. Many tear gas canisters were shot into houses and into the mosque, where carpets were burnt by the canisters. Excessive amounts of tear gas entered one home and 5 children (ages 9, 7, 4, 1 and 6 months) suffered from tear gas inhalation. A journalist from PALMEDIA also passed out from gas inhalation after putting his gas mask onto a local woman, and was assisted by local paramedics.

After half an hour, the Israeli forces withdrew from the town, having fired more tear gas at the protesters who had once again gathered at the eastern side of the village. Two Israeli activists were arrested and taken to Ariel police station. One was later released, while the other has not yet been released (as of midnight 31 May). After the demonstration, witnesses observed many spent casings from live ammunition along the protest route, as well as a window that was broken by the soldiers.

Israeli army and Border Police invade Kufr Qaddum during the protest (Photo by IWPS)

Collective punishment of Kufr Qaddum by the Israeli military for political activity

29th May 2013 | International Women’s Peace Service | Kafr Qaddum, Occupied Palestine

Early on Monday 27 May at 1:30AM three Israeli border police jeeps entered the village of Kufr Qaddum. The border police made their presence known to the villagers by driving slowly through the town center. Additionally, the following night, Tuesday 28 May, at 02:00 AM around 60 soldiers on foot and four jeeps stormed the village. The Israeli military forcefully entered 10 homes, demanding the names and employment details of all the members in each household. The soldiers and jeeps left the village at about 04:00 AM, having collectively punished an entire community through nightly harassment but making no arrests.

Israeli border police officers and armored bulldozer invading the village during a demonstration, April 2013 (Photo by ISM)

Just a few days before that, residents reported that on the night of Thursday 23 May, the day before the weekly demonstration, the Israeli army entered the village and stole some 200 tyres that residents light up during the demonstrations to prevent Israeli military vehicles from entering the village. Moreover, on Saturday 18 May, one day after that week’s demonstration, Israeli soldiers in jeeps came to the house of one of the organizers at night and left some burning tires in his yard.
Kufr Qaddum is a 3,000-year-old agricultural village that sits on 24,000 dunams of land. The village was occupied by the Israeli army in 1967; in 1978, the illegal settler-colony of Qedumim was established nearby on the remains of a former Jordanian army camp, occupying 4,000 dunams of land stolen from Kufr Qaddum.
The villagers are currently unable to access an additional 11,000 dunams of land due to the closure by the Israeli army of the village’s main and only road leading to Nablus in 2003. The road was closed in three stages, ultimately restricting access for farmers to the 11,000 dunams of land that lie along either side to one or two times a year. Since the road closure, the people of Kufr Qaddum have been forced to rely on an animal trail to access this area; the road is narrow and, according to the locals, intended only for animals. In 2004 and 2006, three villagers died when they were unable to reach the hospital in time. The ambulances carrying them were prohibited from using the main road and were forced to take a 13 km detour. These deaths provoked even greater resentment in Kufr Qaddum and, on 1 July 2011, the villagers decided to unite in protest in order to re-open the road and protect the land in danger of settlement expansion along it.
Kufr Qaddum is home to 4,000 people; some 500 residents attend the weekly demonstrations. The villagers’ resilience, determination and organization have been met with extreme repression. More than 120 village residents have been arrested; most spend 3-8 months in prison; collectively they have paid over NIS 100,000 to the Israeli courts. Around 2,000 residents have suffocated from tear-gas inhalation, many in their own homes. Over 100 residents have been shot directly with tear-gas canisters. On 27 April 2012, one man was shot in the head by a tear-gas canister that fractured his skull in three places; the injury cost him his ability to speak. In another incident, on 16 March 2012 an Israeli soldier released his dog into the crowded demonstration, where it attacked a young man, biting him for nearly 15 minutes whilst the army watched. When other residents tried to assist him, some were pushed away while others were pepper-sprayed directly in the face.
The events of the past week are part of a continuous campaign by the Israeli military to harass and intimidate the people of Kufr Qaddum into passively accepting the human rights violations the Israeli occupation, military and the illegal settlers inflict upon them.