Notorious settler Anat Cohen interrupted a peaceful movie screening, which was hosted by Youth Against Settlements to commemorate the victims of the Ibrahimi Mosque Massacre in 1994.
Palestinians gather around fire near checkpoint by Ibrahimi mosque, lighting candles
Every night, Palestinians gather around a bonfire in the Salaymeh neighborhood of occupied Hebron to keep watch in case of settler attacks. Today, as part of the Open Shuhada Street campaign, 50-60 people had come here to light candles in memory of each of the 33 victims of the massacre and its immediate consequences, followed by a documentary titled “Hebron Under the Microscope.”
Candles lit in commemoration of the victims of the Ibrahimi mosque massacre
29 Palestinians were murdered inside the Ibrahimi Mosque on the 25th of February, 1994, when Israeli settler Baruch Goldstein entered and opened fire at the Muslim worshipers inside. Four Palestinians were killed on the same day in the clashes that broke out around the Mosque in response to the massacre. In the aftermath, the mosque (also known as the Tomb of the Patriarchs) was divided in two, with the larger part turned into a synagogue while heavy scrutiny was imposed on the Palestinians and areas closed completely to them, including an important market and the main street, Shuhada street. In protest of these closures, Youth Against Settlements organizes events around the anniversary of the massacre as part of their Open Shuhada Street campaign, held annually in Hebron and worldwide since 2010.
Palestinians gathering for the Open Shuhada Street event
During the screening of the documentary, three Palestinians were detained by the army for no apparent reason across the street along with a ten-year-old girl. The coordinator of Youth Against Settlements, Issa Amro, was also detained when trying to reason with the soldiers.
Israeli forces arbitrarily detained 3 young men and a 10-year-old girl
Then the notoriously aggressive settler Anat Cohen slowed down her car next to a group of Palestinians and hit those who could not escape fast enough. She made a u-turn and left her car to yell at and intimidate the Palestinians gathered in the street. She filmed and verbally and physically attacked Palestinians and internationals while soldiers stood by and did not intervene. Instead of stopping her unprovoked aggressions, they began loudly pushing back the Palestinians, restricting them to certain parts of the street and preventing them from documenting.
Soldiers forcing Palestinians back
Heavy arguments broke out. A man fainted and had to be taken to hospital by ambulance when he witnessed a soldier hit his wife with a gun. The army repeatedly pushed back Palestinians using excessive force. Eventually, Anat Cohen left without facing any consequences for her violent assaults and harassment, witnessed by the army and civil police.
Wael Fakhouri, a resident of the neighborhood: “We work hard to protect ourselves from settler violence.”
Contact: Issa Amro 059 934 0549 issaamro@gmail.com
22nd February 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine
A day after 21-year old Yasmin al-Zarou was gunned down by Israeli forces when passing the Salaymeh checkpoint, many of the children were forced to walk right past where she had layn on the ground bleeding – where her blood is still clearly visible on the ground. Yasmin had passed the checkpoint on 14th February 2016, when Israeli forces shot her several times with live ammunition, critically injuring her. Instead of administering first aid to Yasmin, lying on the ground, writhing in pain and losing massive amounts of blood, Israeli forces were busy violently attacking anyone attempting to help the injured young woman.
Scene of Yasmins shooting after she was taken away in an army jeep Photo credit: Christian Peacemaker Teams Palestine
A shocking video shows Israeli medics and soldiers standing around her as she lies on a stretcher, interrogating her, not examining her or providing medical care and shoving away her outstretched hands.
A disabled man in a wheelchair was even pushed over by Israeli forces, who shortly after threw stun grenades at Palestinian residents of the area – all while Yasmin was on the ground losing blood.
Even though an Israeli ‘ambulance’ arrived, no one gave Yasmin any first aid. The ambulance was driven by the infamous violent settler Ofer, who is neither medically trained nor operates a functioning ambulance, and who never provides any medical help when arriving on such a scene. He has been seen at several scenes where Palestinians had just been gunned down by Israeli forces on the claim of having knifes, always arriving in the fake ambulance, often taking photos of the dying Palestinians and instructing others not to treat them.
Eyewitnesses reported that Yasmin was just passing the checkpoint with her sister when she was shot by Israeli forces. While bystanders were prevented from administering first aid, Israeli forces never attempted to do so. In the end, she was taken on a stretcher in an army vehicle while the fake Israeli ambulance was still at the scene. The refusal of medical help, just a day before, on 13th February 2016, directly resulted in the death of 18-year old Kilzar al-Uweiwi close to another checkpoint in the vicinity of the Ibrahimi mosque. Even though she was shot in the neck, her autopsy indicated that her life would have been saved if she had received immediate life-saving medical treatment. Thus her death directly resulted from the Israeli forces’ policy, demonstrated repeatedly in recent months, of denying any kind of medical help to Palestinians and instead leaving them to bleed to death on the ground.
