Tag: Nablus

On Saturday January 5, around 5pm, the Israeli Army’s 3-day incursion into Nablus appeared to come to an end. Human traffic once again returned to the streets of the Old City and city center and the checkpoints surrounding the city reopened. Just as city residents began the task of assessing the damages of the invasion, the Army reinvaded Ros al Ain, occupying until 2am Sunday morning. Over 70 army jeeps were deployed throughout the invasion, including Special Forces, Border Police and bulldozers. Military operations took place all throughout the curfew zone, which stretched from the outskirts of Rafeidia to Almontasahat Park near Al Ain, as well as in the city’s refugee camps and suburbs. One civilian has been left brain-dead, while two others are still in intensive care. At least 60 civilians were seriously injured, 50 houses were occupied, many of which suffered internal destruction. There was severe destruction to over 60 shops, including three larger shops. As is typical in these invasions, Army bulldozers also razed several shops to the ground.

Aftermath of a shop bombing

Five international Human Rights Workers from Britain, Sweden, Italy and the United States assisted Palestinian Medical Teams throughout the invasion. The BBC has reported that the Israeli Army denies using live ammunition. However, HRWs repeatedly witnessed the Israeli Army firing live ammunition on groups of civilian protesters in addition to the standard rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas and sound bombs. In fact, live ammunition caused one of the more serious injuries, which was to a young boy shot in the face. He is alive, but in critical condition. Several others were shot, with one civilian brain-dead according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.

The Israeli army fire tear gas at protestors

The Army occupied several homes, particularly in the Old City. Walls were destroyed as the army used explosives to move from house to house. Several families reported to HRWs today that the Army exploded bombs in houses adjacent to theirs without warning them. One woman said she did not know there was a bomb in the apartment next door until she heard radio reports. Some families recounted to HRWs that the soldiers have occupied their homes so many times that this time they joked that they would “see them next week.” One woman described being locked in her kitchen, which is approximately 2 square meters, while soldiers slept, ate in her living room, leaving bullet holes in the furniture.

Destruction reaped when the Israeli army occupy a building, the above pciture is a shop in the Old City

Palestinian medical crews were repeatedly targeted throughout the invasion by the Israeli Army. 56 medics were detained by the Army and taken to Huwarra checkpoint for interrogation. As of Tuesday 8th January only 13 have been released. The Army opened fire on one ambulance with one medic left badly injured, while a tear-gas bomb was thrown into another ambulance, injuring two. Ma’an News reports that medic Ahmad Jibril received a rubber bullet to his back, while medics Diya’ Balbisi and Tariq As-Sabuh were both wounded by Israeli gunfire. The Rafidia hospital was surrounded and occupied. Failure to respect and protect civilian hospitals violates Article 18 of the Geneva Convention.

Border police denying medics access to treat a sick patient

The Five international HRW’s accompanied Palestinian Medical Crews throughout the three day invasion, breaking curfew in an attempt to deliver food and medicine to residents of the Old City. Characteristic of the Israeli invasion, humanitarian relief workers were often prevented from entering the area. Tear-gas, sound bombs and warning shots from snipers were used on the medical crews. Nonetheless, Palestinian and international volunteers carried in much needed food and medicine and attempted to accompany elderly people and young children out of the Old City.

The arftermath of an Israeli bomb, the glass in the window melted in the heat of the explosion

Israeli soldiers opened fire on Palestinians on their way to Friday prayer seriously injuring Nablus resident Ahmad Mohammad Abu Hantash in the head. The incident happened at noon as worshipers were heading to Al Shuhada Mosque in the western part of Nablus. As worshipers were entering the mosque an Israeli armored vehicle opened fire hitting Mr. Abu Hantash in the back of his head with three rubber-coated metal bullets causing extensive damage to his brain and neck. He is currently undergoing surgery in Nablus Specialty Hospital located near the mosque in an effort to save his life.

Several witnesses say that the shooting was unprovoked and expressed their anger and frustration for the Israeli Army complete disregard to human life and the sanctity of holy places. One of the worshipers who was walking with Mr. Abu Hantash said “I was walking with Ahmad to the mosque and suddenly I heard a gunshot and saw Ahmad fall beside me, I was horrified to see his blood splashing all over the ground, and did not know why the army shot at us, we ducked for cover and when the Israeli jeep left we rushed Ahmad to the nearby Specialty Hospital.” Ahmad Abu Hantash is a 35-year old Palestinian worker, married with two children, Fadi, 4 years old, and Hadi, three months old.

January 4, 2007

Tear gas raining down on the people of Nablus

Five international Human Rights Workers from Britain, Sweden, Italy and the United States continue to maintain a presence in the invaded city of Nablus, assisting Palestinian Medical teams.

Early yesterday morning the Israeli Army invaded the city of Nablus, injuring at least 54 civilians, killing one man, arresting 15 people, and detaining over 50 medical workers. The Army fired its first shots just after midnight, January 2, and has maintained a presence since then. The Army has deployed over 100 military vehicles, including Special Forces and Border Police, to the Old City and surrounding neighborhoods. This invasion comes just 24 hours after Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak and his Chief of Staff, Gabi Ashkenazi, visited the city.

