Tag: Rubber-coated steel bullets - Page 21 - International Solidarity Movement

Two people were injured and dozens more suffered from tear gas inhalation at weekly demonstration in Bil’in

24th January 2014 | FFJ Media Center | Bil’in, Occupied Palestine

Two people were injured and dozens of other civilians, including international solidarity supporters, suffered from tear gas inhalation during Bil’in’s weekly protest against the wall and settlements. This week, the demonstrators also marched in protest of the continued siege and starvation of the Yarmouk refugee camp in Syria.

After the Friday prayers, the participants set off toward the village’s liberated land and, after reaching the main gate of the wall, Israeli soldiers stationed behind the wall fired tear gas, stun grenades, rubber-coated steel bullets, and live ammunition at the participants. The soldiers also chased the protesters through the olive groves and even into the outskirts of the village, leading to violent clashes that continued into the evening. Two people were wounded. Nemer Atta (19 years old) was shot by live ammunition in the foot and taken to the Palestine Medical Complex for treatment, and Wael Bornat (38 years old) was shot by a rubber-coated steel bullet. Dozens of village residents, Israeli peace activists, and international supporters suffered from tear gas inhalation.

The participants raised Palestinian flags at the rally, chanting and singing for national unity, and called for resounding popular resistance against the occupation, and for the release of all Palestinian prisoners and for freedom in Palestine, as well as lifting the siege on the Yarmouk refugee camp. Those injured are now reported to be in stable condition.

Demonstrators carry man shot in the foot by live ammunition (Photo by Mohammed Yasin/Hamza Burnat) — Demonstrators carry man shot in the foot by live ammunition (Photo by H

(Photo by Hamza Burnat) — (Photo by Mohammed Yasin)

Weekly protest at Kafr Qaddum met with exceptional violence

24th January 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Kafr Qaddum, Occupied Palestine

On Friday 24^th January, 2014, the weekly demonstration in Kafr Qaddum, in the Qalqilya district, was repressed by excessive force, to a much greater extent than on most Fridays.

By 11:00 a.m., clashes had already broken out between local youths and Israeli soldiers and border police on the outskirts of the village. The demonstration was not due to begin until 12:00 p.m.

During the demonstration, Israeli forces fired high-velocity tear gas canisters at head height, as well as rubber-coated steel bullets. Five people were injured as a result.

A further seventeen people were treated for tear gas inhalation as canisters were fired both at protesters and into residents’ houses. Among those treated were an elderly woman and a two-month old baby.

In addition, Israeli border police detained one Palestinian for the duration of the demonstration. The man was in Kafr Qaddum on a social visit to his fiancée, and was captured in an ambush by Israeli forces. He was later released.

The people of Kafr Qaddum responded to the repression with stones.

Kafr Qaddum has held weekly demonstrations since July 2011 to protest against the closure of the road leading to Nablus, as well as the broader issue of the occupation itself. In recent months, the town has seen an escalation in the number of night raids and arrests of its inhabitants.

Clashes for two days in the Palestinian city of Hebron

03rd January 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil Team | Hebron, Occupied Palestine

At approximately 11.30am yesterday morning, Israeli forces detained a 13-year-old boy at Bab Al-Baladiyye in Khalil (Hebron). After a short period of time the young boy was released and a group of Israeli soldiers invaded the old city of Hebron, harassing residents and demanding identification from a number of Palestinians.

The group of Israeli soldiers started to walk down New Al-Shallalah street detaining a 14-year-old Palestinian for an unknown period of time before releasing him shortly after international activists arrived. Israeli forces continued to harass people in the area before heading towards Bab Al-Zawiye, the city center, where residents had started to gather after the anniversary party for Fatah’s founding ended.

The Palestinian youth present reacted to these series of events by throwing stones at the Israeli soldiers. The stone throwing and military presence began a clash between Israeli forces and Palestinian youth, with Israeli soldiers and border police throwing stun grenades and tear gas grenades from the street and from a rooftop as they backed down on to New Al-Shallalah street. During the clashes the Israeli forces repeatedly invaded the old city of Hebron, apparently searching shops for male Palestinian youth.

The clashes continued for many hours and became more violent as Israeli soldiers and border police positioned themselves at checkpoint 56 [an entrance to H2] and on nearby rooftops. Israeli forces fired a large amount of stun grenades, rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas grenades and canisters. Many shops and businesses where forced to close because of the tear gas and the violent interruption in the city.

