Tag: Settlers

Illegal settlers break into kindergarten, damage property

7th March 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

Colonial settlers from the illegal settlements in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron) have repeatedly invaded and damaged a Palestinian kindergarten located on Shuhada Street over the last two days.

On Saturday night, the colonial settlers entered the Shuhada Street kindergarten, stealing two Palestinian flags and breaking cameras installed by the Palestinian families. The kindergarten connects directly to the roof of a residential building that houses three Palestinian families, which is accessible by the settlers through this roof access.  The three families are now feeling under threat.

The following day, on Sunday afternoon, settlers again entered the kindergarten, but were surprised by the presence of Palestinians on their roof. Settlers then threw stones at the Palestinian youths before leaving. They cut a hole in the fence which protects the kindergarten entrance from illegal settlers entering. The settlers had clearly planned in advance to cut the fence as they had  brought the necessary tools with them.

Wire-mesh fence cut by the settlers
Photo-credit: Human Rights Defenders Group

Settlers from the illegal settlements, under the protection of the Israeli forces, enjoy almost complete impunity for their actions, while Palestinians under the Israeli military law are presumed guilty until they can prove otherwise. The Palestinians living in the H2-area under full Israeli military control have no institution they can turn to for protection or help in this case, but are at the full mercy of the Israeli forces and settlers. With settlers having entered the compound for two days in a row, and the water tanks on the roof easily accessible, the families now do not only have to fear even more for their safety in their own homes, but also about being poisoned through their drinking water supply. In the past settlers in the Tel Rumeida neighbourhood poisoned the water tank of a Palestinian family.  Fortunately the poisoning was detected before anyone drank the water.

Demonstration in Nabi Saleh attacked by settlers and Army

3rd March 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah team | Nabi Saleh, occupied Palestine

Today on the 3rd March 2017 the popular resistance in Nabi Saleh village held a demonstration against the nearby illegal settlement which has stolen large amounts of the village lands, the road closures affecting their village and the occupation of Palestine. The demonstration started with a group of people going to a local spring which has been stolen by the illegal settlement. Here local settlers arrived with guns and began to assault the peaceful Palestinian protesters who were supported by Israelis and other internationals. After the settlers assaulted many people there, including members of the press, the army arrived and also started attacking the demonstrators and letting off multiple sound grenades. The demonstration moved back up the hill towards the village with settlers throwing stones, the Israeli forces firing tear gas, sound grenades, rubber bullets, and live ammunition at the demonstrators – this aggression was met with stones from the demonstration. Eventually the clashes moved into the village lasting a number of hours with the Israeli forces closing off the main entrance to the village.

Settler attacking people – photograph by ISM/Charlie Donnelly

Initially the demonstration walked down a hill to a local spring which belongs to Nabi Saleh but was stolen by the illegal settlement, upon arriving there banners were held and people were chanting. After around 10 minutes heavily armed settlers from the nearby illegal settlements arrived and began to assault people there, including small children and elderly people present at the demonstration. During this confrontation the Israeli army arrived and instead of keeping the settlers back, began to help them assault the demonstration. In this time at least one press photographer had his camera broken by a settler and multiple people received punches and kicks. The Israeli army started to let off sound grenades in the midst to demonstrators who began to move to the hill towards the village.

Army helping settlers – photograph by ISM/Charlie Donnelly

Whilst on the hill some people began to throw stones at the Army below. This was met by large amounts of tear gas, rubber coated metal bullets and live ammunition. The Army allowed the settlers to chase the demonstration attacking people with stones, assisting them by firing at the crowd. This attack was held off by the people of the demonstration with stones.

The clashes continued with the Israeli army more frequently using live ammunition and firing rubber coated metal bullets at head height towards the demonstration.

The Israeli army then invaded the town, they were met with strong resistance from the local people, eventually fleeing in their vehicles under heavy amounts of stones being thrown. But not before firing multiple times with live ammunition, rubber coated metal bullets and tear gas.

