Tag: Tear-Gas Canister - Page 4 - International Solidarity Movement

Hebron Report 15.02.2019

On the morning of February 14, 2019, ISM activists were forced to leave the Shuhada Street area as it was declared a closed military zone. The activists were monitoring the Qurtuba checkpoint, which is passed every morning by teachers and children going to school. Palestinians are regularly targeted and harassed by settlers and the military at this checkpoint. Over the 37 minutes that activists were present at the checkpoint, approximately 100 Palestinians were subject to its control and surveillance.

The map illustrating the closed military zone imposed by Israeli occupation forces

The declaration of a closed military zone came on the foot of a large coordinated settler attack on Palestinian families living close to this checkpoint. This took place on the night of February 12, 2019 and several people were injured. Significant damage was caused to Palestinian homes also. The following morning, ISM activists were forced out of the H2 area near Qurtuba by police with no explanation as to why. During this time, settlers moved freely with the police, harassing and filming activists as they were forced out. Footage can be seen here.

On the morning of February 14th ISM activists were notified that a closed military zone had been declared for the day of February 14th. Prior to this, Anat Cohen, an infamously violent settler, assaulted an ISM activist. This was the fifth time in the past week that ISM activists have been assaulted by settlers. Leaving the Qurtuba area, activists joined others who were monitoring the Qeitun checkpoint.

Going to school in Al Khalil/occupied Hebron

At Qeitun, Israeli forces fired 2 concussion bombs and 4 tear gas canisters at Palestinian people. One concussion bomb exploded very close to a mother and her baby. While thankfully there were no serious injuries, it is terrifying to think about the effect that such weapons would have on a newborn’s ears and lungs. Unfortunately, unprovoked attacks and collective punishment are normalized and occur regularly under the illegal occupation of the West Bank.

Tear gas flooding the streets around Qeitun

It has been said many times before, but it worth restating the saying that “existence is resistance”. Under these circumstances the peaceful act of trying to make your way to school or work is an act of defiance and courage. To do so is to stand up against the logic of systemic violence, oppression and land theft that is imposed by the Israeli State, its armed forces and settlers.

End the Occupation

“We witnessed at least 40 Palestinians dropping to the ground from tear gas inhalation”

On Monday the 14th of May at 11am, thousands of Palestinians gathered in Arafat Square in Ramallah and proceeded to march to Qalandiya checkpoint to confront Israeli forces. The US embassy was officially moved to Jerusalem on this same day. Palestinians held signs and placards to assert their right of return and in remembrance of Al Nakba. Palestinian children released black balloons with Palestinian flags attached into the skies when they reached to Qalandiya.

Hundreds of Palestinians then proceeded to protest against the Israeli occupation. Palestinian press and medics were assaulted by Israeli forces before the march even made its way to Qalandiya. Israeli forces used weapons of violence to suppress a peaceful march, attended by men, women and children. Many were injured by rubber coated steel bullets and foam batons fired by Israeli forces. The amount of tear gas used was shocking.

One International Solidarity Movement activist stated: “We witnessed at least 40 Palestinians dropping to the ground from tear gas inhalation today at Qalandiya checkpoint.”

Live ammunition and stun grenades were also used against the demonstrators as Palestinian medics kept rushing with stretchers and returning to ambulances with those who were injured.

Over 531 Palestinian villages were ethnically cleansed during the Nakba as massacres took place. 800,000 Palestinians were forced out either internally displaced or forced out of their homeland. Palestinians will never forget and will not give up on the right of return.

#OccupiedPalestine #Nakba70 #RightOfReturn #GreatReturnMarch #FreePalestine

Resistance & Death in al Khalil/Hebron

9th March 2018 | International Solidarity Movement, al Khalil team | Occupied Palestine

Friday at around 16.00, 24-year old Al Khalil resident Mohammad Zain al-Jabari was shot and killed by armed Israeli occupational forces during smaller clashes in Al Khalil, Hebron.

He leaves behind his wife and his 4-year-old child.

Al-Jabari was hit in the neck when Israeli soldiers opened fire with live ammunition against the local youth in the H1 area of Al Khalil, an area legally under full Palestinian control.

He was rushed to the local hospital where he died minutes later.

Fearing Israeli occupational forces would raid the hospital, Palestinians quickly removed Al-Jabari’s body from the hospital, to avoid the Israelis from confiscating the body.

