Tag: Kafr Qaddum

“Essence of Discrimination”: Abdelateef wins leeway in military court

By Ben Greene, Ellie Marton, Leila James

24 October 2012 | International Solidarity Movement

UPDATE 24th October: Abdelateef Obeid free

Abdelateef Obeid was today freed from Salem prison, following a bail payment of 5000 NIS. He was arrested on the 21st of September from his home in Kufr Qaddoum. The military court judge has not yet provided reasoning for this decision, but it is hoped that the argument will also provide a basis for the release of Abdelateef’s brother, Majd Obeid, who is currently still in prison.

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Original article appeared on 21 October 2012

On Sunday, a military appeals court judge in Ofer prison decided that there may be merit to arguments of discrimination in the case of Abdelateef Obeid. The judge, who seemed doubtful of the prosecution’s case, has granted the Israeli military another day to address gaping discrepancies in the Obeid case.

The defense argued that Abdelateef’s continued detention constituted “the essence of discrimination. “ He said that the evidence in the case is weaker than that brought against four international peace activists arrested on the same day for the same charges.

The family of Majd and Adbelateef wait to see the two brothers outside the court in Salem last Monday.

Abdelateef and his brother Majd were arrested on 21 September along with the four international activists on charges of stone throwing after a weekly demonstration in the West Bank village of Kufr Qaddoum.

In court on Sunday, Abdelateef’s attorney drew attention to the fact that the prosecution alleges stronger evidence against the international activists, than against Abdelateef, yet the four activists have been released without condition. He said that, in the case of Abdelateef, there is testimony from one soldier, whereas two soldiers claim they saw the activists throwing stones at the demonstration last month.

Another discrepancy lay in the consistency with which soldiers claim to have maintained a line of sight on those accused. Additionally, the soldier who arrested Abdelateef is not the same one who swears he saw the two brothers run into a house after the protest. Instead he merely confirmed hours later that they were the same men he had seen.

The prosecution’s case hit another snag when is was revealed that the Israeli occupation forces never investigated Majd and Abdelateef’s alibis for the afternoon of the demonstration. The family of the two men have stated that Majd and Abdelateef were both at home the day and that soldiers arrested whatever young men happened to be in the house when they invaded Kufr Qaddoum and broke into the Obeid home on the 21st of last month.

The prosecutor, who seemed nervous at the judge’s reception of Abdelateef’s case, argued that three of the released international activists, who appeared in court on Sunday, were not the same people as those arrested in September. He claimed instead that perhaps those activists had already been deported back to their home countries.

The judge permitted the prosecution a further day of investigation to discover any evidence to back up this false claim. A decision in the case is expected on Monday evening.

Ben Greene, Ellie Marton and Leila James are volunteers with the International Solidarity Movement (Names have been changed)

Kufr Qaddoum – Trend of Arrests Continue

14 October 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

Three people – one Palestinian man, another man from Jordan and one Israeli activist were arrested on Friday 12th October in the village of Kufr Qaddoum. Ahmad Badiya Amer, 21, from Jordan, was visiting his cousin, 28 year old Ahmad Abed Fatah Amer, who lives in Kufr Qaddoum. They were reportedly kidnapped from their home, during the regular Friday demonstration which they had not attended.

The Israeli activist was arrested during the demonstration, during a time of Israeli military invasion of the village – the soldiers made repeated incursions into the village in an attempt to arrest demonstrators. Two houses were invaded and occupied by the soldiers, providing a vantage point for them to attack locals. This prompted local youth to attempt to drive them out of the village by throwing stones.

An Israeli army bulldozer and skunk truck were driven further into the village than ever before in the history of the demonstration. After firing skunk water into civilian areas, the Israeli soldiers eventually retreated.

The occurrences of today continue a worrying trend of Palestinians arrested from their homes, facing accusations of having attended demonstrations. For example, Kufr Qaddoum villagers Majd and Abdelateef Obeid were arrested three weeks ago, from their home – where reportedly one of the men had been sleeping and the other had been eating lunch with his family.

The village of Kufr Qaddoum holds regular Friday demonstrations to protest the 12 year closure of the most direct road route to the nearest city of Nablus. This road is now only accessible for illegal Israeli settlers. The demonstration has now been going on for over a year and over 30 inhabitants of the village are currently still in Israeli custody, accused of attending demonstrations. Many of these people have been arrested in the night or from their homes. The status of those arrested today is currently unknown.

Sign the petition to free Majd and Abdelateef:

http://www.change.org/petitions/free-majd-and-abdelateef-obeid

 

By Ellie Marton (Ellie Marton is a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement (name has been changed).

Update: ‘They are not the same as you’ – detention continues for Kufr Qaddoum prisoners

By Ben Greene, Ellie Marton, and Anna Conroy

17 October 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

Majd and Abdelateef’s family, waiting for the brothers to appear.

On Monday 15th October, Palestinian political prisoners Majd and Abdulateef Obeid appeared before a military court for a third time. Their lawyer argued that, as four international activists arrested at the same time with the same evidence had previously been freed, Majd and Abdelateef should be released also.

