18th December 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah team | Qalandiya, Occupied Palestine
The Israeli army shot dead a young Palestinian man in Qalandiya refugee camp.
http://www.qudsn.ps/article/56151
The army invaded the camp at around 3:00 am on the 16th of December with the aim of making arrests. The young people of the camp came out to repel the army from the camp and clashes erupted.
Mahmoud Abdullah Addwan (21) was shot in the forehead with live ammunition during the clashes while he was standing on the balcony of his house.
He was pronounced dead on arrival to the hospital.
After arresting Mujahid Mazen Hamad (26) from his home, the army finally left the camp.
The army had been shooting tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets at the heavy traffic near Qalandiya checkpoint since the morning, because of small protests by the local children.
Mahmoud’s body was taken to Abu Dis for an autopsy, and the funeral was attended by hundreds at 2:30pm.
http://www.qudsn.ps/article/56151
http://www.qudsn.ps/article/56151
After the prayer most of the youths marched to Qalandiya checkpoint, chanting “justice for Mahmoud”, continuing the morning clashes until later that evening.
26th August 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah Team | Qalandiya Refugee Camp, Occupied Palestine
At around 2am on 26th August 2013, eleven military jeeps invaded Qalandiya refugee camp during an operation to arrest a recently released prisoner. Residents of the camp tried to stop the army from arresting the man by throwing stones at military jeeps. Confrontations then erupted, with the Israeli soldiers shooting tear-gas canisters, rubber-coated steel bullets and live ammunition at the youth defending the refugee camp. Nineteen people were injured from live ammunition and rubber-coated steel bullets and two were killed on the spot, with a third dying shortly afterwards. Around six of these are still reportedly in a critical condition. Demonstrations mourning the martyrs and out of anger at their deaths spread across the West Bank, with particularly fierce clashes at Qalandiya checkpoint and in the city of Hebron.
Poster showing the three martyrs, along with women on a roof overlooking the funeral march today (photo by ISM)
During the early morning raid, 32-year-old Robin Ziad, a UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) worker, was on his way to work when he was shot in the chest with live ammunition. Younes Jahjouh, aged 22, was shot in the chest; while 20-year-old Jihad Aslan was shot in the neck – also with live ammunition. Robin and Younes died immediately from their wounds, whereas Jihad was transferred to Ramallah hospital, where he was declared clinically dead later in the morning. Israeli forces continued their raid, arresting the man they were looking for and leaving the refugee camp at around 7.30am.
Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral of the three martyrs at Qalandiya refugee camp, as friends and family members carried their bodies through the camp to the cemetery where they were buried. Gunshots and chants protesting their killing were heard throughout the ceremony as mourners filled the streets surrounding the cemetery.
After the funeral, dozens of youths marched along the main road to Qalandiya checkpoint and made barricades of burning tyres to prevent the Israeli military from approaching. Israeli forces arrived from across the checkpoint and shot several rounds of tear-gas canisters and sound bombs, while Palestinian youth defended the area by throwing stones at the Apartheid Wall, the checkpoint and the heavily armed and armoured soldiers.
Demonstrators burned tyres at Qalandiya checkpoint (photo by ISM)
As confrontations continued, Israeli forces shot many rounds of rubber-coated steel bullets at protesters, injuring at least ten. Medical personnel present at the scene also treated an old man who had suffered from the effects of excessive teargas inhalation.
Across the West Bank, there was a general strike as shops and businesses shut down for the day in solidarity with the martyrs and in protest against the occupation that caused it. Also, as news spread of the three martyrs, solidarity demonstrations sparked in many other cities and refugee camps.
Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Hebron in response to the killings. Demonstrators armed with stones were met with teargas canisters, rubber coated steel bullets and sound bombs from the Israeli army.
The clashes continued for around eight hours and shut down the main shopping streets of Hebron, where barricades were constructed from burning tyres and empty water tanks. Israeli soldiers invaded the Palestinian Authority controlled H1 area, taking up positions on the roofs of residential buildings. The Israeli forces arrested at least four Palestinians, including Amjad Ibrahim Al-Natcha, 19, and three children.
Soldiers invade H1 and shoot rubber bullets at demonstrators (photo by ISM)
Confrontations between Israeli forces and Palestinian youth protesting the killings also happened at Al Fawwar refugee camp near Hebron, Aida refugee camp near Bethlehem and Al Ram, amongst others.
Tomorrow, 27th August, has been declared the “Day of Anger” and more protests throughout the West Bank in response to the Qalandiya killings and the continued occupation are expected.
