31th May 2014 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus team | Tulkarem, Occupied Palestine
On the morning of the 31st of May, several buses filled with Palestinian and international activists from across the West Bank gathered in Tulkarem to march towards the Natanya checkpoint, used only by the Israeli military forces.
Political groups, Palestinian civil society and Popular Resistance Committees named this action as the “March of Return”. Their aim was to defend their right of return and were united under the following slogan: “Our return is inevitable: Freedom for Al Aqsa (Jerusalem) and the prisoners”.
Once the buses arrived in Tulkarem, the activists marched several hundred meters to arrive at the checkpoint. Several protesters gathered at the gates of the checkpoint and began chanting, others spray-painted messages onto the apartheid wall [declared illegal by the International Court of Justice in 2004], while other activists used heavy craft hammers to damage it.
A few tear gas canisters were shot soon after the demonstration reached the gates of the checkpoint, enough to break up the protesters into two groups. One of these tear gas canisters caused a fire in a nearby field. Then, several “warning” shots were fired into the air with live ammunition and Israeli forces then fired large amounts of tear gas canisters. Tear gas projectiles were fired at the crowd.
Political groups, Palestinian civil society and Popular Resistance Committees marched together to defend the right of return (photo by ISM).Among the organizations involved there were also women’s unions (photo by ISM).Activist carries a heavy craft hammer that was later used to damage the apartheid wall (photo by ISM).Public speeches and chanting in front of the military checkpoint (photo by ISM).Palestinian women and men chanting at the gates of Natanya military checkpoint (photo by ISM).
Two heavy craft hammers were used during the action to damage the apartheid wall near the checkpoint. Other protesters also had enough time to spray-paint messages onto the wall (photo by ISM).Israeli soldiers leave their positions at the checkpoint to fire teargas projectiles and canisters at the demonstrators. At least two people received a direct impact from teargas projectiles that were fired at the crowd (photo by ISM).Highly concentrated teargas was fired frequently during the demonstration. Eye irritation was commonplace and as many as 20 people had to be attended by paramedics due to suffocation (photo by ISM).Tear gas canisters being shot at protesters (photo by ISM).Photo by ISMProtesters regrouping after a first attack by Israeli soldiers. The man on the left is holding an “ice pack” underneath his arm, he was shot with a tear gas projectile and his arm was visibly swollen after the demonstration (photo by ISM).Photo by ISMPalestinian youth attempted to build tire barricades but were soon ambushed by Israeli soldiers. Jeeps and armored vehicles drove at high speed from behind and surrounded some protesters, at that point one youth (20 years old) was arrested (photo by ISM).
5th November 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Tulkarem, Occupied Palestine
Protest in Tulkarem
On the 4th of November, associations, officials and activists protested against the chemical factories that sicken the population of Tulkarem.
The construction of Israeli factories on Palestinian land near Tulkarem started in 1987. At the time locals were told these installations were a good will gesture that would provide employment.
26 years later the women’s group MIFTAH, surrounded by speakers from the Palestinian Government, Ministry of Health and local campaigners raised concerns about the high rates of cancer, respiratory diseases and skin ailments close to the factories. All of them condemned the factories.
It was reported that the factories do not operate when east winds would carry the fumes into Israel and that toxic waste had been buried on agricultural land in a nearby Palestinian village.
International activists then joined a protest march to the high wire topped wall that marks the boundary to the industrial complex.
The protest passed peacefully without the security forces attending.
13th May 2013 | International Solidarity Movement | Nablus and Tulkarem, Occupied Palestine
By Team Nablus
Today, at around 8am, over thirty people from the Palestinian General Union of People with Disability marched through the city of Nablus to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the Nakba.
Participants gather in Nablus before the march (Photo by ISM)People marching along al-Quds Street in Nablus (Photo by ISM)
After the march, a bus drove participants to Tulkarem where they were joined by approximately 40 more demonstrators. Together they continued the march through the city of Tulkarem. They sang and chanted slogans remembering the 1948 massacre and reclaiming the right of return.
Palestinian Scout’s band leading the demonstration (Photo by ISM)
Participant with sign symbolizing the Palestinians’ right of return (Photo by ISM)
Two young demonstrators participating in the march (Photo by ISM)
The marched finished at the Israeli Chemical factory on the outskirts of the city. Demonstrators hung Palestinian flags and flags calling for the right of return from the wall.
Protesters hang Palestinian flags on the wall of the illegal Israeli chemical factory (Photo by ISM)
Israeli soldiers invaded on Sunday the towns of Dir al-Ghsoun, Bal’a and Shewika, near the northern West Bank city of Tulkarem, installed several roadblocks and inspected the ID cards of dozens of residents.
Israeli soldiers invaded on Sunday the towns of Dir al-Ghsoun, Bal’a and Shewika, near the northern West Bank city of Tulkarem, installed several roadblocks and inspected the ID cards of dozens of residents.
Local sources reported that five armored Israeli military vehicles invaded Shewika area and installed a roadblock on its main road before stopping dozens of vehicles, and inspecting the ID cards of the drivers and passengers.
The sources added that four armored military vehicles invaded Bal’a town, east of Tulkarem, and installed a roadblock at its main junction that leads to Nablus and Tulkarem, before stopping vehicles and inspecting the ID cards of the residents.
The army also invaded Dir al-Ghsoun town, and drove around in its streets, before stopping and searching a number of vehicles.
The army is still heavily deployed around the invaded towns, and around several nearby towns, an issue that raises fear among the residents of the possibility of further invasions and attacks.
20 February 2011 | International Solidarity Movement
Eight young Palestinian men were arrested by the Israeli military yesterday in the village of Deir Al Ghusun, north of Tulkarem. Three of them remain in custody, Jala Anwar, Omar Abu Safa and Sohayb Abu Shakra, all aged 17 years. The teenagers were taking part in a protest against the illegal Israeli separation barrier when soldiers and the border police entered through the gate on foot and in army jeeps. The protesters were running away from the army, but the soldiers managed to grab and take eight young men from the crowd and detain them in their army jeeps. Activists tried to get between the soldiers and one of the youths in an attempt to protect him, but without success.
Protestors in Tulkarem
It is still unclear what will happen to the three boys who are still in Israeli custody, and the families have not been told there were they are being held.
