Tag: Roadblock

Israeli Military Exercise on Palestinian farmers fields

19th December 2016 | International Solidarity Movement & Jordan Valley Solidarity| occupied Palestine

At around 12:30pm December 19th, 2016, the Israeli Occupation Forces blocked the road leading to Tubas and the north of the Jordan Valley for around two hours. Dozens of Palestinians farmers and civilians had to wait for an Israeli military exercise to conclude before being able to continue their way.

An Israeli soldier blocks and guards the road while Palestinians are waiting for it to open.

From the roadblock, the location of the military training could not be seen, but Jordan Valley Solidarity (JVS) received a call from a resident of the community of Khirbet Yarza saying that the exercise was actually happening in the fields of their community, 20 meters in front of their houses. The military were also on the land of two other communities, Hamamat Al-maleh and Ras Al-Akhmar , only a few kilometers away.

Israeli Military exercise occurring in front of the residents’ houses of the community of Yarza

Around 20 tanks, 2 bulldozers, 5 military trucks, and 10 jeeps carrying soldiers took part in this illegal military exercise. The tanks and bulldozers seriously damaged the farmers land including breaking the irrigation pipes that were put in the ground.

A calf stranded between Israeli Military tanks and farmers houses of the community of Ras Al-Akhmar

Palestinian land damaged by Israeli tanks and bulldozers

The residents also told us that the Israeli Military didn’t give them any advance notice regarding the time and the location for their operation. Therefore the Palestinians were stranded inside their houses for the whole military exercise period, as they never had the time to evacuate. No one has been injured but the residents were extremely scared of what could have happen to them and their livestock. At the same time, Palestinians stopped at the roadblock could only see tanks being carried away by huge lorry to an unclear area. While waiting, they could hear large explosions coming from the other side of the hills, making them jumpy, nervous and anxious.
A lorry carries two Israeli tanks to the illegal military training exercise area

This part of the Jordan Valley is in Area C (under Israeli control) and was declared by Israeli Forces a “closed military zone”, meaning that it is forbidden for Palestinian to walk around those lands. Cars riding on the adjacent road cannot stop and if they do, the drivers risk being arrested and their car confiscated. There are military observation tours all around the Jordan Valley, consequently the arrest and confiscation are a real threat. The only reason for Palestinians to stop their cars is a military roadblock.

On that day, not only farmers and drivers had their daily activity seriously affected but also the children attending school. The children from villages in this part of Area C must go to Tubas to attend school as there are none in their village due to restrictions imposed by Israel. The students are therefore bussed everyday to Tubas. But today, at the end of their class, they had to walk their way back home as the bus was stopped at the roadblock and could not get through to pick them up. Most of the children had to walk in that frightening environment for seven to eight kilometers in order to reach their home.

Palestinians children walking back home from Tubas.

The Israeli Occupation Forces have conducted illegal military exercises around the Jordan Valley for many years. Not only blocking roads at any other moment but also forcing villagers to evacuate their homes for days while proceeding with their military exercises around and inside the villages. A few months ago, in Yirza, Israeli bulldozers arrived in the village, destroying the connection of the irrigation pipes. The residents repaired the damaged connection but, once again, Israeli military tanks drove around their fields, passing on top of the pipes and destroying them, again.

Over the last few years, citizens all around the Jordan Valley have seen an increase in the confiscation of their land by Israeli Forces. These large patches of land are now used by the Israeli Forces as bases and for training exercises. All along the road at the edge of these lands, we can now see concrete blocks indicating the closed-military-zone, which forbids anyone to trespass on these areas. Therefore, shepherds and farmers have been deprived of their only means to provide for their families. Other lots were given to Israeli settlers for agricultural development, which only benefit Israeli economy.

Israeli Military base in the Jordan Valley

Despite the continuous demonstration of control and power by Israel over Palestine, the resilience of the population from the Jordan Valley remains intact.

Palestinian kids playing football on an open land near Fasayel

Roadblocks, stun grenades and settler aggression: another Jewish holiday in occupied al-Khalil

23rd October 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

The events of Tuesday the 18^th of October began to unravel as my friend and I accompanied school children through an Israeli checkpoint (Salaymeh) as they made their way home that afternoon. On our return journey from the school we noticed a car stopped next to a number of school children, its passengers yelling loudly at them, prompting us to film the confrontation. When the driver became aware of our filming the car began to move slowly towards us. As it neared, the car accelerated slightly, forcing us to move quickly to avoid it. Some of the passengers immediately jumped from the car and began to hurl insults at us, calling us “Nazis” and “Jew killers”. They continued in this fashion, pushing and shouting at us to “leave their land” until we were forced through the checkpoint to relative safety. The soldiers present did little to stifle their aggression towards us and even offered one of these men a friendly pat on the back as we left.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ8tLf5tnfY