Yasmin was taken to Shaare Zedek hospital in illegally annexed al-Quds (Jerusalem), and since then information on her condition has not been released. Her parents and family are all al-Khalil residents and must carry the green Isreali-issued West Bank IDs which bar Palestinians without a permit from visiting al-Quds (where Palestinians require blue IDs); they are not allowed to visit their daughter in the hospital and are thus left completely in the dark about her condition.
The morning after Yasmin was shot, schoolchildren were forced to pass the pool of blood that was still clearly visible on the ground, and many children living in the neighbourhood were talking about the incident the day before. Several parents whose children attend a kindergarten directly next to Ibrahimi mosque were too afraid to send their children to the kindergarten after a sleepless night following the shooting.
Israeli forces have announced that the Salaymeh checkpoint, a major passage-way for children on their way to and from school, will be closed from the 21st of February 2016 for three weeks for ‘renovations’. Such checkpoint renovations have already been carried out many times in al-Khalil, with the most recent expansion of Shuhada checkpoint making passage even more harrowing for local Palestinians.
In the past week, children on their way to and from school in the area around the Ibrahimi mosque in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron) have endured constant harassment and intimidation by Israeli forces. They face checkpoints guarded by heavily armed Israeli forces and the ensuing bag-searches, ID-checks and harassments on a daily basis. Six schools are situated behind Salaymeh and Qeitun checkpoints; the majority of their students can only reach their schools by passing one of these two checkpoints, as Israeli forces blocked off an alternative route with concrete blocks and barbed wire. Al-Faihaa girls school, located on the main road between the two checkpoints, has repeatedly been threatened by Israeli forces that their main gate will be permanently closed if any boys are seen crossing through the schoolyard and thus avoiding being forced to pass the two checkpoints. The main road which runs past the two checkpoint and the girls’ school directly connects the illegal settlements in the center of al-Khalil with the far larger illegal Kiryat Arba settlement on the outskirts of the city. Thus, on their way to school, Palestinian girls are often confronted with violent settlers trying to hit them with their cars – often driven on roads where only settlers and Israeli forces are permitted to drive while Palestinians are barred from operating vehicles – or physically and verbally attacking them.
Youth Against Settlements held a press conference in front of the Shuhada Street checkpoint to announce the beginning of the Open Shuhada Street Campaign. Over a hundred people attended. Palestinian TV, AL-Quds TV, and other local and international media organizations were present. Youth Against Settlements welcomed everyone from Palestine and abroad to take part in the annual Open Shuhada Street events and demonstrations between 21 February – 26 February.
Youth Against Settlement in front of Shuhada checkpoint
Shuhada Street has been closed almost entirely to Palestinians since the Ibrahimi Mosque massacre in 1994, when Brooklyn born Jewish settler, Baruch Goldstein, opened fire in the Ibrahimi mosque, murdering 29 worshipers and injuring 125. In 1997, Hebron was divided into zones H1 and H2, with H1 being under control of the Palestinian authority and H2 being under full Israeli military control. Since 2010, Youth Against Settlements has held annual events in commemoration of the massacre and to highlight human rights violations against Palestinians.
Since late October 2015, Hebron residents have seen increasing restrictions. On 30 October, Shuhada Street and parts of the Tel Rumeida neighborhood were declared closed military zones. Subsequently, the Israeli military extended the closed military zone orders to include the Youth Against Settlement center. Under the closed military zone orders, no guests, journalists, human rights observers, doctors, or home repair professionals may enter the area.
Issa Amro: “The Israeli occupation forces have maintained an apartheid regime in Hebron since the Ibrahimi mosque massacre in 1994. These days there are even more restrictions on Palestinians than ever to make it as hard as possible for Palestinians to stay and remain in their homes. We organize the Open Shuhada Street campaign to increase awareness about what is happening in Hebron and to make the world react against the occupation. The campaign aims to show the world who Palestinians are and not allow Israel to dictate to the media an image of Palestinians as violent people. As Palestinians, we are looking for justice, freedom, and equality, nothing more than that.”
