Tag: Settler violence - Page 14 - International Solidarity Movement

Shop owner in Hebron got both his front-windows smashed by celebrating settlers.

27th November 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, Hebron/al-Khalil team | occupied Palestine

This week-end in al-Khalil brought thousands of extremist Jews and settlers from all over Israel and abroad to celebrate the week’s Torah study on Chayei Sara (Live of Sarah), where Abraham purchases the cave of Machpelah (of which they think is in al-Khalil) in order to bury his wife Sarah. On Friday evening, a group of settlers coming from the illegal settlement Kyriat Arba attacked one of the two remaining Palestinian shops on their way to the Ibrahim Mosque in Hebron, which partly serves as their synagogue since the settler terror attack on February 25 1994. (http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/02/remembering-ibrahimi-mosque-massacre-160225061709582.html). The present Israeli soldiers did not prevent them from committing this crime.

After threatening the shop owner and his customers, and smashing both shop-front windows, they continued on their way to the religious festival, loudly shouting and singing. Although some Israeli forces along the street clearly witnessed this criminal incident, they let the settler-group go unhindered, leaving the traumatized shop-owner with the damage and the costs.

Attacking shops isn’t a rarity for colonial settlers. It’s an inevitable consequence of Israel’s policy. By creating illegal colonies in occupied Palestine, promoting and benefiting settlers to illegally move there, providing them with arms and training, and due to the lack of a honest legal system, the Israeli state is undoubtedly responsible for the crimes committed by its colonial settlers.

Instead of taking care for the safety of the Palestinians, which is their duty according to international law, the Israeli army is only concerned for the safety of the settlers and the visiting Zionists from Israel, US, Europe and other nations, who illegally roam the streets of occupied Hebron. For that reason, extra troops arrived and occupied some rooftops of Palestinian family houses.

A Palestine family told us that at 2 o’clock in the night, all of them were forced out of their home on the street, where they stood for at least an hour in the nightly cold. until the Israeli forces finally allowed them to enter their home again.

The rooftop remained occupied for approximate 24 hour, the soldiers told us. They locked the front door, refusing anyone else than the family to enter, and kept on using the families kitchen and toilet, threatening them with their automatic guns.

“Today, its my home”, one of the soldiers told us.

Not business as usual: colonial settlers in al-Khalil for Jewish festival

27th November 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

The Jewish holiday/celebration of Chayei Sarah and the reading of the Torah regarding Sarah took place in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron) on 25th and 26th November 2016.

Beginning of Friday hundreds of Jews from illegal colonial settlements within the West Bank as well as Jews from Israel began arriving. It was estimated there may be as many as 1500 coming for their festivities. Huge tents and designated camping areas were set up (some in areas owned by Palestinians). They were also staying with families and friends in the existing illegal settlements here in al-Khalil.

This lot was the play area for the Palestinian elementary and secondary school. Now it's being used for The Sarah event. — This lot was the play area for the Palestinian elementary and secondary school. Now it’s being used for The Sarah event.

This automatically meant more Israeli occupation forces, more border police, much more “security” at checkpoints that Palestinians need to pass through on a regular basis as part of their normal daily routines (going to work, shopping, etc.) It also meant a complete closure of many of the checkpoints, not allowing anyone who was not here for the festival (that is a colonial settler) to go through.

Israeli Occupation Forces preparing for the "Settler Tour" with their guns and dogs — Israeli Occupation Forces preparing for the “Settler Tour” with their guns and dogs

On Saturday “security” was at its peak. Every Saturday afternoon there is a tour of the Palestinian Old City by settlers from the illegal settlements. This usually consists of around 20 to 150 settlers. With about as many Israeli occupation force soldiers to “protect” them. This weekend the tour consisted of nearly 2700 settlers. This obviously meant more soldiers, on roof tops, police dogs sniffing out the route before the tour began, soldiers positioned approximately every 50 meters along the entire route and at the beginning and end of the group. Many shop owners closed early for fear of trouble by the settlers parading through the Old City.

Sniffing for bombs on the parade route before it starts.

Soldiers and settlers parading through the Palestinian market where some shops closed early

The settlers who participated were singing, dancing, acting provocatively aggressive towards the Palestinians and internationals who were trying to mind their own business or observing the events. There were many “shouts of “welcome to Israel “ by the settlers as well as “f*ck you’s” and “this is our home not yours, we will never leave” at the Palestinians. An observer witnessed a number of incidents of harassment by the settlers toward anyone who was not Jewish and part of the group.

An obvious "welcome" from one of the settler youth — An obvious “welcome” from one of the settler youth

One Palestinian family in the Tel Rumeida area had their home invaded for approximately 10 hours by soldiers who set up observation on the roof and using their bathroom and kitchen as if it were their own place to do as they wished. An international who was invited to the home by the family to observe the goings on was forced to leave after an hour by the soldiers. The family was frightened by these events, but to the best of this writers knowledge there was no real damage done in the home by the soldiers.
An observer witnessed at least two Palestinian youth who were detained by the Israeli occupation forces for one reason or another. A third Palestinian was detained for trying to defend himself after a settler spit on him.
This is life in illegally settler occupied al-Khalil. The Israeli’s pretty much do as they wish and the Palestinians residents pay the consequences.