24 September 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank
Haiya and her family are originally from a village called Ber Maael know called Mudaeen near what is now Tel Aviv.
Haiya’s brother was a close friend of Ali Khaleefa, one of the young men who was killed when the Israeli army raided the Qalandia Refugee camp on the second of August. He told us he was with Ali just hours before the soldiers raided the camp and killed him.
Haiya speaks.
We were at the funeral and people were so shocked and angry, the army came in the middle of the night right at the start of Ramadan to arrest two boys about 13 years old. And they killed 2 people even though no one there had any weapons apart from the soldiers. The Palestinians from Qalandia cannot forget something like this.
The Israelis are afraid of the Palestinian people, they are afraid because they know that this land does not belong to them, and they are afraid they will lose it. So they shoot at us to make us scared, but it doesn’t work.
Palestine doesn’t have anyone to fight for her, just the people who live in Palestine. We believe that we need a country, but before, the people here did not have any hopes for a state. Every time we are promised our own country, nothing happens. So now the people are trying to do something for themselves.
Obama said in his speech we wants safety for the Israelis first, second, third and last. He says this as though Israel is the victim! But it is Israel who is slowly killing all our people and taking our land.
I think many of the people of Israel want peace, but the leaders certainly do not.
If the UN does not give us a state then, we must fight with the protests and the stones. I think what is happening now could lead to a third Intifada and Israel thinks this too and they are very scared.
I think the settlers are the worst people in the world, they burn our mosques and they burn our olive trees. You know the soldiers they have orders to shoot bullets and drop bombs. But the mustawtaneen [settlers] do what they do because they hate us. Just today in Hebron they killed a child with a car.
The army will never stop the settlers, they say ‘go home’ but it does nothing because they know that the army will not hurt them.
Of course we would love to go back to our land; we hope to go back. Our grandfather is 83 years old, whenever we pass near the place our home used to be, he cries.
22 September 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank
On Wednesday, demonstrators at the Qalandia checkpoint were met with a new weapon referred to as the “Scream,” an obnoxious siren that sounded once demonstrators had organized near the checkpoint in spirit of a future Palestinian state.
The new sound weapon was used for the first time. It emits a painfully loud high pitched noise which forces those within a range of 100 metres to cover their ears to protect them from the deafening sound. The device was mounted on the back of a jeep and could target the noise in a specific direction so as not to affect the soldiers standing behind it. The device was used at least 15 times throughout the demonstration, usually for intervals lasting about 2 minutes.
The UN bid for statehood by the Palestinian Authority has been a rallying point for Palestinians throughout the West Bank, in particular Ramallah where Yasser Arafat Square was packed with those standing in solidarity, leading to a demonstration at the Qalandia checkpoint near Ramallah that lasted from approximately 11 AM to 7PM.
The Israeli military sounded an alarm referred to as the “Scream” to disturb the demonstrators, yet they refused to disperse. Thus the Israeli military began to administer what demonstrators referred to as potent tear gas, with a Red Crescent medic stating that at least 20 were treated for tear gas inhalation by medics at the site.
As the siren continued to sound and tear gas continued to rain on the more than 200 demonstrators from the Qalandia refugee camp and surrounding areas, the Israeli military was joined by the Shabat to disperse the protesters. At least 2 Palestinian men were arrested when a 4×4 military jeep was seen taking them away.
The Israeli military began to act violently to the protest with the exclusive use of gunfire after a certain point, with at least 100 rounds fired at Palestinians and international observers. One medic was shot in the leg while a 15 year old boy was reportedly shot in the eye. At least 5 Palestinians were treated for gunshot wounds.
Wednesday’s demonstration comes in light of the UN bid for nationhood this Friday, when it is expected that another demonstration will occur in support of Palestinian statehood.
2 August 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank
At 3am Qalandia refugee camp was invaded by the Israeli army. Approximately 300 soldiers raided the camp, shooting live ammunition directly at people, killing two Palestinians. The two young men, Mutasin Issa Udwan who was 22 years old was declared to have passed away when he was shot in the head. Ali Khalifa, 23, was shot in his stomach and died on the way to Ramallah hospital.
According to the military it was a “routine search and arrest” operation, in fact the Israeli army also arrested two palestinians Wajih Ayman Al-Khatib and Anas Manasrah.
Witnesses said that the snipers were positioned on roofs and shot directly at anyone who was exiting the houses.
At noon thousands of people from the camp attended the funerals of the two young men and proceeded to march through the camp to the cemetery to bury their declared martyrs.