Memorial for Hadeel al-Hashlamoun, gunned down by Israeli forces at Shuhada checkpoint on 22nd September 2015
Issa Amro, coordinator and founder of Youth Against Settlements, spoke about the closed military zones, the long lasting effects of the Ibrahimi Mosque Massacre, the apartheid system of separation in Hebron, and how the occupation targets Palestinians by expelling them from their homes and businesses. Salah Hashlamoun, father of Hadil Hashlamoun, spoke about his daughter, her unlawful killing by the Israeli soldiers, and how it has impacted the life of his family. He called the killing of Palestinians a war crime, and encouraged continued resistance to the Israeli occupation. Abdul-Moneem Zahda, the representative for the families of the victims of the Ibrahimi Mosque Massacre, outlined what had happened at the massacre, he talked about Baruch Goldstein killing 29 people as they prayed during Ramadan in 1994. He stated that the goal of the massacre was to judaize the heart of the city of Hebron. Mufeed Sharabati, a resident of Shuhada Street, spoke about the families of the street continuing their resistance against Israeli forces and remaining in their homes. Palestinian activists, Fareed Al-Atrash received a plaque to commemorate his work as a leader in the peaceful struggle against the Israeli occupation.
Fareed al-Atrash receiving a plaque
During the press conference, the Israeli army called the Palestinian Department of Civil Administration to request a stop to the event and removal of the sit-in tent. Youth Against Settlements erected the tent on 7 January in response to the closed military zones. Army drones were hovering above as the protesters refused to adhere to the army’s demands.
Mufeed Sharabati, a resident of Shuhada Street: “We will continue our resistance. We refuse to leave our homes. The families here are in the front line of the conflict.”
Many countries including, Italy, Denmark, Germany, France, Switzerland, Brazil, UK, and US, are joining the Open Shuhada Street campaign. Beginning in Italy on 14 February, international events and actions have included lectures, presentations, role-plays, film screenings, social media campaigns, and petitions. Youth Against Settlements activist, Murad Amro, traveled to Germany to give a presentation for the German Open Shuhada Street campaign. There, Murad met with the German Foreign Minister to request protection for Palestinian activists and demand an end to the closed military zones.
Open Shuhada Street campaign in Europe
The Open Shuhada Street campaign continues through 26 February, when it will culminate with a mass demonstration. The upcoming week-long events for the Open Shuhada Street campaign in Hebron will include exhibitions, movie screenings, demonstrations, and cultural events. The schedule is as follows:
Satuday 20 February 11:00 AM press conference and memorial for Hadeel Hadshlom – Shuhada Street Entrance
Sunday 21 February 11:00 AM photo exhibition and painting – Shuhada Street Entrance
Monday 22 February all day photo exhibition – Shuhada Street Entrance
Monday 22 February 5:00 PM film screening Settlers on the Roof – YAS center, Tel Rumeida
Tuesday 23 February 4:00 PM cultural event – Shuhada Street Entrance
Wednesday 24 February 11:00 AM candle lighting and film screening – Alsalayhah neighborhood
Thursday 25 February 11:00 AM Ibrahimi mosque massacre memorial ceremony – Shuhada Street Entrance
Friday 26 February 11:00 AM Demonstration to open Shuhada Street – Nemreh mosque
Contact: Issa Amro 059 934 0549 issaamro@gmail.com
13th February 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine
On February 13th 2016 Youth Against Settlements in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron) organised a children’s activity in front of Shuhada Street checkpoint.
Children drawing during fun-day organised by YAS
Around 50 children from the neighbourhoods located on the H2 (entirely Israeli military-controlled) side of the checkpoint – Tel Rumeida and the tiny strip of Shuhada Street still accessible for Palestinians – participated in the event organised by the Palestinian group Youth Against Settlements together with Old City resident Zleikha Muhtaseb.
Face-painting
The children have hardly had any chance to play and enjoy time with their friends since their neighbourhoods were declared a closed military zone on November 1st 2015. For the last three months only residents registered with the Israeli military have been allowed to access this highly militarized neighbourhood, where Israeli forces have stepped up their efforts to crack down on Palestinian residents’ everyday lives even more than in the many other neighborhoods suffering under the harsh Zionist occupation. Extremist Israeli settlers from the adjacent illegal settlements meanwhile enjoy complete impunity for their actions.
Girls writing their wishes for the future on balloons
The children gathered at the Youth Against Settlements sit-in tent that was first erected over a month ago in protest of the ongoing restrictions and human rights violations inflicted under the closed military zone. They enjoyed creative activities including drawing, painting, balloons and face-painting.
Children playing with balloons
Israeli settlers, walking inside the closed military zone without any hassle, harassment or ever being stopped, approached the checkpoint from the other side in order to gape at the children playing outside the checkpoint with balloons.
