12th January 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Urif, Occupied Palestine
At around 9:00am on Sunday 12th January 2014, students at the boys’ school in Urif, in Nablus district, were assaulted by Israeli soldiers firing tear gas grenades within the school grounds.
Eleven soldiers from the nearby illegal settlement of Yizhar entered the grounds firing tear gas near the entrance to the school. Several boys resisted the attack by throwing stones.
Four of the soldiers then tried to enter a classroom but were prevented from doing so by a teacher.
Several hours after the attack, the soldiers remain stationed on a hillside just 200m from the school.
This is the second time in two weeks that the village of Urif has been attacked. The last attack, however, which took place on 6th January, involved six settlers from the illegal settlement Yizhar trying to damage an electricity box attached to the town’s water reservoir. The incursion led to clashes in which Palestinian boys threw stones to repel the settlers.
06th January 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil Team | Hebron, Occupied Palestine
The four youth detained by the checkpoint (photo by ISM).
This morning in Khalil (Hebon), a large group of Israeli border police and soldiers gathered outside checkpoint 29. Israeli forces fired several tear gas grenades towards a school, detained four Palestinian youth and arrested three of them, taking them to Kiryat Arba police station.
At approximately 10:30am, at least 30 Israeli border police and soldiers stood outside checkpoint 29 and fired one tear gas grenade. The grenade was aimed towards a school; there were no children in the streets and no youth throwing stones. Israeli forces entered through the checkpoint and proceeded towards the school. A further tear gas grenade was fired seemingly without purpose and away from any people. A group of young Palestinians, all under the age of 10, were forced to hide in a local shop due to fear at the aggressive border police. Israeli forces fired a final tear gas grenade towards the school before heading back towards checkpoint 29.
Israeli border police detained four Palestinian youth, all of which were held for approximately 30 minutes and searched by Israeli forces. During this time, one of the international activists present at the checkpoint was kicked by a border police officer and then pushed to the ground. Israeli border police then confiscated the passports of three international activists, including two members of Christian Peacemakers Team. The border police refused to explain why the passports were taken or answer any questions about the detained youth. After approximately 20 minutes, an Israeli border police officer stated that he would return the passports if the activists left the area, which they agreed to, moving away from the checkpoint though still able to monitor the actions of the Israeli forces.
One of the detained youth was released, before leaving the area he stated to an international activist that one border police officer kicked and slapped him during his detention. The remaining youth were transferred to Kiryat Arba police station and their situation is now unknown.
Children and youth are regularly harassed at checkpoint 29, often whilst on their way to school in the morning. For example, this morning several children, some who were under the age of 12, threw stones at the checkpoint and Israeli forces responded by firing a tear gas grenade.
03rd January 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil Team | Hebron, Occupied Palestine
At approximately 11.30am yesterday morning, Israeli forces detained a 13-year-old boy at Bab Al-Baladiyye in Khalil (Hebron). After a short period of time the young boy was released and a group of Israeli soldiers invaded the old city of Hebron, harassing residents and demanding identification from a number of Palestinians.
The group of Israeli soldiers started to walk down New Al-Shallalah street detaining a 14-year-old Palestinian for an unknown period of time before releasing him shortly after international activists arrived. Israeli forces continued to harass people in the area before heading towards Bab Al-Zawiye, the city center, where residents had started to gather after the anniversary party for Fatah’s founding ended.
The Palestinian youth present reacted to these series of events by throwing stones at the Israeli soldiers. The stone throwing and military presence began a clash between Israeli forces and Palestinian youth, with Israeli soldiers and border police throwing stun grenades and tear gas grenades from the street and from a rooftop as they backed down on to New Al-Shallalah street. During the clashes the Israeli forces repeatedly invaded the old city of Hebron, apparently searching shops for male Palestinian youth.
The clashes continued for many hours and became more violent as Israeli soldiers and border police positioned themselves at checkpoint 56 [an entrance to H2] and on nearby rooftops. Israeli forces fired a large amount of stun grenades, rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas grenades and canisters. Many shops and businesses where forced to close because of the tear gas and the violent interruption in the city.
One Palestinian was shot with unknown ammunition as Israeli soldiers were sniping demonstrators from various points in the city. Once shot, the young man lost consciousness, he was carried away from the clash and taken to a nearby hospital.
The clashes continued until late in the evening.
Today, Friday 3rd January, clashes began at approximately 2pm when five Israeli soldiers invaded a house in the H1 area of Hebron and positioned themselves on the roof. Palestinian youth began to gather between the house and Bab Al-Zawiye before eventually throwing stones at the invading soldiers.
