Tag: Ramallah - Page 7 - International Solidarity Movement

Palestinian and International civilians to resist revenge home demolition

8th October 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, Al-Khalil team | West Bank, occupied Palestine

Wednesday 7 October ’15 Surda Ramallah

Palestinian civilians joined by International solidarity activists will gather tonight, Wednesday 7, October ’15, at the home of the bereaved family of Muhannad Halabi, which is threatened by demolition in retaliation for the fatal stabbing of two Israeli settlers in the Old City Jerusalem on Saturday 3 October ’15.

Muhannad Halabi, who was a 19 year old student, was killed by the Israeli military at the scene of the stabbing. A home of his family in the village of Surda, near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, was ransacked on Sunday morning and the family was violently attacked by the Israeli military and Muhannad’s uncle sustained a head wound requiring five stitches in the raid. Occupation forces are expected to carry out a revenge demolition of the family home.

Revenge demolitions of the houses of Palestinians accused of attacking Israelis, as a means of collective punishment, has been Israel’s long established practice. To further the retaliation, Muhannad’s body is being held by the Israeli government and refused return to his mother, who has been hospitalized three times due to grief and anxiety.

Following a series of new measures announced by Benjamin Netanyahu the retaliatory house demolitions have been moved forward. On October 6th two houses were blown up which were former homes of two Palestinians who carried out attacks against the Israelis last year.

Marie, an international activist from the US staying in the house stated: ‘Punishing a family for something that one of their members have done, is just not acceptable. This is illegal and should not happen in any country which respects human rights and considers itself democratic’.

‘We have to be present at this horrible and violent miscarriage of justice, whose only aim is to humiliate and make destitute even more innocent Palestinians living under a brutal Israeli occupation’, added Dezeray also from the United States.

12 year old Palestinian killed in Bethlehem as violence explodes across the West Bank

5th October 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, Al-Khalil team | West Bank, occupied Palestine

Abed al-Rahman Shadi Obeidallah, 12 was still in his school uniform when he was rushed in a civilian car to Beit Jala hospital from Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem today. The boy, from from a Al Kahder village, was shot in the heart during confrontations at Aida camp as violence explodes across the West Bank prompting the Red Crescent to declare a level 3 state of emergency across the occupied Palestinian territories. Another boy was shot in leg with live ammunition during the attack.

Abed al-Rahman Shadi Obeidallah, 12, just before being shot to death by Israeli forces in Bethlehem

Denouncing Israeli violations against humanitarian international law, the Palestine Red Crescent Society staff have endured 14 attacks on their emergency vehicles as Israeli forces and settler violence has sharply surged in a bloody three days. Attacks on PRCS have included medics being beaten by soldiers in Jerusalem, Israeli forces beating an ambulance crew with batons in the old city of Jerusalem and after one attack on an emergency crew in Jabal Al Taweel (Al-Bireh), two medics were injured. Israeli forces attacked an ambulance in al-Issawiya village in occupied East Jerusalem, before arresting an injured Palestinian who was being treated inside the ambulance. An ambulance windshield was also shattered by settlers in Burin village in Nablus. Burin underwent a frightening attack by settlers which left much of it in flames.

Reportedly 465 Palestinians have been injured thus far, including 28 shot with live ammunition and 68 injured with rubber coated steel bullets. Hundreds of others have been overcome by teargas that Israeli forces have been showering over villages and in cities where Palestinians have gathered to demonstrate against their murdering of several Palestinian youths since this past Saturday.

Young Palestinians martyrs recently murdered by Israeli forces.

Fadi Samir Mustafa Alloun, 19, from the East Jerusalem village of al-Issawiya, was shot to death by Israeli forces after allegedly attempting to stab a group of Israelis. 18-year-old Huthayfa Othman Suleiman was shot in the chest during clashes and died in the operating room. In a particularly heinous attack, Yousef Bayan al-Tabib, just six years old, was standing on the side of the road when a settler reportedly stopped his car, shot the child in the stomach, and fled the scene.

Across the occupied Palestinian territories, there have been reports of settlers slaughtering Palestinian’s sheep, attacking Palestinian cars with stones on roads and carrying out violent attacks on villages. As for Israeli forces, soldiers disguised as Palestinians assisting an injured Palestinian into a hospital in Ramallah, disabled security cameras and proceeded to arrest a Palestinian undergoing medical treatment. This is similar to other hospital raids in recent days where a variation of this tactic was repeated.

As for the Israeli government, Netanyahu today made an inflammatory statement to wage a “harsh offensive” against Palestinians; Zionist opportunism at its most typical. Collective punishment is the usual expectation when it comes to the illegally occupying force dealing with the civilian population whose land they are occupying. Israel launched three air strikes in the besieged Gaza strip targeting alleged Hamas ‘terror’ sites after two rockets were fired from Gaza, hitting nothing and injuring no one.

News reports of shootings, injuries, murders, arrests and raids continue to flood in as the situation unfolds at a lightning quick pace. For Palestinians enduring the brunt of Israeli incited race hatred and promoted retribution for the shooting of two Israeli settlers last week, the cavalierly imposed restrictions on al Aqsa Mosque, which have sparked outrage and violent confrontations- and the ensuing chaos, are yet another violent incursion into their lives.

PRESS RELEASE: SUSIYA – New Standards for US Foreign Policy on Israel?