In advance of the hearing, the Obeid family and their lawyer had been optimistic that Abdelateef would be freed, as he has no previous convictions, and there are legal precedents for challenging the detention of Palestinians where international activists on the same charges have been freed. Majd, as he had a previous conviction under similar charges, was expected at worst to receive a light sentence.

However, the military judge said that “Majd and Abdelateef are not the same as you” – referring to the two international activists present in the court. It was therefore ruled that Majd and Abdelateef’s detention would continue, pending a further hearing at an unconfirmed date in Ofer military court.

The outcome now looks bleaker than previously expected, as it appears that the military court has rejected the argument that Palestinian prisoners should be treated the same as international prisoners. This reflects the apartheid nature of the Israeli system of ‘justice’.

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Previous update published 11 October 2012:

UPDATE AND PETITION – 11th October 2012

Sign a petition demanding freedom for Majd and Abdelateef here.

Majd and Abdelateef Obeid’s case was due to be heard in court today, October 11th. However, Israeli military treatment of Palestinian lawyers at Salem court today led to strike action. Lawyers were protesting about being subjected to full searches when entering the military compound – Israeli lawyers also joined the strike in solidarity with their Palestinian colleagues.

Majd and Abdelateef arrived into the courtroom in handcuffs and leg shackles, wearing the same clothes that they were detained in three weeks ago. Their hearing went ahead without a lawyer present and they were informed that their detention would be extended until their next hearing date, which will be Monday 15th October.

International activists were initially prevented from entering the court, despite having prior permission. This is a typical tactic of the Israeli army to avoid international observation of the Israeli military justice system.

Please sign our petition highlighting the disparity of treatment between the international activists who were arrested and Majd and Abdelateef. The petition signatures will be presented to the judge at Monday’s hearing.

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Original article published 3 October 2012:

In advance of their hearing in military court tomorrow, Majd and Abdelateef Obeid’s mother Sahra Fayez Obeid has recounted to ISM the events of their arrest on the 21st September in the village of Kufr Qaddoum.

Neither Majd or Abdelateef attended the demonstration – they were both in their family home, which happens to be on the route of the demonstration. Abdelateef was eating lunch with his family, while Majd was asleep in the bedroom, when three Israeli Occupation Force soldiers attempted to enter the house with force. They pushed Sahra to the ground, forcing their way into the house. There were also a number of soldiers surrounding the property. Ignoring the pleas of the family to leave, they stated “we want the young men, not you”.

Finding Majd and Abdelateef, the soldiers grabbed them by the neck and marched them to an army jeep on the road outside. Both men were arrested in shorts, t-shirts and flip-flops. When the family followed the soldiers to the jeep, they were threatened and ordered back to their home at gunpoint. Faruq Obeid, the men’s father was told that if he did not leave, the soldiers would create an excuse to arrest him as well and keep him in jail.

The Obeid family have also been threatened that their home is classed as a Closed Military Zone during the weekly Friday demonstration in Kufr Qaddoum, and that male members of the family are at risk of arrest if they remain at home.

Majd and Abdelateef attended a five-minute military court hearing on the 30th of September, at which point their detention was extended and they were charged with endangering the lives of soldiers, throwing stones and with preventing the army from carrying out their military operations. Six soldiers testified against the two men, but the military presented no photographic evidence to back up their claims.

They await a second court hearing on the 4th of October, at which point their detention is likely to be extended once more, still without a conviction.

Majd, who is 20 years old, is a farmer and sweet-maker – as the olive harvest begins in Kufr Qaddoum, his absence will be felt greatly. Abdelateef is a 23 years old mechanic and was married just one week before his arrest – his new wife Maysam Nasek Obeid will attend the court hearing on 4th October, along with their mother Sahra and other family members.

Four international activists who were detained and arrested at the same time as Majd and Abdelateef were released unconditionally on the 30th September, following 48 hours in prison and 7 days under house arrest. They were detained under the exact same charges and “evidence”.

A three-tier justice system is applied by Israel in the territories that it occupies – favouring Israeli citizens first, international citizens second, whilst Palestinians face the harshest sentences, contrary to international human rights law and the Geneva Convention. The tactics of the Israeli military seem aimed at quashing resistance to the Israeli occupation in Kufr Qaddoum.

Israeli Military attempts to crush weekly Kufr Qaddum demonstration, 6 arrested (UPDATE)

By Eva Smith

21 September 2012 | International Solidarity Movement

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UPDATE 19:25, 23 Sept: Many, many thanks to our Israeli activist friends who have given so much of their time and energy to help us! We would not be able to navigate the legal system as smoothly as possible without their support. British citizens Gordon Bennett, 44, Ellie Clayton, 24 and Aimee McGovern, 23, and American citizen Lauren Siebert were released from Ariel settlement police station today, are now under house arrest in Tel Aviv for the next 7 days. The authorities are withholding their passports, and it is possible that at the end of the week the activists will be handed over to the Ministry of Interior for deportation. The tactic of arresting pro-Palestinian activists in order to directly deport them is illegal by Israeli law, but is a tactic often used by the Israeli army to suppress solidarity efforts. The Israeli activists have given the internationals a place to stay under house arrest, as well as transportation from Ariel.  ISM is working to figure out the status of the Majed Faruq and Abd al-Latif Faruq, two Palestinians who were also arrested Friday.

