Tag: Kafr Qaddum

Palestinian villages attacked – yet resisting illegal outposts

12th January 2018 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus team | Occupied Palestine

Today in Kfar Qaddum the protesters, marching towards the road closed off due to the illegal settlement of Kadumim, were suppressed by Israeli military. Protesters were met with teargas and rubber coated steel bullets. Luckily there were no serious injuries. Three days ago though, hundreds of settlers from the illegal settlement of Havat Gilad attacked the neighboring village of Far’ata.

When ISMers spoke to the protesters in Kfar Qaddum, they expressed more relief than usual about there being no serious injuries today. “There is so much violence around the West Bank right now, so if something happened here we fear that it would go unnoticed.” says the main coordinator Murad Shtawi. He showed ISM the video taken by his friends in Far’ata where dozens of settlers forcibly enter the village.

Following the funeral of a recently killed settler from the illegal outpost of Havat Gilad, dozens of settlers attacked the nearby village of Far’ata. The settlers from the illegal outpost threw stones at seven Palestinian homes, breaking windows and causing other property damage. The attacking settlers also damaged trees belonging to Palestinian villagers.

Photos from the security cameras in the Far’ata families’ homes.

The illegal outpost of Havat Gilad, founded in 2002, has had numerous incidents of land theft, destruction, vandalism, and violence towards nearby Palestinian villages. The illegal outpost is scheduled for demolition under an international agreement, but Israel has yet to remove the illegal outpost. Outposts, like Havat Gilad, are illegal under Israeli and International law.

Video of settlers in Far’ata

The villagers in Kfar Qaddum have been protesting the effects of the illegal settlement Kadumim since 2011. Apart from the land theft, which is still ongoing, in 2003 the villagers lost their main connection with Nablus increasing their commute to almost an hour instead of previous ten minutes.

Live ammunition fired at protesters in Kafr Qaddum

22nd September 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus team | Kafr Qaddum, occupied Palestine

During today’s march in Kafr Qaddum, three protesters were injured by rubber coated steel bullets fired by the Israeli armed forces. When it looked as if the soldiers had retreated, they surprised the demonstrators by re-entering the village and fired several rounds of live ammunition.

 

Shortly after the march had started, the Israeli military entered the village and fired sound bombs, rubber coated steal bullets and tear gas at protesters. A 22-year old got shot by a rubber coated steel bullet in his shoulder and a 20-year old and a 46-year old man got shot in their hands. All could be treated at the scene.

It was some time ago that the military used live ammunition in Kafr Qaddum. One of the demonstrators told ISM that it reminded him of the dramatic incidents between 2014 and 2016 where many people were shot with live ammunition. Six of these people were children under the age of 11 and six people got shot in the upper parts of their body. Some of them are still suffering from their injuries. Four people got killed. During this period there were also 170 protesters arrested and kept in military detention from 3 months to 24 months.

Since 2011, the villagers of Kafr Qaddum have had weekly marches towards their main road which have been closed since 2003. The road is closed off due to the location of the illegal settlement of Kadumim, and have severe effects on the daily commutes for the villagers of Kafr Qaddum.

A video of the protest can be found here:

 

 

Israeli occupation forces suppress peaceful protest with rubber-coated steel bullets and live ammunition

20th August 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, Huwwara-team | Kafr Qaddum, occupied Palestine

Israeli occupation forces suppressed another non-violent demonstration on Friday the 18th of August, in the village Kafr Qaddum, in the occupied West Bank. The weekly demonstrations protest the closure of the main road connecting the village with Nablus, which is the main city in the area.

The blocking of the road was enforced, to “secure” the nearby illegal settlement Kedumim, thus prohibiting Palestinians from using the main road to Nablus. Kedumim illegal settlement is currently being expanded further.