During the clash, Israeli forces fired stun grenades, tear gas canisters and a large amount of rubber-coated steel bullets. One Palestinian youth was shot in the leg with a rubber-coated steel bullet but did not require hospital treatment. Another youth was evacuated by ambulance to a local hospital after losing consciousness due to tear gas inhalation.
8th December 2013 | International Solidarity Movement | Nabi Saleh, Occupied Palestine
Yesterday, the village of Nabi Saleh held an event to commemorate the deaths of Mostafa and Rushdi Tamimi. It is the second year anniversary of the death of Mostafa who was killed during a demonstration. The 7th of December also marks 26 years since the beginning of the first intifada.
In addition to the weekly Friday demonstrations that are held throughout the West Bank, the popular committees also started having events on Saturdays, which will be followed by a demonstration in one village once a month. Yesterday in Nabi Saleh was the first of these events.Hundreds of people came together in the village square, where speeches and performances were held.The event ended with a dance performed by the youth. After that several hundred people marched to the army tower at the entrance of Nabi Saleh. Before even reaching the tower the army shot lots of tear gas canisters at the approaching protesters. Even though many people suffered from heavy tear gas inhalation, it did not prevent them from trying to get to the tower again. Demonstrators successfully reached the yellow gate which blocks access to the village from one side; several people went in front of it. The soldiers initially detained three people; one Palestinian, one Israeli and one international. They were all released after a short while. The soldiers made several further attempts to arrest Palestinians and internationals, all of which were prevented by the protesters.
Demonstration in Nabi Saleh, 7th December 2013 Photo by Thomas SevereIsraeli army is trying to arrest demonstrators, which was successfully prevented. Photo by Thomas Severe
Meanwhile, Palestinian youth were throwing stones at soldiers and jeeps in the field, who responded with tear gas and rubber coated steel bullets. Mustafa Tamimi’s brother was shot in face, resulting in the breaking of his jaw.
Youth are throwing stones at the soldiers and the police. Photo by Thomas Severe
The group in front of the yellow gate moved on together, blocking the army jeeps which were exiting the village.After protesters were forcefully removed they tried to reach the spring, which has been stolen by the settlers from the nearby illegal Settlement of Halamish.The army prevented this by attacking the protesters with more tear gas and rubber coated steel bullets. Soldiers were pushing them back into the village where the demonstration ended. The whole event lasted for about five hours, with one person being hospitalized and many others injured.
A women is being treated after suffering from tear gas inhalation. Photo by Thomas Severe
25th November 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Izbat Tabib, Occupied Palestine
Yesterday, November 24th, Israeli soldiers blocked the road at the entrance to Izbat Tabib and entered the village on three separate occasions during the night, firing tear gas canisters and intimidating residents.
At approximately 14:30, a military jeep carrying four soldiers set up a flying roadblock near the entrance to the village preventing the passage of traffic and pedestrians on the road to Qalqilya. The roadblock remained in place for one and a half hours. Only a few vehicles or pedestrians were permitted to pass according to the arbitrary judgement of the soldiers.
Shortly after sunset, an Israeli armoured jeep entered the village. Three soldiers aggressively searched the tent used as a community center, physically searching a 14-year-old Palestinian and threatening to return later in the night.
At around 22:00, a foot patrol of four soldiers stationed itself in the bushes near the entrance to Izbat Tabib.
On all three occasions, soldiers were confronted by international activists. When asked the reason for their presence, they made unfounded allegations that village children had been throwing stones and molotov cocktails onto Highway 55, a road shared by both Israelis settlers and Palestinians.
When specific details were asked for to clarify these claims, the Israeli soldiers gave conflicting and inconsistent accounts. For instance, one soldier even claimed that a molotov cocktail had been thrown at 15:00 near the entrance to the village. This was impossible as soldiers had been blocking the road and international activists were present during this time.
Finally, at 00:30, soldiers entered the village for the fourth time that day and fired tear gas amongst the houses.
Izbat Tabib, population around 250, is located within Area C. Several years ago the village, east of Qalqiliya, was served with demolition orders by the Israeli Army. The orders would mean destruction of 33 houses (73% of the village) and the village school. Two houses have already been demolished, and the school, which has 52 students, is vital to the village and its future.
The harassment is part of an ongoing campaign of intimidation and collective punishment to pressurize residents into dropping popular resistance to these demolition orders and to the occupation as a whole.
Israeli soldiers and the flying checkpoint outside the village