22nd July, 2015 | Popular Struggle Coordination Committee | Ramallah, Occupied Palestine

New Standards for US Foreign Policy on Israel?

U.S. State Department Urges Israel to refrain from demolishing Palestinian village, Susiya in the West Bank. Fears a deterioration in standard of policy of indigenous displacement.

In a US State Department press briefing, last week, John Kirby specifically referred to Israel’s intent to demolish over half the indigenous Palestinian village, Susiya, in the West Bank. “We strongly urge the Israeli authorities to refrain from carrying out any demolitions in the village.” Kirby said, warning that “Demolition of this Palestinian village or of parts of it, and evictions of Palestinians from their homes, would be harmful and provocative.”

“Our continuous battle to support the struggle of the people of the village of Susiya has been going on for years accompanied with local and international campaigns under the slogan “Save Susiya from Demolition and Eviction.” Says Yasser Saleh of the Popular Struggle Coordination committee (PSCC), “we invite everybody to stand with us in this campaign either by attending the village of Susiya and to resist the demolition with it’s people, who are under the threat of eviction at any given moment,or by protesting at Israeli embassies in your countries and raising awareness about Susiya and Palestine.”

Susiya, which has been fighting a 20-year legal battle of survival with the state of Israel, is not the only Palestinian village under Israeli military control. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that there are Over 11,000 outstanding demolition orders against Palestinian structures in Area C of the West Bank, which covers over 60 percent of the West Bank. The lives of approximately 300,000 indigenous Palestinians are impacted. These orders target the most impoverished and vulnerable populations, who are also exposed to daily attacks by Israeli settlers and the army itself, with very little possibility of redress.

Signalling new US approach to the facts on the ground, Kirby added that “Such actions have an impact beyond those individuals and families who are evicted” and stated that the US State department is “concerned that the demolition of this village may worsen the atmosphere for a peaceful resolution and would set a damaging standard for displacement and land confiscation particularly given settlement-related activity in the area.”

The European Union foreign ministers have added their voice to the growing concern over Israel’s policy in the occupied West Bank, yesterday, in its latest statement on “The Middle East Peace Process”, stating that “ The EU will continue to closely monitor developments on the ground and their broader implications”, specifically calling for a “halt [to] plans for forced transfer of population and demolition of Palestinian housing and infrastructure in the Susiya and Abu Nwar communities.”

Saleh welcomes the US State Department and EU statements, but maintains that words are not enough and hopes to see action being taken. “The PSCC appreciates the statements made by the US state department and the European Union. We invite them to take concrete steps to put pressure on the occupying regime to prevent applying it’s policies and procedures against the Palestinians in general, and against the eviction and demolition of the village of Susiya in particular.”

For more information:
pscc.media@gmail.com
052- 5339054

Israeli forces try to violently suppress protest in Jalazone

14th June 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah Team | Jalazone, Occupied Palestine

On Friday June 12th in Jalazone, north of Ramallah, Israeli forces responded to a Palestinian protest against illegal Israeli settlements with rubber coated steel bullets, tear gas, stun grenades and live ammunition.

The Israeli occupation forces also attacked journalists that were covering the demonstration, throwing stun grenades directly at them, pushing them with their rifles and threatening to arrest and shoot them.

A civilian passer by was also severely injured by the Israeli military. He was left with open wounds on his head after being struck with rifles and beaten to the ground before being arrested.

The unarmed man was repeatedly punched by the military and then hit on the head with their rifles as he tried to make his way past the group. The Soldiers can be heard cursing the man and his family, shouting, ‘Fuck your mother’s mother you son of a whore’.

The Israeli military were also using Palestinian cars as shields by taking the keys and leaving the people inside. They detained more than 20 cars during the protest.

At least three people were shot with live ammunition during the demonstration.

Below is a video recorded by ISM of the violence from the Israeli soldiers in Jalazone:

Israeli soldier pointing his gun in the face of a Palestinian man

Israeli soldier hitting a Palestinian man

Soldiers forcing a Palestinian on the ground

An injured Palestinian man being taken away by soldiers

An Israeli soldier using a taxi full of people as a shield

Israeli soldiers using a truck with passengers as a shield

Soldier taking the keys of a Palestinian's car — Soldier taking the keys of a Palestinian’s car

Israeli soldiers abusing Palestinian press

Israeli army murders Palestinian in Kafr Malek

14th June 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil Team | Kafr Malek, Occupied Palestine

***GRAPHIC IMAGE WARNING***

Abdullah Eyad Ghanayem, 21 years old, was killed by the Israeli army early morning around 3:00 AM in Kafr Malek, a village north Ramallah.
According to a Palestine Red Crescent Society paramedic that contacted ISM, the soldiers invaded the village around 2:30 AM. The clashes took place and they began shooting tear gas, stun grenades, and live ammunition. They shot the Ghanayem in the back with live ammunition after he allegedly threw stones at the army jeep. The soldiers followed him with the jeep and ran over him and then the jeep rolled over onto him and he was in critical condition and bleeding under the jeep for three hours. The soldiers didn’t allow any ambulance to come close and to give medical care, even the villagers were forbidden to come and try to pull him from under the jeep. The soldiers didn’t care about him. Finally after 3 hours they gave him to the PRCS ambulance. Ghanayem spent 2 years in an Israeli prison, he was released only three months ago.

Photo and information credit goes to the PRCS paramedic that contacted ISM. Their name is not included out of privacy.