Tag: Tear Gas - Page 18 - International Solidarity Movement

Photos of Israeli tear gas canisters fired at Palestinian demonstrators in the Gaza ‘buffer zone’

17th November 2013 | Corporate Watch, Tom Anderson and Therezia Cooper | Gaza, Occupied Palestine

Palestinians demonstrate in the buffer zone East of Gaza City on the anniversary of the signing of the Balfour Declaration. (Photo by ISM Gaza) — Palestinians demonstrate in the buffer zone East of Gaza City on the anniversary of the signing of the Balfour Declaration. (Photo by ISM – Gaza team)

On 2nd November 2013 Israeli forces fired tear gas at Palestinians demonstrating in the Gaza buffer zone East of Gaza City, by the Nahal Oz checkpoint. A report of the demonstration by an eyewitness can be viewed here. Pictures of one of the canisters fired at the activists are shown below.

Corporate Watch has written several articles about Israel’s use of tear gas in the West Bank. Some of our previous work can be found here and here.

This canister looks a little different to the ones that we have seen in the West Bank, particularly because it is encased in a hard plastic shell. We do not have any evidence to determine which company supplied these canisters to the Israeli military. However, we know that tear gas canisters manufactured by Combined Systems (CSI) in the US and Defense Technologies, previously owned by the British arms giant BAE systems and now owned by the US firm Safariland, have been used by the Israeli police and army in the past.

It is imperative that BDS campaigners take action against companies selling tear gas to Israel.

Combined Systems can be contacted at:

388 Kinsman Road, Jamestown, PA 16134

Safariland can be contacted at:

Ontario Headquaters:
Safariland
3120 E. Mission Blvd.
Ontario, CA 91761

Jacksonville Headquarters:
Safariland
13386 International Parkway
Jacksonville, FL 32218

Gas canister fired at Palestinian demonstrators in the buffer zone on 2/11/13. (Photo by Corporate Watch)

The three separate pieces of the canister fired at Palestinian demonstrators in the buffer zone – 2/11/13. (Photo by Corporate Watch)

Several injuries during Bi’lin weekly demonstration

16th October 2013 | Friends of Freedom and Justice | Bil’in, Occupied Palestine

Yesterday during the weekly Bi’lin demonstration, an Egyptian photographer was injured after being shot by a tear gas canister in his back, Ismaeil Mohamed Abu Rahma (17-years-old) was shot by three rubber bullets in his back and Mohamed Hamed (21-years-old) suffered from tear gas spray in his eyes. Dozens of citizens of Bil’in and international activists suffered from tear gas inhalation in the weekly march against settlements and the apartheid wall.

The march was organized by the Popular Struggle Committee to commemorate the ninth anniversary of the martyrdom of President Yasser Arafat and in commemoration of the 25 ^th anniversary of the announcement of the Declaration of Independence.

The demonstration started from the center of the village, where participants lead Friday prayers on the Abu Lemon liberated territory. Many Palestinian national leaders and several delegations from other Arab countries participated in the march as well as people from Bil’in, Israeli and international activists. The participants raised Palestinian flags and pictures of Yasser Arafat and chanted songs calling for national unity, resistance against the occupation and the release of the prisoners from the occupation jails.

Upon the arrival to the gate of the apartheid wall, dozens of Israeli solders were waiting for the protesters. They shot rubber-coated steel bullets, many canisters of tear gas and stun grenades toward the demonstrators, chasing them through the fields up t the outskirts of the village. Clashes broke out and continued nonstop for more than three hours. The Israeli forces also attacked the journalists present, damaging three cars during the demonstration.

The three injured activists from this demonstration are are recovering and the people of Bi’lin will continue their struggle against the occupation.

Israeli army assaults Arafat memorial march

12th November 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Kafr Qaddum, Occupied Palestine

The residents of Kafr Qaddum held their annual anniversary demonstration marking Yasser Arafat’s death, despite strong repression from the Israeli army.

At approximately 2:30 pm, Palestinian demonstrators and international activists assembled in front of the illegal settlement of Qedumim. After about 30 minutes, the Israeli army began shooting a huge amount of tear gas into the fields and on the main road, trying to prevent the demonstrators to exercise their right to protest and express their opinion.

After one hour of sustained tear gas fire, part of the demonstration slowly moved back to the middle of the street as the soldiers were taking position on the top of the hill in order to better target the demonstrators. A few demonstrators stayed on the road, facing the rest of the soldiers. Suddenly, the Israeli army started throwing stones, followed by more stun grenades and tear gas rained down on the Palestinians citizens of Kafr Qaddum.

Despite the continued Israeli assault, the demonstration lasted until 5:00 pm. Two Palestinian citizens were injured, both on the legs. One of them, directly hit by a tear gas canister, has been admitted to Nablus hospital.

Photos: Gaza march on eve of Balfour anniversary met with Israeli tear gas

2nd November 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Gaza Team | Gaza, Occupied Palestine

Israeli forces fired tear gas to disperse a march in the “buffer zone” east of Gaza City, by the Nahal Oz checkpoint, on Friday afternoon.

The demonstration, which began at Shujaya square in the city after Friday prayers, was organized by the Intifada Youth Coalition to protest today’s anniversary of the Balfour Declaration.

In the 2 November 1917 letter, Arthur James Balfour, foreign secretary of the United Kingdom, then occupying Palestine, told Walter Rothschild, a leader in the British Zionist movement, that the British government “view[ed] with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object.”

“We went to the buffer zone to tell the occupation that this date is unforgettable after 96 years,” said Majed Abusalama, a Coalition spokesman.

“Every generation that comes will remember it again, and remember every Israeli crime against unarmed Palestinians. Yes, it is our land, the buffer zone is for Palestinians, and we should farm it.”

Demonstrators overcome by the effects of tear gas were treated by Palestinian Red Crescent Society ambulances waiting outside the “buffer zone.”

“The Israeli response to our unarmed protest appeared from the start, when we were about 800 meters away from the fence,” Abusalama said. “They shot tear gas directly at us.”

Protesters kept trying to reach the checkpoint, which Israel closed at the beginning of 2010, retreating only after several hours of tear-gas fire.

The event followed a 27 September march organized by the Coalition to commemorate the thirteenth anniversary of the second Intifada and protest Israeli incursions into the al-Aqsa mosque in occupied east Jerusalem.

Tear gas in Hebron school leads to cancellation of classes

27th October 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil Team | Hebron, Occupied Palestine

Two school children suffer from the effects of tear gas

In the Israeli controlled H2 area in the center of Khalil (Hebron) children are used to tear gas canisters being fired after them before going to school.

Usually the teaching is delayed for at least half an hour, as many children are afraid of walking along Shalala Street where the school is, and with good reason. This morning, eight Israeli soldiers and two members of the Border Police were present as the children made their way to school, and they responded with no hesitation when four young children threw a hand full stones towards the checkpoint. At first one stun grenade was thrown from behind the checkpoint where the soldiers held their position, but they moved immediately out of the checkpoint towards the school.

From this position, another five stun grenades were thrown and six tear gas canisters were fired, one of which was fired carelessly down the street, nearly hitting a Palestinian woman on her way to work. This would have required hospitalization.

One stun grenade was purposely thrown at two international activists who were taking photos of the episode. After around half an hour the soldiers and police decided to go back to the checkpoint where two of them remained to check the ID’s of Palestinians and internationals. The rest of the soldiers and police left in a jeep while teachers and pupils walked back home since the school yard and classrooms had tear gas hanging in the air.