The soldiers fleeing the town  – photograph by ISM/Charlie Donnelly

During this time a checkpoint was set up at the main entrance to the town – a form of collective punishment to the villagers for their act of resistance. Afterwards the soldiers proceeded to invade the town multiple times sparking further clashes.

The residents of Nabi Saleh were holding weekly demonstrations since 2009 in protest of the zionist regimes illegal occupation of the village’s land along with the takeover of the village’s spring located near the illegal Israeli settlement of Halamish. However after a large amount of repression the weekly demonstrations stopped last year, with now occasional demonstrations.

Susya faces demolition for the eighth time

27th February 2017  |  International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team  |  Susya, occupied Palestine

 

Susiya
Susiya

The village of Susya in the south Hebron hills faced complete demolition again yesterday as the Israeli court, and the villagers, waited for the Israeli government to announce its plan for demolition.  The Israeli government asked the court for a 48 hour continuance, which means that the plan will probably be provided to the court on Tuesday 28th February and demolition may begin on Wednesday 1st March.

Internationals from ISM and from Christian Peacemaker Teams were asked by villagers to be present in Susya yesterday to give support should demolition go ahead.  The presence of internationals cannot prevent demolition but may encourage Israeli forces to empty the tents about to be demolished with more care, and will provide the international community with documentation of the demolition.

Nasser al Nawajja from the village is used to facing situations like this.  He told us that he felt that some demolition this year is inevitable, but that delays are good because when the weather is better it is easier to cope with the disruption and to rebuild.  The Israeli government is under intense pressure from local settlers and Israeli right wing political groups to remove Susya altogether, but there is strong pressure and support also from the international community which will make complete demolition difficult.  What is most likely, says Nasser, are piecemeal demolitions.

This will not be the first demolition or expulsion faced by the village: since the villagers were turned out of their cave dwellings half a mile away in 1986 for a ‘Jewish archeological park’ they have lived in semi-permanent tent dwellings which have been either demolished or expelled seven times already.  This will be the eighth demolition and, Nasser says, ‘We will rebuild.  We rebuilt seven times already.  We will rebuild again.  A seventh and an eighth time.’

Susya is a symbol of what is happening in the rural West Bank.  Strong settler pressure for expansion of confiscated land meets weak international pressure to preserve some vestige of hope for a two state solution (still championed by the international community).  Who will win this battle is anyone’s guess now that Trump is in the White House.  But the lives of the people of Susya continue to be under threat. As Nasser says, ‘The settlers are in the White House now.’

 

 

 

Israeli army attacks peaceful demonstration in Hebron and injures protesters : eye-witness accounts

24th February 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

On 24th February several hundred people joined together for a demonstration in al-Khalil (Hebron) in occupied Palestine.  Palestinians, Israelis and international activists protested together against the occupation of  Shuhada Street and Tel Rumeida in the heart of the city, closed by the military after the massacre of 29 Palestinians in the al-Ibrahimi mosque in 1994.  The protesters marched from the centre of the city to the military base at the entrance to the closed zone but were fired upon with tear gas and stun grenades within minutes of the start of their peaceful protest.  The protesters were immediately forced to disperse with many suffering from tear gas inhalation.  Some needed treatment on site and some were taken to hospital.

ISM activists attended in groups of two and three to support, document and protest. Here are some eyewitness accounts:

Group 1

“After midday prayers people started marching towards the old city, chanting slogans against the Israeli occupation and the settlers. After about ten minutes, the march was faced by a sizeable group of Israeli soldiers and border police. They marched towards the Israeli forces nonetheless, but were soon met with two stun grenades thrown towards protesters in the front line and teargas canisters shot throughout the street. I saw a teargas canister hit a north American army veteran below his left shoulder: it is entirely plausible that it was shot intentionally into the crowd. Shooting these canisters directly towards people is not only in direct contradiction of Israeli ‘rules of engagement’ but also potentially lethal.”

