Tag: Rubber-coated steel bullets - Page 25 - International Solidarity Movement

Israeli forces violently suppress villagers working their land in Nabi Saleh

31th May 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah Team | Nabi Saleh, Occupied Palestine

Unlike in previous demonstrations, two army jeeps invaded Nabi Saleh today an hour before the demonstration was due to begin. After midday prayers, over 60 villagers, joined by a number of Israeli and international activists, marched from the center of the village along a path through the olive groves on to the main road. The march then diverted into the valley below the village and proceeded towards the olive groves located by road 465, the road closest to the Halamish settlement that occupies Nabi Saleh land.

Palestinian activists protesting the denial of access to Nabi Saleh's land (Photo by ISM) — Palestinian activists protesting the denial of access to Nabi Saleh’s land (Photo by ISM)

Reaching the olive groves, the villagers started clearing the lands around the olive trees and several army and border police jeeps arrived. One of the soldiers shouted at the crowd with a megaphone declaring the area a close military zone. The nonviolent protesters continued working the land, but Israeli forces began shooting tear gas canisters at them.

Despite the crowd dispersing around the valley, Israeli forces continued shooting tear gas canisters and then began aiming directly at people. The canisters ignited the surrounding agricultural land on fire and, with the high temperature and strong winds, the flames soon spread throughout the valley.

A number of villagers went peacefully towards the soldiers to protest the denial of access to their own land, but were soon met with stun grenades thrown, tear gas canisters shot and skunk water sprayed at them.

Israeli forces also launched several rounds of multiple tear-gas canisters from jeep-top launchers. As a result, three people were treated for tear gas suffocation by Red Crescent personnel.

When the valley was full of tear gas, protesters marched back to the village where three border-police officers remained shooting tear gas canisters first at young boys still near the valley, and then further tear-gas and rubber-coated steel bullets indiscriminately into the village.

The protest finished at around 4:30pm when Israeli forces retreated back to the main road.

The village of Nabi Saleh has been demonstrating against the theft of the natural spring and the occupation 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. Bassem Tamimi, from Nabi Saleh, has spent 17 months in Israeli jails, merely for being a prominent activist at the protests. After more than three year and despite the repression, Nabi Saleh continues to fight against the injustices of a brutal military Israeli occupation.

Israeli forces shoot tear gas canisters at protesters setting the land on fire (Photo by ISM) — Israeli forces shoot tear gas canisters, setting the land on fire (Photo by ISM)

Skunk water truck spraying protesters (Photo by ISM) — Skunk water truck spraying protesters while soldiers shoot tear gas canisters (Photo by ISM)

Beit Ommar: steadfastness and non-stop resistance against Israeli occupation

12th May 2013 | Beit Ommar Popular Movement, Beit Ommar, Occupied Palestine

On Friday 10th of April, tens of heavily armed Israeli occupation troops clashed with Beit Ommar’s defenseless youth, armed only with eagerness for freedom. Israeli forces shot countless tear gas canisters towards the young people, other civilians’ homes and shot numerous rubber-coated steel bullets, in addition to targeting citizens’ property. More than 50 people were injured, including 12 from rubber-coated metal bullets injuries and the rest due to tear gas suffocation. Two of the injured were hit in the head and urgently taken to al-Alia hospital in Hebron. Many cars, house windows and water tanks were damaged by the soldiers.

Israeli border police officer loads canisters into a tear gas launcher (Photo by Beit Ommar Popular Movement)

Tear gas canisters shot at the fields (Photo by Beit Ommar Popular Movement)

Protester injured from rubber coated steel bullets (Photo by Beit Ommar Popular Movement)

Injured protester being taken away (Photo by Beit Ommar Popular Movement)

Updated: Nabi Saleh demonstration violently suppressed by Israeli forces; activist shot three times

UPDATE 13th April 2013: The injured Spanish activist returned to hospital Saturday morning, after experiencing continued pain, dizziness and fatigue. She had been shot three times with plastic coated steel bullets at Nabi Saleh demonstration the day before. She is currently under observation at the Rafidia Hospital in Nablus, being treated with antibiotics.

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12th April 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Nabi Saleh, Occupied Palestine

Around one hundred Palestinians, joined by a handful of Israeli and international activists, participated in today’s demonstration in Nabi Saleh. After midday prayers, protesters marched from the centre of the village, deviating from their usual route and walking across the main road and up the hill, trying to reach the water spring stolen by settlers from Halamish settlement more than three years ago.

By the time protesters reached the hilltop, several Israeli Border Police officers waiting and immediately started to shoot tear gas canisters and rubber coated steel bullets at them. One Spanish international activist was hit by a rubber coated bullet in the right leg. As people retreated from the hilltop back to the main road, Israeli forces continued shooting tear gas canisters.

