Tag: Tubas

Early on the morning of Monday 3rd November, approximately 400 Israeli soldiers entered Al Faqr refugee camp to the north of Nablus city, destroying homes, throwing tear gas and sound bombs and imposing a curfew on the camp. At 2am soldiers disrupted the sleep of the residents of the camp, raiding almost 200 homes and causing widespread destruction and intimidation.

Soldiers occupied 5 homes inside the camp, locking the families inside and cutting phone and power lines while also preventing families from obtaining food or contacting relatives. The homes of Abu Sa’aid, Raed Rashad, Mahmoud Armin, Abrahim Maysoud Souba and Ibrahim Abu Skier were all occupied for almost 24 hours by numerous soldiers. Raed’s home was occupied from 9am and the soldiers prevented the family from eating or contacting relatives for a number of hours. The family included several small children. His home was used as a base for Shabbach intelligence forces who used their front room as an interrogation area where 15 residents of the camp were held. All were released without charged.

Shortly, before midday soldiers could been seen all over the camp and Mohammed Sawalni Fouad (21 years old) was shot by live ammunition by the IOF, twice in his leg and once in his lower back. Upon hearing the firing his friend Ali Hassan Mahmoud Tayeh (22 years old) went to help Mohammed. He was then shot with a rubber coated steel bullet in his upper thigh. Ambulance drivers were prevented from attending to the two injured boys for approximately 2 hours before they were transferred to Riffidyia Hospital in Nablus. A further boy, 14 year old Jihad Khalid Farhed was shot with a rubber coated steel bullet.

When international activists arrived in the camp soldiers pointed guns and sniper points at them and tried to prevent them from distributing bread in the camp, who had been without food for 24 hours. Activists were able to contact families occupied by troops and pass bread to them. Activists also accompanied residents to collect vital medicine and return to their homes. At approximately 20:30 Israeli troops withdrew from the camp having raided 200 homes, destroying property with no arrests. Activists were able to distribute the remaining bread supplies.

The Al Farq refugee camp’s residents have been subjected to days of invasions by IOF troops claiming terrorists reside in the camp. However, as the lack of arrests is testimony to, this is yet another tactic to inflict terror upon the local Palestinian population. The Govenor of Tubas, Doctor Sami Umsalim said “if they didn’t come in the camp the camp would be peaceful” and further stated that the Israelis are “trying to undermine [peace] by repeated onslaughts and invasions of Palestinian communities”.

Palestinian and international activists from Ramallah, Budrus, Bil’in, Al-Khader, Um Salamona and Jenin gathered in the village of Al-Aqaba in the Jordan Valley on Saturday to express solidarity with the villagers in their effort to maintain their presence in spite of Israel’s attempt to wipe their village off the face of the map.

Also joining the gathering were Palestinian Minister of Tourism, Ms. Khuloud Daibis, representing the Palestinian Authority Cabinet of Ministers and the Governor of Tubas, Dr. Sami Musallem. Israeli activists were invited and attempted to join but were prevented by Israeli soldiers at the Tayasir checkpoint from entering the village.

Upon arrival, activists gathered under the almond tree that serves as the office of the local village council. The head of Al-Aqaba’s village council, Haj Sami Sadeq, welcomed everyone, thanked them for their solidarity, and explained that for nearly 10 years the village council has been holding all of its meetings under the almond tree because the Israeli authorities will not allow the village to build a structure to house the village council. Haj Sami also spoke to the gatherers, which, in addition to Palestinian students and activists included, Americans, Canadians, Chileans, Spaniards, Swedes, and UK nationals, about the history of the village, the years that it spent serving as training grounds for the Israeli military, the important battle that they won to remove the Israeli military base from their village, and their efforts to maintain their presence on their land. Currently there are 35 outstanding demolition orders against various structures in the village, including the local medical center, funded by the British Government, the kindergarten, funded by the American-based Rebuilding Alliance, the local mosque, and others.

Following the briefing, children from the Jenin Freedom Theater, who also came in solidarity, put on a performance and led the crowd in traditional song and dance. Next everyone moved to the grounds of the kindergarten where activists worked with the children to create a large banner reading “Save our School” and pinwheels for peace. P.A. Minister of Tourism Khuloud Diabis and Tubas Governor Dr. Sami Musallem joined the activities and pledged that the Palestinian Authority would help the village build, in direct defiance of Israel’s demolition orders. Ms. Diabis then laid the foundation for a village council building and reasserted that the P.A. would support its construction.

On Thursday, April 17Attorney Elia Tusya Cohen will be petitioning the Israeli High Court on behalf of the village to repeal the demolition orders. If you are in or near Jerusalem an April 17, please join us in front of the Israeli Supreme Court building at 11:00am to carry the message of the children of Al-Aqaba.

For more information:

Haj Sami Sadeq (Arabic only) – 09-257-2201; 0599-068-808

Huwaida – 0599-130-426

ISM Office – 02-297-1824

Find out how you can help save the Al-Aqaba here: http://www.rebuildingalliance.org/campaignJordanRiverValley.php