After passing through the checkpoint we noticed an armored bulldozer parked outside the gate and so we decided to wait a while. Before long the checkpoint gate opened and the bulldozer began to move through the street towards another checkpoint (Qeitun), accompanied by three armed Israeli soldiers. We followed it to Qeitun where it began to fashion a roadblock from rubble, large stone blocks and rubbish that was piled up in the street. As we got closer the soldiers began shouting aggressively at us to stop, preventing us from properly observing what they were doing. In the commotion a number of people came out from their homes and businesses, and children, whose homeward journey was blocked due to the soldiers activity, began to congregate at a nearby junction. With this, the soldiers began pointing their weapons threateningly into the crowd. One soldier regularly lifted a stun grenade from his jacket pocket, seemingly eager to use it. As the bulldozer returned to Salaymeh, soldiers continued to fixate their rifles on young children and people passing by. One soldier aimed his rifle at children moving through a near by field, laughing out loud as they ran, terrified that he might fire at them. As the bulldozer passed through Salaymeh, a single stone was thrown from the crowd of school children who had congregated at that junction, landing harmlessly on the ground at the soldier’s feet. In response, the soldier ran towards the congregated school children, throwing a stun grenade into the middle of the crowd causing it to scatter in a frenzied panic. Again he laughed at this triumph.

An armored bulldozer rolls out of the Salaymeh checkpoint through the Palestinian neighborhood to create a roadblock off of a narrow side street.

Roadblock built from large stones and rotting garbage blocking off a Palestinian side street near the Qeitun checkpoint.

It was clear that these children, ranging in age between 5-15, posed no real threat to these soldiers and most were simply waiting to go home. Many of the adults among them, some of whom were presumably teachers, tried tirelessly to keep the children out of harms way. Despite this the soldiers enjoyed taunting the crowd and frightening them with violent intimidation and excessive use of force.

To the Palestinian residents of Hebron such incidents are a familiar occurrence, but these operations increase in regularity during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, which draws hundreds of Jewish holidaymakers to the fully Israeli controlled H2 part of the city to celebrate the “Feast of the Tabernacles”. Under the auspice of “security”, Israeli military presence similarly escalates during this period, as the number of roadblocks, closures and checkpoints increases dramatically. A number of Palestinian-owned businesses are even forced to close during this time and many residents are prevented from entering or leaving their homes as Jewish tourists parade freely through the so-called Palestinian controlled H1 part of the city, accompanied by soldiers armed heavily with rifles and a variety of other weaponry. Armed guards frequently humiliate and harass Palestinian residents, young and old, with an upsurge in the frequency and ferocity of body searches. Barricades are erected to separate passing Palestinians from Jewish tourists, further reinforcing the apartheid system already enforced by the illegal Israeli occupation of Hebron.

An atmosphere of trepidation consumes the Palestinian residents of Hebron during Sukkot for fear that this military escalation will be used to further the Israeli agenda of “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians from the city. Violence, eviction and destruction of property at the hands of settlers and the Israeli forces has become commonplace for the Palestinian population of Hebron who, despite it all, remain admirably resolute and resilient throughout.

School children prevented from returning home due to this activity by the Israeli forces.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQiyLibtpmo

Palestinians remove roadblock restricting movements of villagers near Tulkarm

December 18th, 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, Tulkarm team | Shufa, occupied Palestine

UPDATE 22nd December: After the removal of the road block during last weeks demonstration in Shufa village, Israeli forces told villagers that they will keep the road open in the future. But since then the road has remained closed almost every day, causing Shufa residents a lot of trouble.

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Yesterday, on the 18th of December, residents of Shufa village removed a roadblock, that was imposed on them last week as a collective punishment. The soldiers announced that the road will remain open from the 19th of December.

During the last week’s closure of the Tulkarm district, Israeli forces placed a road block between the two villages Shufa and Esba Shufa. As a result, residents of Shufa had to drive 32 kilometers in order to get to Tulkarm city, instead of just 4 km.

Shufa village is located on a hill next to the illegal Israeli settlement of Avne Hefez. In the past, the residents of the two villages have suffered greatly from Israeli roadblocks. Since the beginning of the second intifada, the roads between the villages have been more or less permanent, not only forcing villagers to drive a 30 minutes de-tour in order to get to Tulkarm, but also making it more difficult for the residents of Shufa and Esba Shufa to meet friends and family in the other village.

The roadblock was removed in the autumn of 2014, but occasionally, Israeli soldiers block the road and check IDs of everyone wanting to cross. Even though the road block is illegal, even according to an Israeli court-decision, the Israeli soldiers re-closed the road during last week’s closure of Tulkarm, and it has remained closed until today.

Since last week, the water pipe that provides Shufa with water has been cut. Earlier this autumn, Israeli settlers entered the village of Shufa in a bus and started building a roadblock with stones and branches, threatening villagers and throwing stones towards houses.