As protesters walked chanting and clapping towards a large group of Israeli military personnel and jeeps blocking the road, they were ambushed. Border police officers who had invaded the village shot multiple volleys of rubber coated steel bullets directly at unarmed protesters from a vantage point on top of the hill, as protesters retreated.
The same international activist who had previously been shot was again shot with two bullets; one in the ribs on the back and the other on the stomach. This breaks the Israeli forces’ own rules of engagement which state that rubber coated bullets should be fired at the legs. Despite the fact that officers clearly saw that the activist was injured, they continued shooting rubber coated steel bullets along the road. The activist was immediately assisted by Red Crescent personnel and taken to hospital by ambulance. She is in good health condition, recovering from the injuries at home.

Activist's injury by rubber coated steel bullets — Activist’s injury by rubber coated steel bullets

Israeli forces continued shooting tear gas canisters and rubber coated steel bullets at protesters until three in the afternoon, when the demonstration finished.

The village of Nabi Saleh has been demonstrating against the theft of the natural spring and the occupation 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. Bassem Tamimi, from Nabi Saleh, has spent 16 months in Israeli jails, merely for being a prominent activist at the protests. After more than three year and despite the repression, Nabi Saleh continues to fight against the injustices of a brutal military Israeli occupation.

Photo Essay: Demonstration in Nabi-Saleh

by David Langstaff

9th November 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

Palestinians rallying for the weekly demonstration against the Israeli occupation and the confiscation of land and water resources by Zionist settlers. More than 100 Palestinians and solidarity activists from around the world turned out in support.

Palestinian children at the rally holding photos of a Palestinian political prisoner.

Marching against Israeli occupation and settler encroachment.

Palestinian children participating in the march.

Israeli military forces respond to the march by spraying demonstrators with “skunk water,” a synthetic liquid which gives off a putrid smell that can remain in a victim’s clothing for up to five years.

Israeli military forces used massive amounts of tear gas against Palestinians and solidarity activists throughout the entirety of the demonstration. In addition to tear gas and “skunk water,” the Israeli military fired rubber-coated steel bullets and sound grenades at demonstrators, and at several points used live ammunition.

Demonstrators attempt to construct a barrier to protect them from the repression of the Israeli military forces.

Demonstrators try to evade tear gas as the standoff with the Israeli military drags on.

Backpack of demonstrator protesting Israeli apartheid policies in occupied Hebron (al-Khalil).

Live ammunition in Nabi Saleh

By Paddy Clark

31 August 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West bank

Nabi Saleh demonstration — click to see more photos

Three Palestinians were injured and 5 arrested today during Nabi Saleh’s weekly demonstration. Israeli military set up road blocks surrounding the village early this morning in order to prevent people and journalists from participating.

At 4.30 p.m., Malek Tamini was shot with a live bullet which went through his hand and the side of his body. He has undergone surgery for his injuries. One Palestinian suffered an open wound after being shot with a tear gas canister during protests. Soldiers were firing tears gas canisters directly in to the crowd with the intent of causing serious injury and then prevented the ambulance from entering the village for one hour . One local resident received stitches in Ramallah hospital after suffering a head wound from a rubber-coated steel bullet.

Five Palestinians protestors including Mohammad Khatib and Bilal Tamimi of the popular committees, a student journalist, and two young women activists were arrested in the morning while walking towards the village spring which was annexed by the nearby illegal Israeli settlement, Halamish. All have has since been released.

Nabi Saleh is a small village of approximately 550 people, twenty kilometres north west of Ramallah in the West Bank of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

The Israeli colony of Halamish (also known as Neveh Tzuf) was established on lands belonging to the villages of An Nabi Saleh and Deir Nidham in 1976. In response to the illegal colony being established on their land, the residents of An Nabi Saleh and Deir Nidham began holding demonstrations in opposition to the theft of their land and the establishment of the colony (whose establishment violates international law). The residents of An Nabi Saleh and Deir Nidham lodged a court case against the colony in Israel’s high court, but were unable to stop the construction the illegal settlement.

Since its establishment in 1977, Halamish colony has continued to expand and steal more Palestinian land. In 2008, the residents of An Nabi Saleh challenged the building of a fence by the colony on private Palestinian land, which prevented Palestinians from accessing their land. The Israeli courts ruled that the fence was to be dismantled Despite the Israeli court ruling, the colony continued to illegally annex more Palestinian land. In the summer of 2008, Israeli settlers from Halamish seized control of a number springs, all of which were located on private Palestinian land belonging to residents of An Nabi Saleh.

In December 2009, the village began weekly non-violent demonstrations in opposition to the illegal Israeli colony of Halamish annexing of the fresh water springs and stealing of more of the village’s land. Since An Nabi Saleh began its demonstrations, the Israeli military has brutally sought to repress the non-violent protests, arresting more than 13% of the village, including children. In total, as of 31 March 2011, 64 village residents have been arrested. All but 3 were tried for participating in the non-violent demonstrations. Of those imprisoned, 29 have been minors under the age of 18 years and 4 have been women.

For more information see Nabi Saleh Solidarity.

Paddy Clark is a volunteer with Jordan Valley solidarity.