Smoke from burning tires rising at the demonstration

Within the first 30 minutes of the demonstration the Israeli forces were firing both live ammunition and rubber-coated steel bullets at protestors. This went on for two and a half hours, before the army retreated and the participators of the march went home. Throughout the demonstration the Israeli forces circulated the area with a drone, filming the participants of the protest. Additionally, the soldiers were carrying cameras on their bodies.

Palestinians demonstrating the illegal land theft

Apart from keeping files on individuals supporting the popular resistance, such pictures can serve as ‘evidence’ against Palestinians for the participation in ‘illegal’ demonstration.

While it was not the case this particular Friday, the occupying army has been raiding houses regularly in the early hours on days of demonstrations, taking pictures of all young men in the given homes.

Israeli forces in Palestinian civilians homes

During this Friday’s demonstration however, various homes were raided, as Israeli soldiers made their way unto balconies and rooftops of strategically located houses, to control the protest. This is a common protocol for the Israeli army, and an intrusion the local residents can do nothing about.

Israeli forces violently dispersed demonstration in Kafr Qaddum

13th August 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, Huwwara team | Kafr Qaddum, occupied Palestine

Friday 11th of August, the Israeli forces violently dispersed the weekly Friday demonstration in Kafr Qaddum. The villagers have been protesting since 2011 against the closure of their main road that leads to Nablus. The closure of the road complicates the everyday life of the Palestinians living in Kafr Qaddum, it restricts their right to free movement and furthermore adds economical pressure to the villagers who are forced to spend more time and money on public transportation. The closed road leads to the agricultural areas surrounding Kafr Qaddum, prohibiting the farmers from accessing their land freely.

Friday 11th at 1 PM the villagers of Kafr Qaddum began the demonstration. A group of Palestinians and international activists marched towards the road that leads to Nablus, passing the illegal settlement of Kedumim. The demonstration was immediately interrupted by the Israeli occupation forces. They blocked the road at the entrance to the village, and started shooting rubber coated steel bullets, live ammunition and throwing stun grenades. The demonstration was dispersed, and people sought shelter nearby. The Palestinians and the international activists tried to continue the demonstration, but were continuously pushed back by the violence used by the Israeli occupation forces. The soldiers were strategically placed around the village, ensuring that the demonstration could not move elsewhere, and firing at the demonstration from different angles.

The following day, Saturday 12th, the villagers held another demonstration. Three international activist were denied from joining the protest and were detained for three hours by the Israeli occupation forces.

During the past 6 years of the weekly Friday protest, the Israeli occupation forces has continuously used violence to repress the villagers.

 

Israeli forces repress Friday demonstration in Kafr Qaddum

6th August 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, Huwwara team | Kafr Qaddum, occupied Palestine

On Friday 4th of August residents of Kafr Quaddum held their weekly demonstration against the closure of a road, once the main transport route from the community to Nablus. The weekly Friday demonstrations began on 1st July 2011.

Palestinians march in Kafr Qaddum during last Friday’s protest

The closing of the road was justified as a security measure for the nearby illegal settlement of Kedumim, and has led to residents of Kafr Quaddum having to use a significantly longer route to Nablus, and the surrounding area.

 Last friday’s demonstration started around 1 PM, with local residents, joined by Israeli and International activists, marching through the village.They were met by Israeli soldiers who used tear gas, sound bombs and rubber-coated steel bullets to suppress the crowd. The demonstration was pushed back from several directions, with Israeli forces raiding the house of local resident Jamal Jumaa, and using it as a strategic point from which to disperse the protesters.

Kafr Qaddum residents have been protesting the closure of a main road since 2011

Despite the use of excessive violence by Israeli forces, no one was injured during the three hour demonstration.

Drones were also deployed in order to surveil residents participating in the protest, so as to identify targets for arrest.

Israeli forces repressed the demonstration and raided the house of Jamal Jumaa, a local resident

In the six years since the weekly demonstrations began, locals report that 85 Palestinians have been shot with live ammunition, with a further 170 people arrested.