Tag: Ni’lin

Palestinian teenager brain dead after being shot by Israeli army in Ni’lin

A Palestinian teenager, Yousef Ahmad Younis Amira, was shot in the head with rubber coated steel bullets by Israeli forces in the Palestinian village of Nil’in.

Photos courtesy of Activestills

According to ISM volunteers staying in the village, approximately 200 boys and young men from the village protested against the military presence in the afternoon. The army responded using sound bombs, rubber coated steel bullets and tear gas. At around 7:30 pm, Yousef Ahmad Younis Amera was shot in the head by two rubber coated steel bullet. Eyewitnesses claim that Yousef was shot at a distance of ten meters from inside a military jeep that drove up towards him. He was taken to Ramallah Hospital where an ECG scan showed no signs of brain activity. One bullet penetrated the head while the other is stuck inside. He is now kept alive by respirator.

About 50 Israeli soldiers then attacked using sound bombs, rubber coated steel bullets and tear gas. At around 7:30pm, Yousef Ahmad Younis Amira, 17, was shot in the head by a rubber coated steel bullet. He was taken to Ramallah Hospital where an ECG scan showed no signs of brain activity.

There are reports of two other men suffering head injuries from a rubber coated steel bullets, but these injuries are not thought to be life threatening. A total of 17 people are thought to have been injured in today’s fighting.

Emotions have been running high in the village since the funeral of 10 year old Ahmed Husan Yousef Mousa earlier today. Ahmed was shot dead by an Israeli soldier yesterday (29th July)

Mourners to protest murder of 10 year old boy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A mass demonstration is planned on Wednesday for the funeral of Ahmed Husan Yousef Mousa, who was shot dead by Israeli forces at approximately 6:00pm today.

The funeral procession and protest will start at Ramallah Hospital at 10am and make it’s way to Ni’lin, the village where Ahmed lived. People will meet at the hospital at 9:30am

Ni’lin is currently under siege with the main entrance to the village sealed off by the Israeli military. The mourners intend to defy the military blockade and bring Ahmed home.

Please Contact – ISM Media Office (English):(970)-2-2971824.
Salah (Arabic): 0599288124

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According to eye witnesses a group of youths attempted to remove coils of razor wire from land belonging to the village. Without warning,
they were fired upon and Ahmed was killed. Israeli newspaper Maariv reported in March that the Israeli authorities have given a new order to border police operating along the apartheid wall surrounding Jerusalem. They can now open fire directly on Palestinians who try to demonstrate near the barrier. But sniping is forbidden if there are Israeli or foreign citizens amongst the demonstrators.

Demonstrations have been held almost every day for the past few weeks in Nil’in against Israel’s Apartheid Wall, declared illegal by the International Court in the Hague in 2004. The wall will deprive the village of almost 2,500 Dunums of agricultural land, and puts the existence of the entire community in doubt.

At least 11 other Palestinians have died protesting against Israeli’s apartheid wall. Their names are:

Mohammad Fadel Hashem Rayan, age 25.
Zakaria MaHmud Salem, age 28.
Abdal Rahman Abu Eid, age 62.
Mohammad Daud Badwan, age 21.
Diaa Abdel Karim Abu Eid, age 24.
Hussain mahmud Awwad Aliyan, age 17.
Islam Hashem Rizik Zhahran, age 14.
Alaa Mohammad Abdel Rahman Khalil, age 14.
Jamal Jaber Ibrahim Assi, age 15.
Odai Mofeed Mahmud Assi, age 14.
Mahayub Nimer Assi, age 15.

Praying against apartheid in Ni’lin

Friday the 25th of July the people of Ni’lin gathered once more to protest against the construction of the apartheid wall. About 150 villagers and about 20 internationals and Israelis could be found at the olive field overlooking the scar in the land, which is formed by the bulldozers, as a beginning of the wall.

The demonstration began with the Friday-prayer. After the praying most of the gathered people went down to the bulldozed road to put stones and branches on it, so that it became blocked. The roadblocks took up a distance of about 200 meters. The aim of the action was to delay the bulldozers and the Israeli army vehicles which drive on the road, so that the work with the wall have to wait for the road to be cleared.

The spirit of the demonstrators was high, there was singing, shouting, whistling, laughing and chanting. Big as well as small rocks efficiently blocked the road. The action kept on for about one hour.

After the action some villagers went up to the checkpoint next to the road which divides Ni’lin in two. The Israeli army shot teargas-canisters at the crowd. The turbulence kept on for about one and a half hour. The checkpoint was then blocked for a couple of hours after the protests, which made it very difficult or impossible for the villagers and others to get in and out from Ni’lin.

Huge demonstration in Ni’lin following women’s demonstration

The Israeli army responded aggressively to the largest non violent demonstration so far against the construction of the annexation fence in Nilin on Thursday. After the women organised action the previous day, many local women joined hundreds of other local people and Israeli and international supporters.

When demonstrators reached the construction site the soldiers responded with force and detained two Israeli activists. Israeli law only permits the army to detain people for up to three hours but the two activists were illegally held for seven hours while the demonstration continued.

Seven people were injured when soldiers fired tear gas and rubber coated steel bullets. Groups of people traveled from Ramallah and Tulkarm to Ni’lin. A group of French activists and journalists also joined the demonstration. One French journalist was hit in the jaw by a rubber coated steel bullet. Another international activist was hurt when a tear gas canister struck his head.

Local people spoke of their commitment to continue to oppose the apartheid fence. One man said ‘even if they build it they will need even more soldiers to guard it because we will come every day and destroy it’.

UPDATE: Canadian activist arrested in Ni’lin to be deported

Canadian activist Victor MacDiarmid, who was arrested at a non-violent demonstration against the construction of the apartheid wall in Ni’lin on the 23rd July, will be deported in the immediate future

He is currently being held in Maasihau Detention Center, but after his deportation hearing today (27th July) he will be deported on the next available flight. This is despite no formal charges being brought against him or him being given the chance to defend himself before a judge.

Victor was arrested with Jamal Amirra, the father of the girl who filmed the Israeli army shooting a bound detainee in Ni’lin. Jamal is currently being held in Ofer Military Detention Center awaiting a court hearing, while Victor is being held in Maasihau Detention Center, with the Israeli authorities having started deportation proceedings. This is despite him not being brought before a judge so as to be able to challenge his arrest and be given the opportunity to a fair trial.

Both Victor and Jamal were observing the women only demonstration against the construction of the apartheid wall in Ni’lin when the Israeli army attacked the demonstration using extreme violence. Amirra went in to protect the demonstrators, while Victor MacDiarmid, a Canadian citizen, took photographs. The two men were arrested within minutes, both physically assaulted. Victor has reported that he was repeatedly punched, kicked and spat on for around twenty minutes before being taken into police custody for interrogation. At this point, the police informed Victor’s lawyer that he had declined legal representation, a statement that Victor strongly denies.

Interviewed on Palestinian TV hours before the demonstration, Jamal Amirra’s daughter expressed concern that her family would be targeted by the Israeli army due her film being publicized. Her footage was broadcast throughout the world and has caused shock waves in Israel, where a soldier has been arrested and an official investigation launched.

Victor MacDiarmid is from Kingston, Ontario, and has twice been shot by rubber-coated steel bullets while attempting to take in supplies to Ni’lin during a recent a four-day Israeli army blockade of the village.