30th July 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil team | Hebron, Occupied Palestine
At approximately 1 pm on July 28th, international volunteers made giant bubbles with Palestinian children to celebrate Eid, in Tel Rumeida, al-Khalil (Hebron).
Photo by Vern, ISM volunteer
Several settlers passed by in their cars and were visibly annoyed, and two stopped to complain to the Israeli soldiers present. At 1:30 pm, a group of settler youth started pushing Palestinian children who were playing on Tel Rumeida hill.
Photo by Vern, ISM volunteer
Several Palestinian women stepped in to prevent the violence. Shortly after this, more setter children and a settler woman, who identified herself as Tzippi, came down from the illegal settlement of Tel Rumeida and began aggressively photographing Palestinians.
Tzippi claimed that her children had been assaulted. She pushed several Palestinians and put her camera extremely close to several of their faces. One Palestinian girl tried to run away and Tzippi chased her up the street. Meanwhile, Israeli soldiers pushed Palestinians an attempted to force some of them into their houses. Eventually, Tzippi chased the Palestinian girl into her own garden. She was then joined by more settlers. An international volunteer blocked her path, by standing with his back to her with his arms outstretched. Soldiers then rushed into the garden and started shouting at Tzippi.
After a short time the Israeli police arrived. The settlers wrongly accused several Palestinians and the international activist of pushing them. These lies were contradicted by several videos that showed what happened and were shown to the police.
Nevertheless, five Palestinians and the international volunteer were arrested by the Israeli police. They were held for around seven hours, and interrogated. One of the Palestinians remained in handcuffs and leg chains throughout his detention.
Meanwhile, the settlers wandered around the police station pointing out Palestinians who they claimed had assaulted them. These Palestinians were all together in a room with no other Palestinians, and were either in chains or behind an interrogation desk in connection with this case. The “identification” process was therefore of no evidential value.
During his interrogation, the police told the international activist that the settlers were very angry and had filed a complaint about the bubbles. The police officer said that he was not taking that particular complaint further because, “it is not illegal for Palestinian children to play.” The police also accepted his account of the incident. However, they police nevertheless took the fingerprints and DNA of those who had been arrested and only released them subject to strict conditions.
25th July 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil team | Hebron, Occupied Palestine
Israeli settlers in the H2 (under full Israeli military civil and security control) area of Hebron, forced entry into a basement and passage connected to the home of a Palestinian, Abed Sider, which is bordered by a sealed off building now occupied by settlers at around 15:00 on July 24th. Four International Solidarity Movement (ISM) activists arrived following a phone call from Abed telling them that the neighboring settlers broke through a door into an unused part of Abed’s home.
Shortly after the ISM volunteers arrived, several Israeli soldiers, two police officers, and two plain clothed men, who appeared to be settlers, arrived. The police began to question Abed’s brother, Shaady, who also came to the house after receiving a phone call from Abed about the break in. After 30 minutes of questioning at the house, the police and army then took Shaady and Abed to Kiryat Arba police station. Abed’s wife had believed they were being taken to file a report as victims of the break-in.
A few hours after being taken by Israeli forces, family members of Abed and Shaady were informed that he had been arrested and interrogated.
Photo by ISM
They were being falsely accused of attempting to break into the neighboring settlement by the settlers who had forced entry into Abed’s basement. They were released yesterday morning.
23rd July 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Vern | Hebron, Occupied Palestine
At approximately 23:30 on the night of the 21st July, I noticed a group of Israeli soldiers detain four Palestinian men near our apartment. The men detained were Ahmed, Izzat, Anas, and Muhammad. They were ordered to sit on the ground by several armed soldiers. A settler male, armed with an assault rifle, was talking to one of the soldiers.
Ahmed told me that the settler had threatened to shoot them with the gun he carried. There were other Palestinians who were observing, and among them a woman who corroborated their statements, and who had a camera with her. Three TIPH observers (Temporary International Presence in Hebron) were also present. One of them confirmed that the settler was the one who started the confrontation, by pointing his gun at the unarmed men. According to Ahmed, after the settler threatened them, he asked nearby soldiers for help. The soldiers responded by detaining the three Palestinians whom the settler had threatened.
I asked the soldiers why they are detaining the men, and was told it was not my business.
Photo by ISM
They ordered me to move back. The soldiers grabbed the four men roughly and marched them away uphill.
Upon being asked what was happening, the soldiers claimed that the men were not being arrested, only taken “for a talk” to the military base. I asked them if they are aware that TIPH had documented that the settler was the one at fault, and if they were intending to detain the settler. I was told to move back or face arrest. Palestinians observers were also ordered to move back.
People were taking photos of the soldiers, so one soldier began taking pictures of us with his cellphone. A settler appeared with two children, and began shining a green laser light into people’s eyes. Some of the soldiers found that very funny.
Photo by ISM
About an hour later, Ahmed, Anas, and Muhammad were released. Izzat was not with them. Ahmad said that on the way to the base, one of the soldiers struck him across the back.
29th June 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil Team | Tel Rumeida, Occupied Palestine
In Al-Khalil (Hebron) in the Tel Rumeida area, 15-year old Awne Shamsiyeh lives with his family.
15-year-old Awne (photo by ISM).
After the Hebron Agreement (1997), the city was divided into two areas, H1 (supposedly under full Palestinian Authority civil and security control) and H2, (under full Israeli military civil and security control). Since 1974, many illegal settlements occupied land in the area now know as H2.
Awne is one of the many Palestinians living inside H2, door-to-door with Israeli settlers, checkpoints, army bases, and the Israeli military.
Over the years, ISM activists have worked with the Shamsiyeh family and spent time with Awne in Tel Rumeida, who experiences many problems with both settlers and the Israeli military. ISMers met with Awne to interview him, and hear his story of growing up under a military occupation.