Villagers are very concerned by the expansion of the existing illegal settlement of Avnei Hefetz, as well as the newly built illegal Hahar outpost next to Shufa. The illegal Hahar outpost, with the potential of growing to a big settler-city, will link the illegal Avne Hefez settlement with the bigger, illegal Enav settlement.

Villagers are already being carefully monitored by Israeli soldiers and their surveillance cameras. Many farmers are denied access to their farm, even if it is located next to the village. Neighboring villages have had problems with trash being dumped by settlers on their land. Last week we reported about a demolition of a farm in Kafa village, a neighboring village to Shufa, located on the other side of the Avnei Hefetz settlement. Residents of the Shufa village told activists from the international solidarity movement that by denying them access to their own land, Israel is trying to make them leave their village, in order to give room for expanding illegal settlement. Our village is under constant threat, they say.

School children denied their right to education in Hebron

December 10th, 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, al Khalil team | al Khalil, occupied Palestine

Soldiers blocked the way to the Cordoba school in al Khalil

Today, on International Human Rights Day, school children as well as teachers were denied access to the Cordoba school in Al-Khalil (Hebron). The mixed primary school is located in the neighborhood of Tel Rumeida at the end of the small strip of Shuhada Street that Palestinians are still able to access.

Students and teachers waited for two hours

Since the declaration of the ‘closed military zone’, effective since the 1^st of November in Tel Rumeida and Shuhada Street, the children and teachers have been registered as numbers in order to pass checkpoint 56 and checkpoint 55 on their way to school. On Monday the 7^th of December 2015, the checkpoint 56 has been closed for an indefinite period of time. The children and teachers that need to cross checkpoint 56 – which marks the border between the H2 area of Al-Khalil, under full Israeli control, and the H1 area, supposedly under full Palestinian control – have had to argue with the Israeli forces every morning since then, in order to pass the checkpoint and reach the school.

Settler came to harass children and teachers while they were waiting

After a Palestinian was killed on Wednesday, 9^th of December at checkpoint 55 on Shuhada Street, the children and teachers found the access to the school blocked by barbed wire and countless Israeli soldiers. The Israeli forces have completely locked the way to the school for the majority of children and teachers. The only other way to the school is through a cemetery on the other side of Al-Khalil. The Israeli forces simply ignore the pleas from both school children and teachers to let them pass and get to the school, and don’t give any indication as to when the barbed wire will be removed.

While school children and teachers were waiting in hopes of passing, infamous illegal settler Anat Cohen arrived at the scene and openly, without any apprehension, verbally and physically harassed them. The Israeli forces failed to prevent her from doing so, yet again turning a blind eye on increasing settler violence. Two hours after school was supposed to begin, the children and teachers gave up and the school was forced to remain closed for the day, the childrens’ right to education being simply denied to them.

Watch these two videos of Anat Cohen attacking and intimidating the school-children.

The Palestinian civilians of Queitun are locked up by massive roadblocks and skunked for no reason

27th November 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

In the early morning of November 26th, 2015, just a few hours after training some 50 new soldiers for house-invasions, the Israeli occupation army put three massive roadblocks in Sida, a connecting street in the Qeitun neighborhood of Hebron H2 (Israeli controlled). Two of these roadblocks were built with huge watchtower elements of steel reinforced concrete, placed horizontally and put in place with heavy concrete blocks, nearly impossible to remove.

There was no incident in Qeitun that could give any credibility for placing these roadblocks. There is absolutely no security reason for doing this.

Its purpose is clearly to block the traffic in this important connecting street. We can only guess about their further plans.

It has already been announced that the remaining few meters on the north-west of Shuhada Street will be annexed for extending checkpoint 56. In all likelyhood the Israeli state wants to take over the remaining south-eastern part of this historical busy shopping street as well. First by blocking it for all car traffic, and next turning it into an Apartheid Jews-only street, as is Shuhada Street now.

Shuhada Apartheid street. Red: no Palestinians allowed. Purple: No Palestinian cars allowed

That remaining south-eastern part of the Shuhada street is currently the main shopping street of Qeitun, and vital for the economic and social life of this Palestinian neighbourhood.

Further incidents on this thursday 26 November:

From 8 o’clock in the morning, a batallion of the Israeli occupation army was occupying rooftops alongside the newly locked down Sida street. It is not certain though if they will permanently stay there.

At 2 pm the same day, a skunk water truck went on the main street of this neighborhood and emptied its chemical container in the streets, also targeting houses and rooftops alongside the street. Again without any security reason. Just to make life hard and unpleasant in this Palestinian neighborhood of Hebron H2. Please watch video below to get an idea of what happened.

The following day the Israeli occupation army was back in the same neighborhood entering homes, assumably to set up rooftop observation posts alongside the Sida street. While doing this, they scared away civilians with tear gas and bullets.