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Four human rights defenders (3 British citizens and an American), as well as two Palestinians, were arrested at the weekly Kufr Qaddoum demonstration. They are currently detained in the illegal Kedumim settlement police station for interrogation. The two Palestinians, Majed Faruq, 20, and Abd al-Latif Faruq, 24 were arrested from inside their homes as the army stormed the village.

Soldiers chasing a group of international human rights defenders shortly before arresting 4, still being held in police custody. (Photo courtesy of The Kufr Qaddum demonstration).

The villagers of Kufr Qaddoum demonstrate weekly against the closure of the road from their village to Nablus since 2002. The Palestinians are not allowed to travel the most direct route to Nablus, 13 km away, due to the positioning of nearby illegal Israeli settlement Kedumim. The commute to Nablus from Kufr Qaddoum is now doubled.

Although the weekly Kufr Qaddoum demonstrations have been going on for over a year, the Israeli military has recently upped efforts to stop the demonstration from occurring. In the past two weeks, the soldiers have entered the village before the midday prayer and the beginning of the march towards the closed road, surrounding the mosque and firing tear gas into the crowd. Three people, including an Israeli press activist, were injured as tear gas canisters were shot directly at them, hitting them in the arms. In addition to tear gas and sound bombs, after the arrests the Israeli military entered into the village with a skunk water truck. The checkpoints around the village were closed by the Israeli military until 5 p.m.

Resident of the Palestinian village throwing shoes at the soldiers after they entered the village and began shooting teargas near the mosque during Friday prayers. (Photo courtesy of The Kufr Qaddum Demonstration).

The Israeli military has been continuing their arrests of villagers: soldiers came early yesterday morning, Thursday 20 September at 2:30 a.m. to arrest four young Palestinian men: Taka Mohammad, 17, Mohammad Amir, 16, Yosouf Shtaiwi, 20, and Nadir Amer, 23. Anas Waleed Barham, 22, was arrested early Wednesday morning at a checkpoint. Another resident of Kufr Qaddum, Ahmad Shtaiwi, 22, remains in prison since his arrest March 16th.

The nonviolent human rights defenders have been charged with throwing stones and being in a closed military zone. There are reports that the detainees were beaten during the arrest, although this remains unconfirmed.

Eva Smith is a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement (name has been changed).

Israeli forces invade Kufr Qaddoum prior to planned protest

By Ben Greene

14 September | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

The Israeli army and border police blocked a road in the village center. Picture by Ellie Marton

Just after noon on Friday 14th September, Israeli forces invaded the village of Kufr Qaddoum, prior to a demonstration due to begin at 1.15pm. The Israeli army and Border Police blocked a road in the village center, stopping villagers from attending Friday prayers at the mosque – this is the first time that the tactic of pre-emptive invasion has been used to suppress the weekly demonstration in Kufr Qaddoum.

Prayers were held instead outside the mosque, after which chanting commenced as a start to the planned protest. Israeli forces responded immediately with tear gas rounds, advancing further into the village. Further tear gas rounds were fired at head height, directly towards houses in the street where protesters were gathered.

Israeli forces then regrouped in two positions – one group of 11 soldiers on the hill above the village, and a second group on the road leading to the planned site for the demonstration. Israeli forces also brought a bulldozer and a skunk truck to block the road leading the planned demonstration site.

Israeli forces on the hillside sought to isolate groups of protesters by attacking via side streets. The combined effect of the Israeli actions was to cause the demonstration to be pushed into the heart of the village, increasing the danger for civilians.

Following the end of the demonstration, Kufr Qaddoum Popular Committee representative Murad reported that there had been a village invasion at 5pm Thursday 13th September also, by soldiers in jeeps who entered the village and fired tear gas for no reason. He continued, ‘We don’t want to demonstrate for the sake of demonstrating. We don’t want to see our children killed, our houses damaged. Give us our rights. We will demonstrate until then.’

The weekly demonstration in Kufr Qaddoum is to protest against the closure of the main road between the village and Nablus, the nearest city, which is 13 km away. The road closure doubles the distance from Kufr Qaddoum to Nablus.

Israeli tactics at Kufr Qaddoum – invading the village from several sides, meeting demonstrators with immediate excessive force, blocking roads to prevent access, and bringing Border Police to try to arrest international observers – follow a pattern seen throughout the West Bank that aims to systematically deny basic human rights to freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, freedom to protest and freedom of movement, and also violates the obligation of military forces not to use disproportionate force.

Ben Greene is a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement (name has been changed).