Settlers observing playing Palestinian children through the checkpointChild’s drawingChild’s drawing
The immense psychological effect of the occupation on children living in these neighbourhoods was clearly visible in their drawings. They drew soldiers shooting Palestinians, families living in houses surrounded by barbed wire, imprisoned Palestinians dreaming of Palestinians guarded by a heavily-armed soldier; drawings also featured Palestinian flags and the words ‘I love Palestine.’
Growing up in an environment where the Israeli military occupation, with all its concurrent human rights violations, deadly violence, humiliation and intimidation permeates everyday life, the impacts are hardly surprising. Saturday’s event was a great opportunity for the children of these neighbourhoods to just be children again, to play with their friends, have their faces painted, enjoy childhood.
As the event ended they lined up outside Shuhada Street checkpoint, which the children have referred to as the ‘death checkpoint’ since the September 22nd extrajudicial execution of 18-year-old Hadeel al-Hashlamoun, to wait to be allowed to walk back to their homes within the closed military zone.
Children waiting to cross back into their neighbourhoods under the closed military zone
Before preparing to leave to return to their neighborhoods, the children from Tel Rumeida and Shuhada Street demonstrated their solidarity with the Palestinian journalist and hunger striker Mohammed al-Qeeq on his 81st day of hunger strike against the illegal Israeli practice of administrative detention – imprisonment without charge or trial in an Israeli military legal system which consistently denies Palestinians any right to due process of law.
Palestinian children in solidarity with hunger striker Mohammed al-Qeeq
8th February 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine
On 8th February 2016, Israeli forces threatened to attack a peaceful demonstration in front of Shuhada checkpoint in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron).
Israeli forces forcing demonstrators back
Protesters gathered at noon to protest the continued closure of the Tel Rumeida neighbourhood, that on the 1st of November 2015 was declared a ‘closed military zone’ by Israeli forces. Palestinian residents were forced to register with the Israeli army in order to be allowed to live in their family homes and be permitted into the closed zone. At the same time, settlers from the illegal settlements located directly adjacent to Palestinian houses are free to roam the streets with assault rifles slung over their shoulders like an accessories, as the closed military zone was deliberately designed to exclude the settlements while including Palestinian neighbourhoods. Friends and family of the Palestinian residents are barred from access, as are doctors and repair workers; human rights defenders were forcefully arrested and kicked out of their apartments and offices.
Demonstrators gathered in front of Shuhada checkpoint
The demonstration, organised by the Hebron Defense Committee, walked up to Shuhada checkpoint (checkpoint 56) chanting against the illegal collective punishment exerted on all the Palestinian residents resulting from the closed military zone. Israeli forces immediately gathered at Shuhada checkpoint, the checkpoint just recently ‘renovated’ into a cage-like monstrosity that makes reaching their homes and schools even more humiliating, intimidating and dangerous for Palestinians. Throughout the demonstration Palestinian school children on their way home were denied passage through the checkpoint.
School-children forced to wait at Shuhada checkpoint
Israeli forces had previously ordered demonstrators already gathered at the protest tent in front of the checkpoint, which has been organized by Youth Against Settlements for over a month in protest of the closed military zone, to leave the area.
Israeli forces ordering protest tent to leave the area
As soon as Palestinians started gathering in front of the checkpoint, Israeli forces advanced towards the peaceful demonstration dressed in heavy “riot control” gear and with their machine guns cocked. They immediately forced the Palestinians to move back, threatening them to shoot tear gas at the demonstrators peacefully exercising their right to protest. Even after complying with the order and moving further away from the checkpoint, Israeli forces stood outside the checkpoint aiming their guns at the gathering – even though they were in the supposedly Palestinian-controlled H1 area of al-Khalil. A group of soldiers entered a house in the H1 area, using the roof as a vantage point to surveil the demonstration.
Israeli forces threatening the use of force against peaceful demonstration
February 8th marks 100 days since the Tel Rumeida neighbourhood was first declared a closed military zone. With the renewal of the order till the 1st of March, Palestinian residents face yet another month of arbitrary threats, humiliation, violence and denial of their most basic human rights by Israeli forces. The area covered by the closed military zone order includes the tiny strip of Shuhada Street where Palestinians are still allowed to live after the 1994 Hebron Mosque Massacre that was taken as an ‘excuse’ by Israeli forces for the closure of the main Palestinian market in Shuhada Street. This closure of the majority of Shuhada Street for Palestinians is protested yearly in the Open Shuhada Street Campaign.