How would you describe your daily life in H2?
Living in H2 in al-Khalil is very difficult. The Israeli army and settlers try to prevent us from living a normal life. They interrupt our lives on a daily basis and make it unsafe for us to live here. I never feel safe in H2.
What experiences have you had, living door-to-door with Israeli settlers?
In the beginning I didn’t know how to behave around them. Now I’m 15 and have had a lot of experience so I know how to deal with them. I’ve had so many troubles with them (settlers) but I’ve learned from it and know how to fight them. I’ve even learnt Hebrew just from my fights with the settlers and from talking to the Israeli soldiers.
In what way does the constant presence of the Israeli army affect your daily life?
I like to look at it in a positive way; I have become more brave and I now know how to control my fear. I can speak Hebrew now and I know how to deal with my oppressors.
Awne lives with his parents, Emad and Fayzeh, his two sisters, Madlin (16-years old) and Marwa (11-years old), and his two younger brothers, Mohamed (12-years old) and Saleh (9-years old). The roof of the family is often taken over by settlers who want to enjoy the view and harass the family. There is also a military watchtower, which is still occasionally used, on their roof. Their house has been locked in by a wall covered in zionist graffiti, leaving only one narrow entrance to the house. Next to the wall there is another watchtower, which means the family is totally exposed and being constantly watched by the Israeli military.
A wall covered in graffiti surrounding the home (photo by ISM).
What are your personal experiences with the Israeli army and the settlers?
I will give you one example. A year ago or something, Israeli settlers went on to the roof belonging to my family to look at the view. My family and I went up to them and told them they were trespassing and that they should leave. They started spitting at us and claimed that our house belonged to them. We said “no this is our house”. The settlers were very aggressive and a fight broke out. The Israeli army came and defended the settlers. The settlers beat me and my father. They beat me unconscious so I don’t remember more. But it’s all on video. The soldiers took me in to an army jeep and drove me to Road 60 where they handed me over to a Palestinian ambulance. They don’t allow Palestinian ambulances in H2, not even in cases of life and death.
Do you know how many times you have been attacked by settlers, detained by the army and arrested?
Fights and troubles with the settlers happen regularly, so I have no idea. The same with detentions, it happens so often, almost every day. I have been arrested four times. The longest arrest lasted for a day in a police station. Usually they take me to the army base and keep me there for some hours.
I have the dream that the occupation will end and all Palestinians will be free. Also I want to be a mechanic when I’m older.
What about fears?
I don’t fear anything but God.
Are you afraid that the settlers or Israeli army will attack your family?
I was only scared the first time I had a problem with them. Since then I’ve never feared them. If the soldiers or settlers come to my home and make trouble and hurt my family, of course I won’t be silent. I will do anything to prevent the attack, to make it as difficult for them as possible. I will always protect my family. But I am not afraid anymore. This is the life here. You can’t go around being scared all the time. For the Palestinians its like a routine, something almost normal.
A few meters from the family home is a checkpoint with one or two soldiers 24 hours a day, leading up to the Tel Rumeida Settlement. The family is often stopped and regularly have their ID checked, even if they are just playing in the street or going to the shop further up the road.
The family home, a military checkpoint can be seen on the roof of the house in the upper left hand corner (photo by ISM).
What do you do for fun in Tel Rumeida?
There is no fun here. There is always a problem with either the settlers or the Israeli army. Even if we just play football they will interrupt.
How do you personally resist the Israeli occupation?
With my mind! I don’t use violence. If there is a situation with the soldiers or settlers I count to ten and breathe before I react. I use my words to resist, like I told you I’ve learnt Hebrew, so I can talk to them in their language. I also use a camera. The camera is like a weapon, so I can resist non-violently. With video and photos I can expose what is happening here to me and all Palestinians.
Do you have anything else you want to share?
Just that everywhere I go there seems to be trouble. At the moment I have a summer job in Azaria in Israel, and after I came the army started to raid a lot of Palestinian houses in the village. It’s like the trouble follows me.
29th June 2014 | Operation Dove | Saddith Thala, Occupied Palestine
On June 27th, Israeli soldiers detained a Palestinian shepherd from the South Hebron Hills village of Saddith Thala. He was accused of throwing stones towards a setter’s car, passing on the Bypass road 317. He was released, as there was no evidence to support the charges.
A Palestinian shepherd and a group of children were drawing water from a Palestinian owned well nearby the illegal settlement of Carmel. While they were crossing the bypass road 317, settlers saw them and immediately called the Israeli soldiers. When the army arrived, they stopped and detained the only adult in the group of shepherds, and accused him of throwing stones in the direction of the road. At about 2pm, when Palestinians from the South Hebron Hills Popular Resistance Committee and international volunteers arrived, the shepherd was handcuffed by a plastic band and had been waiting an hour in the sun for the police to arrive.
After asking for explanations from the soldiers, a Palestinian member of the Popular Struggle Committee released the hands of the shepherd, cutting the handcuffs to allow him to pray. Palestinians and internationals reiterated to the soldiers their duty to show evidence and to consider the shepherd’s declaration of innocence and not only the settlers’ unfounded accusations. At 3pm the detained Palestinian was release and free to go back home.
The well from which the children were drawing water, lies between the illegal settlement of Carmel and Ma’on, This an area where the Palestinian population are constantly subjected to harassment, acts which prevent them from accessing their own land.
The coordinator of the Committee said: “The South Hebron Hills Popular Struggle Committee watches all violations of the human rights in the area, and we respond with non-violent direct actions.”
Operation Dove has maintained an international presence in At-Tuwani and the South Hebron Hills since 2004.