Photo-Story: Mini walking tour of occupied Hebron

24th November 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

After our afternoon school run today, two of us took a walk around a small part of Al Khalil. The photos are sort of a mini-walking tour of some of the stolen Palestinian land, streets, homes and shops, roadblocks and checkpoints. Note the diagonal iron bars on the shops. These are welded in place to keep their Palestinian owners from re-entering their own shops and businesses. Above the shops are now illegal colonial Zionist settlers living in the once owned homes of Palestinians. On some of the streets Palestinians are prohibited from walking. And no Palestinian vehicles allowed. Al Khalil is unique in that the illegal colonial settlers live right in the city among the Palestinians (of course with colonial Zionist Israeli Occupation Forces and walls and fences to “protect” them and many of these Zionist carry their automatic weapons with them as well. Most illegal colonial settlements are separated or outside of the Palestinian villages, town, and cities (and generally an army base within or next to it. Currently there are over 600,000 living in these settlement in the West Bank and construct of new and expansion of existing ones continues!

Gate locking access to the Abu Haykal family land, now deemed an 'archaelogical site' by Israeli forces — Gate locking access to the Abu Haykal family land, now deemed an ‘archaelogical site’ by Israeli forces

Ghost Street - in the process of ethnic cleansing of all Palestinian residents — Ghost Street – in the process of ethnic cleansing of all Palestinian residents

Diagnol metal bar is welded to doors in order to keep shops and homes permanently closed

Left side of the fence for illegal colonial settlers, right side for Palestinians - often littered with trash by the settlers — Left side of the fence for illegal colonial settlers, right side for Palestinians – often littered with trash by the settlers

Another road-block preventing Palestinian freedom of movement

Yet another demolition hits Umm Al Khair; community continues to stand strong

19th of November 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Umm al-Kheir, south Hebron Hills, occupied Palestine

On November 15th, the Bedouin community of Umm Al Khair experienced the fifth wave of demolitions by Israeli forces on their structures to take place in the past year. The most prominent of the two structures demolished on Tuesday was their community center, which was also the space used for their Kindergarten classes.
The demolitions took place one day after the community saw a drone operated by Extremist Settler organization Regavim, fly over-head documenting any signs of construction or new buildings. The community center was one of these new structures, due to being demolished and rebuilt most previously in August of 2016. Regavim’s tag line is Ensuring the responsible, legal and environmentally-friendly use of Israel’s national lands.

umm-k2watermark-s — Demolished structure in Umm al-Kheir

While it was the Israeli army and the Civil Administration that came in to bulldoze the structures, Zionists from Regavim were present within the neighboring illegal settlement of Carmel. From there they operated the drone and followed over-head those from the Israeli state there to demolish the structures. Historically, the army has come to demolish their structures very quickly after the Regavim drone comes to take photos.

Om Salem, a resident of Umm Al Khair said, “We just need these demolitions to stop. We are sick and tired of it”. Om Salem’s own home was demolished last August. After she lost her home, organizations provided her with a small shelter which she has been living in. But on Tuesday, the army took photos of it and she fears they will come to demolish it again.

In the end however, it is the children and youth of the camp that are most impacted by these demolitions. In this community of 150 people, most are children and youth. The community center was a pivotal space for young people. It was used in the mornings as the school for kindergarten students, and in the afternoons to provide IT and computer trainings, after school homework help, English language classes, and for adults it was used as a space for community meetings.

Umm Al Khair has the deed to the land which makes it difficult for the Israeli government to kick them out entirely. Instead the government in collaboration with Regavim, uses tactics such as these demolitions to make life unbearable. Despite the attempt for the State to force displacement, the community stays strong. Almost everyone returns to Umm Al Khair, including many youth who have left to attain college degrees. They remain resilient against Zionist attempts to displace them.

The community of Umm Al Khair was established in 1952 on land the villagers purchased. All 150 residents are documented refugees from 28 families. Most are goat herders and farmers. They came to settle on the land they purchased after they were displaced from Arad Dessert in 1948. The illegal settlement of Carmel bordering them, and which was established in 1982, is built on land purchased by Umm Al Khair residents.

umm-k-3-watermak-s — Village structures with settlement in the background

Village invasion at Ni’lin weekly demonstration

11th November 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah team | Ni’lin, occupied Palestine

On 11th November, international activists joined Palestinian villagers in Ni’lin for their weekly demonstration against the apartheid wall that runs through their land. One week ago at the demonstration, a Palestinian youth was shot in the head with a rubber coated metal bullet by the Israeli military. The subsequent clashes with the Israeli military resulted in the latter invading part of the village and targeting peoples houses with tear gas and rubber coated metal bullets.

15058536_731608533654866_1139227757_n — Israeli forces jeeps with tear-gas mounted on top of the jeeps

Today, Palestinian protesters and international activists, started off to walk towards the apartheid wall. Before reaching the wall, heavily armed Israeli forces formed a block, stopping the demonstration from reaching it. During discussion with the protesters the Israeli military starting firing stun grenades.

After this clashes began with Israeli forces firing tear gas from both guns and armed jeeps. Many of the tear gas cannisters were fired at head hight, a very dangerous tactic which has resulted in serious injury and death in the past. The Palestinians responded against this force by throwing stones.

As the demonstration got pushed closer to the village, the Israeli forces changed ammunition to high velocity rubber bullets alongside tear gas. One bullet passed just a few centimetres above the heads of one of the internationals and a Red Crescent First Responder, impacting the branch of an olive-tree.

High velocity tear gas canister shot at civilians by the Israeli forces

The Israeli military invaded the village, firing rubber coated metal bullets, a large amount of tear gas, and throwing sound bombs into the residential area. This type of invasion places many lives at risk and is collective punishment against the villagers. Whilst documenting the army’s invasion, another international activist had a rubber coated metal bullet closely passing them on a street inside the village.

Although there were no injuries in this demonstration, multiple people suffered from tear gas inhalation.

The non-violent demonstrations against the apartheid wall and the occupation in Ni’lin have been going on weekly since 2008, as attempt to get back the farm land which was stolen from the villagers.