Tag: Police

Activists stand in solidarity with the residents of Khan al-Ahmar

7 September 2018 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah team | Khan al-Ahmar, occupied Palestine

After an Israeli court ruling on September 5 2018 confirmed the eviction and demolition of the Palestinian Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar, residents of the village, Palestinians from across the West Bank and international activists have gathered each day in solidarity at the village, awaiting the arrival of the Israeli forces.

On the morning of September 7, 2018, around 09:40, as approximately 40 Palestinians and internationals were peacefully enjoying morning tea and coffee, a busload of an estimated 40-50 people from the Israeli zionist hate-group “Im Tirtzu” pulled off the highway by the village and approached. The Palestinians and internationals who were gathered at Khan al-Ahmar met the Israeli hate group at the entrance of the village before they entered it. The Palestinians questioned the purpose of the group’s presence were met with verbal insults and accusations of anti-semitism.

The non-violent presence of the Palestinians and international solidarity activists put pressure on “Im Tirtzu” to retreat back to the highway. Israeli forces; police, military, and border police, met the groups by the highway and proceeded to don their full riot gear. As “I’m Tirtzu” awaited their bus for pick up, the police demanded that the Palestinians and internationals return to Khan Al-Ahmar, even physically pushing several individuals. Police also forcefully grabbed the Palestinian flags in a show of unnecessary aggression as people were retreating.

By September 7 at 13:00, between 400-500 Palestinian solidarity activists, official Palestinian activist groups, government officials, media personnel, and international activists gathered under the tent at Khan Al-Ahmar for a prayer service. Following the prayer service, the group migrated to the highway, referred to as Route 1, to occupy the street in a peaceful demonstration of their resistance to the threatened eviction. Dozens of Palestinian flags waved in the breeze as demonstrators blocked highway traffic, chanting songs of resistance in Arabic. Fully armed police and military officers forced demonstrators off the street under threat of physical violence. The demonstrators moved but continued the protest for another 45 minutes by the side of the highway.

Palestinian and international solidarity activists will maintain a presence over the coming week in the village of Khan Al-Ahman alongside the village’s residents, who are all anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Israeli army set to carry out their eviction plans.

Remembering Balfour under Apartheid

6th November 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, Occupied Palestine

Yesterday in al Khalil (Hebron) the Palestinian group Youth Against Settlements held an event to mark the 100^th years anniversary of The Balfour Declaration. The Balfour Declaration is viewed as a foundational document of the Israeli states ethnic cleansing of Palestine. Despite promises to the Palestinian population the British government, in an act of betrayal, made a declaration that was viewed by the zionist as a promise of Palestine becoming a homeland for the Jewish people.

sadadada — “The event was colourful and different,“ an ISM’er says.

A large group of Palestinians and internationals gathered at the “Beeping Gate” which is one of the closuers in al Khalil (Hebron). The “Beeping Gate” is at the bottom of “apartheid road” where a fence divides a Palestinian pathway from the road Israelis walk on. An extension to the apartheid fence finishes at a new gate which fences in part of the Salaymeh neighbourhood. The gate is locked at night forcing Palestinians to walk a longer route on foot to their houses. When the people of the neighbourhood use the gate it sets off an ear-piercing beep adding a tormenting repetitive noise to the harsh realities of discrimination and occupation the neighbourhood suffers.

“The event was colourful and different,“ an ISM’er that attended the event says. “Kids and clowns gathered to mark the Palestinian rejection of the colonial Balfour Declaration which supports the Zionist project.“

Border Police from the Israeli military push Internationals away while a settler from a nearby settlement films.

Even tough the event was light-hearted a group of Boarder Police Officers, Civil Police and Soldiers from the Israeli army showed up and watched the Palestinians and internationals. The children chanted, speeches were made and clowns interacted with the children with balloons, dances and face painting.

A settler from a nearby illegal settlement films the Palestinians at their event through the gate.

An aggressive Zionist settler from a nearby settlement, who had previously intimidated ISM activists during the day showed up at the event. His attempted intimidation failed to disrupt the colourful and joyful celebration of the Palestinian resistance of the occupation. After a while he was led away from the celebration by Israeli Border police. He continued to film from outside attempting to provoke the Palestinians behind the fence.

“I think the colourful event expressed the Palestinian’s Sumud (Arabic for stedfastness) against the occupation and discrimination they face on a daily basis,“ another ISM’er said.

Human rights activists evicted from Tel Rumeida apartment again

12th November 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil Team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

Yesterday, international activists regained access to their Tel Rumeida apartment after being denied entry for a week. This morning at 8.45am another activist tried to enter the apartment but was prevented by soldiers, even after showing them the rental contract granting her the right to reside in Tel Rumeida. Soldiers then came up the stairs to the front door and threatened the three activists with arrest if they failed to leave the apartment within five minutes.

After a short delay, the police arrived and demanded the activists open the door and leave the building. When the activists questioned this, the Israeli forces replied that they were in a closed military zone and were not allowed to be there. This was despite the activists having demonstrated the right to reside in the property on the previous day.

The Israeli forces began to batter down the front door with a crowbar. When they were unable to get in after 10 minutes, other soldiers climbed onto the roof and smashed their way in through the roof access door within a few minutes. The commander and two soldiers entered the room where the activists were sitting without showing any resistance.

They demanded the activists leave, stating they had no right to be in the area and they were acting illegally. They then claimed that they had checked with their lawyers and the contract ‘is illegal…because it’s a closed military zone’. The commander said the activists are not residents, just ‘guests’ and that they didn’t understand the contract because it was written in Arabic.

Then several more soldiers entered, together with 2 police officers. They took the activists’ passports and told them to leave aggressively. They also showed them the closed military zone document. When the activists questioned the army’s right to break in to the apartment, the police officer told them to take the case to court.

The commander then twisted the arm of one activist, forcing him to the floor, although none of the activists offered any physical resistance. The activists were then escorted out of the apartment, down the street to checkpoint 56 and out of Tel Rumeida.

Israeli soldiers attempt to falsely arrest internationals

22nd September 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, Al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

Last night Israeli soldiers threatened to arrest internationals, who were present during the arrest of 3 Palestinian boys in Tel Rumeida, al-Khalil (Hebron).

After the 3 boys were brought to the military base, internationals went back into the house in Tel Rumeida. Ten minutes later about 15 soldiers surrounded the house and half a dozen of them walked up the stairs to the main door, demanding them to open it, because they wanted to arrest the internationals.

Even though the internationals repeatedly asked to see a warrant on the arrest, soldiers kept refusing to show any legitimate reason for their arrest. The soldiers only verbally accused the internationals of entering a closed military zone. When the internationals refused to open the door as soldiers cannot arrest internationals, they kept banging on the door, shouting and threatening to bring the police to have them arrested. Upon the embassies requests, the internationals asked for the commanders name which was outright refused by soldiers in front of the door.

After about one and a half hours, the soldiers called the police and a policeman arrived, He did not talk to the internationals at all, and left after less than half an hour. In the meantime, soldiers started accusing the internationals of consuming drugs in the apartment without any real reason or evidence. After yet another half hour soldiers again called the police, and came to the door with a policeman that did not speak any English. Instead of translating what the Policeman was saying to the internationals, the soldier just kept up the same conversation as before, with only one sentence being translated to the policeman. The soldiers refused to let the policemen talk to the international’s lawyer and did not give the internationals any information on how to contact the police station or military base, who send out the arrest warrant. After the policeman left the soldiers threatened the internationals to break down the door of the house.

In total, soldiers stayed outside the apartment for about four hours, threatening internationals with arrest, leaving only with the threat of the police arresting them the next morning.