One Palestinian was shot with unknown ammunition as Israeli soldiers were sniping demonstrators from various points in the city. Once shot, the young man lost consciousness, he was carried away from the clash and taken to a nearby hospital.

The clashes continued until late in the evening.

Today, Friday 3rd January, clashes began at approximately 2pm when five Israeli soldiers invaded a house in the H1 area of Hebron and positioned themselves on the roof. Palestinian youth began to gather between the house and Bab Al-Zawiye before eventually throwing stones at the invading soldiers.

During the clash, Israeli forces fired stun grenades, tear gas canisters and a large amount of rubber-coated steel bullets. One Palestinian youth was shot in the leg with a rubber-coated steel bullet but did not require hospital treatment. Another youth was evacuated by ambulance to a local hospital after losing consciousness due to tear gas inhalation.

Five demonstrators injured in violent Nabi Saleh protest

29th December 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah Team | Nabi Saleh, Occupied Palestine

On Friday 27th December, during the weekly demonstration in Nabi Saleh, Israeli forces raided the town with a “skunk” (chemical) truck, fired large amounts of tear gas canisters and shot rubbed-coated steel bullets at unarmed protesters. Five people were injured by rubber-coated steel bullets and one woman was shot at extremely close range.

Shortly after the demonstration began, Palestinian and international activists attempt to march towards the local spring which has been stolen by a nearby illegal settlement. Israeli forces responded by firing stun grenades, tear gas canisters, skunk water and rubber-coated steel bullets at the protesters. They then proceeded to raid the village, spraying houses and cars with skunk water. In one Palestinian home, part of their garden caught on fire when a tear gas canister was shot in their fruit trees. Many protesters were forced to seek shelter in houses while Israeli border police entered the village shooting rubber-coated steel bullets at those left on the streets. One protester, Manal Tamini, was shot by four rubber-coated steel bullets in both of her legs

The village of Nabi Saleh has demonstrated against the theft of their natural spring by the nearby Halamish settlement and the occupation in general since December 2009. Israeli forces violently suppress the weekly Friday protests by shooting tear gas canisters, skunk water, sound bombs, rubber-coated steel bullets and even live ammunition at protesters. Two people have been killed, Mustafa and Rushdi Tamimi, and many others severely injured.

Demonstration in Ya’bad is violently repressed by Israeli forces

21st November 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Ya’bad, Occupied Palestine

Yesterday in the village of Ya’bad, a peaceful protest was violently repressed by Israeli forces through the use of tear gas canisters, stun grenades and rubber-coated steel bullets. Demonstrators were directly targeted by Israeli soldiers, five Palestinians were injured and two were arrested.

Yesterday morning at approximately 10:00, six international activists from several solidarity organisations joined around 100 inhabitants of Ya’bad village in a peaceful march on a restricted road at the edge of the village. The event had been organized to protest against settler and soldier harassment. Illegal settlers recently cut down 67 olive trees in front of Israeli soldiers who did nothing to prevent their actions. Soldiers then later forbid Ya’bad residents access to the road that links Tulkarm to Jenin with no justification. Moreover, according to a source from the local municipality, the Israeli army often uses the village itself as a training ground for military maneuvers during the night.

The protest march started quietly, with a few speeches from the demonstrators to the media, in front of the ruined olive trees. Less than ten minutes later the first military jeep arrived, immediately giving the order that the protesters should leave the forbidden road. The demonstrators refused and continued their march.

Shortly after this, two other military jeeps and a larger military vehicle entered the village. After several minutes of the peaceful protest continuing, filmed by local media, the first stun grenades were thrown in the middle of the gathering, immediately followed by shots of tear gas canisters and rubber-coated steal bullets. Israeli forces were extremely aggressive in their attack, five Palestinians were injured after being shot with tear gas canisters and rubber-coated steel bullets, three of whom required hospital treatment.

While the demonstrators were taking care of the injured people, the Israeli soldiers took the opportunity to arrest two protesters with absolutely no legal justification.

Israeli forces continued their attack, forcing the demonstration back in to the village. As the villagers were returning to Ya’bad, the soldiers broke into a Palestinian home and took up position on the rooftop where they remained for a number of hours.

Despite the arrests and injuries from this this action, a Palestinian source confirmed the village deemed it a success, the demonstrators openly refused a direct order from the Israeli army and stayed peaceful in the face of violent aggression.