The bodies of Palestinians killed by Israeli occupational forces are often confiscated for longer periods of time, making it impossible for the Palestinians to bury the body within 24 hours of death, as is common practice for muslim funerals.

Minutes after the ambulance left the hospital clashes broke out in the streets outside the hospital and Israeli occupational forces quickly answered with extensive use of teargas and stun grenades.

Al-Jabari’s body was prepared for burial that evening, where three to four hundred chanting persons marched the streets to the martyrs’ cemetery where he was laid to rest with all too many others.

“In the first two months of 2018, 10 Palestinians have been killed in attacks carried out by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank,” says a report from The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the occupied Palestinian territory.

This death was one more example of the Israeli military using excessive force to impose their illegal control on the Palestinian people of the occupied territories.

May Mohammed Zain al-Jabari rest in peace.

Israeli forces provoke and fire tear gas and stun grenades at school children

28th February 2018 | International Solidarity Movement, al Khalil team | Occupied Palestine

This morning, armed Israeli Border Police entered Salaymeh neighborhood in Al Khalil, Hebron. They advanced towards the schools and shot one tear gas canister and one stun grenade at school children at 7:45 am. This happened after a single border police provoked the children by kneeling down and pointing her weapon directly at them. International activists also witnessed two bag checks performed on minors, boys no older than 13, an action completely illegal according to international law.

Border Police recede after firing tear gas and stun grenade at students

Also this morning, Israeli forces also fired two tear gas canisters from a roof top beside the Ziad Al Jaber school in the Jaber neighborhood at school children. As a result many children suffered from tear gas inhalation and one child was hospitalized. The teachers rushed to children’s aid, while Israeli forces also prevented a psychology teacher from entering the school.

Palestinian child gets treated for bad tear gas inhalation

After the tear gas was fired, an army jeep was positioned outside of the school Israeli forces were stopping people at random and performing ID checks. The teachers remained weary as the children recovered throughout their lessons.

Teachers rush to students’ aid after inhaling tear gas this morning

Tear gas was also fired at school children in the Queitun neighborhood this morning. Today was a busy day for the Israeli armed forces. Palestinians approach this weekend’s jewish celebration of Purim with caution. Only Wednesday and tension and violence seems to be escalating before and after school hours.

Children that grow up under military occupation are unfortunately accustomed to this kind of treatment on their way to and from school, all of them hoping to avoid hospitalization and someday see a free Palestine.

Protest marks 30 years since intifada settler murder

Protesters gather on the closed road in front of the illegal settlement Kadumim

10th February 2018 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah team | Occupied Palestine

Yesterday in Kfar Qaddum Israeli armed forces fired live ammunition at peaceful protesters, luckily without injuries. The 8^th of February marked 30 years since Kfar Qaddum’s first march during the Intifada, when villager Abed al Baset Jumal was murdered by masked settlers. Locals gathered today in honor of Baset Jumal as well as in protest of a road blockage that inhibits access to their village; this road has been closed to locals since 2003. The soldiers also fired several rounds of rubber coated steel bullets, teargas and sound bombs.

The march started after the Friday prayer, with the local Boy Scout group accompanying protesters with drums up the main road. Israeli soldiers had positioned themselves on the hill between Kfar Qaddum and the illegal settlement of Kadumim, and before any confrontations started with the protesting youth, the soldiers started to fire live ammunition.

Local boy scouts group performs drum line to commence the protest.

Throughout the protest the military fired tear gas, sound bombs and rubber coated steel bullets, but as one of the protesters noted, “live ammunition hasn’t been used in this way for six years – fired so much, without any reason and directly at the protesters.”

A protester is throwing back a teargas canister fired by the Israeli army

Murad Shtawie, who is a community leader and organizer in Kfar Qaddum also told the ISM-ers how during the first intifada 30 years ago, the villagers of Kfar Qaddum had one of their first protests where 28-year old Abed al Baset Jumal was killed by masked settlers. Many protests were arranged in the West Bank during this time, and often met by consistent settler violence. On February 8^th 1988, a bus with settlers approached the protest in the east of the village. The settlers were dressed in koffias speaking Arabic, and told the villagers they were on their side. When Abed approached to bid them welcome, one of them pulled a gun and killed him with two bullets – one in the head and one in the neck. The protesters also commemorated this yesterday.

The settler violence is ongoing to present day. About three days ago, settlers from the illegal settlement of Kadumim threw rocks at a farmer north of the village injuring him in the head. He is recovering in the hospital with six stitches.