Group 2

“I was in front of the demo when the teargas canisters were fired directly into the first lines of protesters.  Stun grenades exploded next to me and I couldn’t hear anything for the next minute.  Everywhere on the street were clouds of teargas expanding and the demo turned into a big escape.  I and many other protesters took refuge in the side streets, hiding from Israeli soldiers and tear gas.”

 Group 3

“Our group started near the back.  Tear gas started in great quantity within minutes  and together with a large number of Palestinians and other internationals, we scrambled up a side set of stairs and spent the rest of the demonstration trapped there, tear gassed frequently and running in different directions to escape.  There was no possibility of rejoining the march route.  Red Crescent ambulances, with paramedics in gas masks, attended to the large number of people who were suffering from excessive gas inhalation and some were taken to hospital.”

Group 4

“Emotion, censored freedom, pain, oppression, … these are the words which describe the commemoration of the Ibrahimi mosque massacre, fifty years of occupation and the closure of Shuhada Street for over twenty years.  After just ten minutes, the Israeli forces showed up in front of the crowd. They immediately stopped the demonstration, leaving no freedom to Palestinians and internationals to commemorate the Ibrahimi mosque’s victims.  The atmosphere was tense as Israeli forces started to throw teargas into the crowd.  Once again, Israel pretends to be a democracy but leaves no freedom to Palestinians to express themselves and to commemorate those they lost.”

 

Non-violent action in al-tuwani

17th of February, 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | South Hebron Hills, Occupied Palestine

 

Saturday 4th a group of villagers from Al Towani, South Hebron Hills, held a non-violent demonstration against settler violence and illegal settlement expansion, which affects their village. This non-violent demonstration was met with harassment from residents of the illegal out-post settlement of Havat Ma’on, and a large presence of Israeli army and Israeli police. Towards the end of the demonstration a large group of settlers, the Israeli police and army invaded the Palestinian village. They were met with non-violent resistance from residents of the village and eventually spread.

Colonial Israeli Settlers from nearby settlement, enter the Palestinian village.

At 10:00 a demonstration consisting of about 15 Palestinian villagers, supported by international and Israeli activists, left the village of Al Towani to go through the lands stolen by the illegal settlers out-posts Havat Ma’on. This is an area where local children experience violence and threats on a near daily from settlers while going about their daily lives. The demonstration was mostly women and children from the local village, protesting against the violence they experience and the continued expansion of the settlement.

“Banner made by protesters, reading: Women for Freedom of Movement”

Upon arriving in a piece of land that is currently threatened by the illegal extension of this out-posts demonstrators stopped to sing songs, sang, and plant some olive trees. At this point, a settler from the illegal out-posts came down, openly wearing a gun and started to harass people demonstrate, filming all and calls for the Israeli army and police.

Israeli Forces are ordering Palestinian protesters to move.

Shortly after a large group of Israeli forces arrived and the demonstration moved to another piece of land, again chanting, singing songs, and plant more olive trees. At this time came around 8 Israeli army vehicles with two Israeli police vehicles. The soldiers and police stood talking to the settlers before they came to the demonstration to declare the country a “closed military zone”. They used this excuse to disperse protesters while the non-military settlers to remain where they were. This order was non-violently resisted as did the military threaten a Palestinian man with arrest – strongly to take him away from the demonstration. At this time began to move, and the man was released.

While this was going on a group of about 20 settlers from the illegal out-posts invaded local Palestinian village Al Towani. They were met with strong nonviolent resistance from the community and some of the people at the demonstration who rushed back to confront this illegal intrusion into their country. The Israeli army and police came to protect the settlers – refuses to demand they leave. It was only through the strength of the local community, as the settlers finally left the Palestinian village.

 

Al Tuwani is a village in the South Hebron Hills, which has experienced many problems from extremist illegal settlements and out-posts built on their land. Children of the village and the nearest face violence and intimidation by settlers and the Israeli army while walking to school which makes shepherds while we are trying to get access to land. The village has for many years been using non-violent resistance to resist the occupation.