Tag: Nablus

On the 13th September settlers rioted in the village of Assira al Qabliya while Israeli forces invaded the village and imposed curfew. Eight people were injured during the riot, two from live ammunition.

Photos courtesy of Activestills

According to media sources a young settler child was attacked from an intruder into the Yitzhar settlement. Soon after settlers gathered on the hill and rioted through Assira al Qabliya, shooting live ammunition and causing widespread damage. Two people were hit by live ammunition, while 4 were reportedly hit by rubber-coated steel bullets from the Israeli army.

International activists managed to access the village to show solidarity with the besieged villagers as the army invaded and imposed curfew. One of the families had managed to film settlers and soldiers coming into the village, with the soldiers refraining from preventing the settlers enter. This video was shot on a camera supplied by B’Tselem as part of their ‘Shooting Back’ campaign, through which cameras have been handed out to Palestinians particularly at risk from settlers and the army.

The internationals were joined by Israeli activists that afternoon. As the army invaded again in the early hours of the 14th September, they were surprised to find Israelis within the family home they had come to search.

At approximately 18:00 on Wednesday 10 September Israeli special forces entered the Mount Gezzim area of Nablus to arrest a Palestinian they accused of owning a weapon. Following the arrest and detention of two Palestinians, Israeli soldiers then shot multiple times and killed an unarmed man nearby.

The Israeli army had been in neighbouring homes the previous night watching the area and on the evening of the 18 August, approximately 100 soldiers and several jeeps surrounded the area shooting live ammunition and using sound bombs and tear gas in the neighbourhood. They entered the home of Jaffar Hamede Tiser Gera (22 years old) shooting open the door where his mother, father, himself and his friend Abu Jaba (22 years old) were sat ready to eat Ifta. The soldiers demanded to know where ‘Jaffar’ was and he immediately made himself known and raised his hands in the air. The soldiers then restrained and beat both Jaffar and Abu Jaba. The army then proceeded to search and ransack the home for 1 hour and no weapon was ever found.

Following their restraint and the shooting in the area, 20 year old Waled Fareed Fretekh, walked out of the steps of his home to investigate the noise. Eye witnesses then stated that without warning the soldiers shot Waled in the legs several times and when he had fallen to the ground. A friend and neighbour in a nearby house then proceeded to try to get to Waled to give him assistance but was detained by the army who threatened to shot him and beat him. Waled’s mother phoned for an ambulance and pleaded with the soldiers repeatedly to help him. This was ignored and witnesses state a soldier told her “I want your son to die here”. The friend and neighbour then managed to get to Waled a second time after the soldiers moved back around the corner. They carried him through their home and up the steps towards the pavement and awaiting ambulances. Before reaching the pavement the soldiers grabbed him and pulled him away from Waled. Waled was then left bleeding profusely from the legs on the steps.

Red Crescent ambulance volunteers were prevented from reaching Waled as the Israeli army opened fire on them with live ammunition and tear gas. Waled who lay on the steps for 90 minutes and during this time witnesses say soldiers attempted to remove the bullets from Waled’s legs with knives and witnesses state Waled was conscious and screaming from the pain. The soldiers then checked his pulse over time and after 90 minutes the army retreated with Jaffar and Abu Jaba in custody leaving Waled on the steps. The ambulance crew were then able to reach Waled who had already died due to acute loss of blood and he was taken to Rifidiya hospital in West Nablus.

For more information about the Olive Harvest Campaign 2008 click here

A Palestinian family home near the settlement of Yizhar has been under constant attacks from its inhabitants. On Friday 5 September settlers came down the mountain, a mere kilometre from the village, to the families’ home and threw stones and painted stars of David on the walls. This has not been the first occasion.

The home has been under constant attack from settlers over the past four years, coming down the mountain, harassing and intimidating the family who have small children and two other Palestinian homes in close proximity. On one occasion settlers fired guns into the air and ground forcing the family on each occasion to lock themselves in their home. When the Israeli army have been contacted about the attacks they have not taken any further action against the perpetrators and the attacks have continued.

The village of Asira al Qibliya is also dependent on its annual olive harvest and farmers attempting to harvest and tend to their trees next to the settlement have been under repeated attacks over the past few years from both settlers and the army. This year they will be accompanied by international solidarity activists with the aim of achieving as full a harvest as possible.

The Israeli Army invaded Kafr Qallil on Thursday 21st August and arrested two men. Cousins Montasar Ahmed and Naseer Aamir were both taken from Montasar’s family home which he shares with nine other people.

Montasar’s father says that more than fifty soldiers surrounded the house at around 3.30pm. Local people began throwing stones and the soldiers responded with tear gas and sound bombs. According to several eyewitnesses, soldiers also fired live ammunition close to where people stood.

Montasar’s father was ordered to send his son outside. He says he tried to go with Montasar but the soldiers stopped him and threatened to shoot him if he attempted to reach his son. He says he then saw the soldiers take Montasar some distance from the house and punch, kick and beat him with their guns. When Montasar’s mother tried to reach her son she was pushed by soldiers and collapsed.

An ambulance was called, but neighbours say that the army prevented it from reaching the house. A media team was also stopped. Montasar was then taken into his family’s house with the soldiers who brought a dog team. Furniture and other belongings were destroyed and a collection of photos were taken as soldiers searched the home. Both Montasar and his cousin Naseer were taken to Huwarra military detention centre.

His father says that this is the second time that Montasar has been arrested. In November 2007 he was held in administrative detention for nine months and released without charge.

On the night between the 5th and 6th of August, Israeli army invaded Nablus to arrest Majida Fada, a 38-year elected member of the municipality.

People from the neighborhood report that the army arrived around 1:30am, closing the area and shooting out street lights. About ten soldiers then moved into the residential building where Majida Fada lived with her parents, forcing the doors open and storming into family homes. A man named Based Khader was reported to have been used as a human shield while soldiers carried out their search.

Majida Fada, head of the municipality committee responsible for the beautification of Nablus, is one of 7 municipality council electives who have been arrested this year. This is the second time Majida Fada has been arrested. Three years ago she was held for six months without trial before being released. As with her previous arrest, the family says that they have not been told the reason for her detention.