Bullet holes from live ammunition shot at ambulances

Medical workers were specifically targeted, with 56 detained and at least 8 injured. One of the medics was released this morning, while others continue to be held at the Huwarra checkpoint. The Army fired live ammunition on the windshield of a Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) vehicle and threw a tear gas bomb into another medical vehicle. During the day yesterday, ambulances were denied entry to roads near the Old City and City Center of Nablus, preventing medical personnel from being able respond to injured civilians. The Army also occupied Rafedia hospital, in violation of international law. Ma’an News reports that medic Ahmad Jibril received a rubber bullet to his back, while medics Diya’ Balbisi and Tariq As-Sabuh were both wounded by Israeli gunfire.

Tear gas fired at kids resisting tanks with stones

One of the more severe injuries was to a young boy shot in the face by the Army with live ammunition. Medical workers say he is currently in the Intensive Care Unit in critical condition. Other children were gassed, and the Army fired both rubber bullets and sound bombs into civilian crowds. Human Rights Workers escorted a family to their home in the Nablus city center after tear gas exploded near their baby carriage.

Later in the evening, Human Rights Workers escorted a 9 year old girl back to her home in the Old City. The girl, one of the few allowed through the Huwarra checkpoint yesterday, had been receiving cancer treatment in Ramallah. As of 11:00 am, January 4, all checkpoints to the city remain closed.

Bulldozers destroying shops

Two Human Rights Workers and one Palestinian medic were detained for several hours in the besieged Old City. The soldiers confiscated the medic’s Palestinian identification and the international passports, refusing to surrender all three until the Italian Embassy got involved.

At least 15 homes in the Old City have been occupied by the Army, with residents trapped inside. Some shops have been demolished. Human Rights Workers witnessed the Army fire live ammunition at parked vehicles and urinate in the streets. In the evening, military bulldozers cruised the downtown area.

Aftermath of a occupied house

On the evening of December 2nd, the Israeli army invaded Zawata, a village just north of Nablus. At around 2 am approximately 10 army jeeps pulled into the village, shooting live ammunition into the air and firing tear gas and sound bombs. The soldiers proceeded to enter several houses, arresting 8 men. The army stayed in Zawata for two hours before leaving at 4 am. This is the second time this week that the army has invaded Zawata, following an earlier raid on the evening of November 26th in which 14 men were arrested, two of which are still being held in Huwwara prison.

During the recent invasion, Israeli soldiers entered several houses, arresting men inside and ransacking the property of the people who live there. The ages of the men arrested, seemingly at random, range from 20 to 32. At least one of these men was a policeman for the Palestinian Authority. The men were not given any reason why they were arrested as they were handcuffed and blindfolded. The Israeli army also caused extensive property damage in the houses they occupied. At least one house was completely ransacked, with soldiers breaking furniture, ripping open cabinets, and even blowing open walls with explosives and ripping up floor tiles with hammers. The family of the house estimates that the cost of the damage exceeds 7,500 USD.

In another house, the Israeli army slashed open couch cushions with knives and used hammers to smash holes in the family furniture, computer, walls, and even the toilet. A two-year-old child was kicked by a soldier in this house, creating a cut on her foot. As in the last invasion, the army prevented a volunteer medic with the Palestine Medical Relief Society from entering the occupied houses to see if there were any wounded that needed to be treated.

All 8 men arrested from the village are in Huwara prison, bringing the total to 10 being held in Zawata village from this weeks raids.

Today saw the second in a series of non-violent demonstrations against Huwwara checkpoint, just south of the West Bank city of Nablus. Palestinians, joined by internationals, delivered a message to the Israeli army: We have had enough of the seven years of curfew that have been imposed on Nablus.

About forty protestors arrived at the checkpoint around 11.30am carrying signs saying ‘No Movement, No Life’ and ‘Stop the Occupation’. As the demonstrators approached the barrier the Israeli army fired live ammunition into the air to attempt to move the protestors back. One Human Rights Worker was detained, and was later released after the demonstration had ended, at approximately 12.30pm.

Nablus is surrounded by a system of checkpoints controlling all movement out of the city. The checkpoints are routinely closed, and when open the queues can be incredibly long. Even during winter, or the peak of summer, people can be stranded in the elements for hours. Many people have even died at the checkpoints as a result of delays in receiving medical attention. The most recent case was Taysir Mahmoud Ibrahim Qaysi, a cancer patient who was in a car without a permit, and was not allowed through Huwwara checkpoint. He died while waiting for car with a permit to get to him.

The lack of free movement of people and goods has had a devastating effect on the local economy. Unemployment rose 45% from 1999 to 2006 and continues to rise sharply, especially in the refugee camps within Nablus.

This isolation is not unique to Nablus, but is found throughout the West Bank. The system of closures, Israeli only roads and the wall serve to split the West Bank into isolated enclaves. Traveling between the enclaves can be difficult or impossible. There are 561 closures in the West Bank, only 14 of these fall on the green line. Security cannot justify 547 closures within Palestinian territory. As with Nablus, the closures have had a massive impact on the Palestinian economy as people find it increasingly difficult to get to work: unemployment is now well above 40%. The closures collectively punish 2.5 million ordinary Palestinians for the actions of a few combatants, and serve no extra security function.