14th June 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, RamallahTeam | Beit Hanina, Occupied Palestine
On Monday, June 10, a group of fifty-three Palestinians living in the Beit Hanina neighborhood of East Jerusalem received eviction orders from the Israeli authorities. These families have been living in Beit Hanina for over 40 years and for nearly the past 20 years have been fighting off repeated attempts by Israeli officials and soldiers trying to force them off their land. The eviction order, now effective, could be enforced at any time.
Ever since the Apartheid Wall was built around East Jerusalem, these people have been separated from family members, who live just on the other side of the Wall. To complicate matters even further, they have West Bank identification cards, although the Wall–which, in Beit Hanina, stretches outside the legal borders of East Jerusalem–separates them from the rest of the West Bank. Travel to Jerusalem, therefore, is illegal for them. And without a permit, travel to the West Bank means that they may not be allowed to come back through one of the many checkpoints separating the West Bank from East Jerusalem.
The residents of Beit Hanina will continue to resist the illegal occupation of their lands and eviction of their families to build illegal settlements.
2nd May 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Ni’lin, Occupied Palestine
By Team Nablus
It’s been four years since I had visited and lived in Ni’lin and the decision to visit on Friday filled me simultaneously with excitement and longing but also dread. Four years ago I had supported the non violent resistance in Ni’lin as an ISM activist and had experienced the horror and oppression of the occupiers against such actions. Ni’lin’s demonstrations against the Apartheid Wall represented the Ni’lin population’s resilience. They would not let more land, that was the life blood of the community, be stolen.
I arrived in the village not knowing what to expect. Four years is a long time and although parts looked familiar everything was also completely different. The town seemed busier and I was surprised to see cash machines in the Baladia (town centre). I felt disorientated as I gazed at the walls that were adorned with advertisements instead of martyr posters. Ni’lin has suffered heavily under the occupation, not just from the loss of land but also the persecution of its non violent resistance. Five shaheeds (martyrs) were killed by the Israeli occupation forces for opposing the Wall. I arrived early and wandered around Ni`lin with a fellow activist to hopefully reconnect with old friends. I had imagined that it would be okay just to turn up for the demonstration but needed time to acknowledge and deal with things that happened during my stay. I walked to the shop to prepare by buying ‘Top Drink’ a hydration must when sampling Ni’lin produce. From there we walked up the hill to the hospital, as I knew that two of the martyrs were buried near there. Four years ago Ni’lin did not just demonstrate against the wall but jumped into action to demonstrate against the slaughter that was taking place in Gaza as part of ‘Operation Cast Lead.’ Ni’lin demonstrated with other Palestinians on everyday of the operation from mid day until sunset. On the 28th of Decenber 2008 20 year old Mohammed Khawaje and 22 year old Arafat Khawaje were shot with live ammunition whilst demonstrating in solidarity with Gaza alongside international and Israeli activists.
The atrocity was just two of the many that happened at the time as international media was focussed on Gaza. The killings were unimaginable to myself and were the reason it took me so long to return to Palestine.
Walking back towards the baladia, we were approached by a young boy who recognised me. This made me very happy and we spoke about his older brother and family who I knew and made arrangements to meet them after the demonstration. The boy was now 10 but was still as happy as he always was. I felt concern for him as he joined the demonstrations fearing for his safety as all Palestinians who participate put themselves in danger. The first martyr from Ni’lin was his age, Ahmed Mousa, who was shot dead at a demonstration on 29th July 2008. At Ahmed’s funeral 17 year old Youssef Amirah was shot dead with a rubber coated steal bullet a day later.
My young friend took me to the demonstration in the olive fields where we passed a martyr poster, the most recent, that I hurtfully found out when checking up on Ni’lin after I had gone back to my country. Yousef ‘Akil’ Srour who was 36 years old when shot with 0.22 live ammunition during a demonstration.
A young demonstrator at Ni`ilin
We proceeded to the demonstration where people came up and welcomed me, hugging me and shaking my hand as I apologised for taking so long to return. After the prayer, we approached the wall, which is now complete. Before 1948 Ni’lin owned 58’000 dunams of land from which 40’000 was stolen by the creation of Israel. The 1967 occupation lead to the construction of the illegal settlements of Nili, Modin ilit, Hashmon’im Mattiyahu that took 8’000 dunams. In 2008, the construction of the Wall stole another 2’500 dunams and a tunnel exclusively for settlers, highlighting the nature of apartheid, 200 dunams. Nearly 90% of Ni’lins original land has been stolen since 1948.
It infuriated and saddened me that the Wall was built after so much tragedy. The demonstrators tried to force open the metal gate as army fired tear gas. I felt very tense and worried during the demonstration, remembering the arsenal of weapons that had been previously used on Ni’lin demonstrations. On this occasion they just fired tear gas, but in the past they used live ammunition, 0.22 live ammunition, rubber and plastic coated steel bullets and the deadly high velocity tear gas canister that critically injured 37 year old Tristan Anderson, an international volunteer, on March 13th 2009 just a week after I left, who needed 15 months of treatment in hospital and has been left permanently disfigured.
I met up with a friend after the demonstration where I met his new brother and sister who had been born during the time I was away. It felt symbolic that he had a brother who was four and a sister of two who played around him, that showed the new life and that there is hope that the future generation need not live in fear. We spoke a lot about the situation and the past whilst drinking coffee and smoking argila. I asked about how the wall had changed life in Ni’lin, but the responses were always optimistic, ‘life is good, life will be better, the wall will fall.’
I said goodbye and promised it would not take four years to return and looked forward to my next visit.
27th April 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Ni’lin, Occupied Palestine
By Team Nablus
Around 50 Palestinians supported by around 20 international activists, demonstrated against the apartheid wall yesterday in Ni’lin, which is a village close to Ramallah. The residents attempted to dismantle the wall and were met with violence. Around 20 were treated for tear gas inhalation and one demonstrator was injured when he was shot in the chest with a tear gas canister.
A young demonstrator at Ni`ilin
The demonstration started when around 100 people from the community gathered for the Friday prayer in an olive field. After prayers the demonstrators approached the apartheid wall, chanting peace slogans in Arabic and Hebrew. In a speech, a member of the Popular Committee expressed the injustices that Ni’lin has faced in the past and continues to face today because of the actions of the Israeli military.
Residents tried to open the metal door that separates them from most of their land that has been appropriated illegally by the establishment of settlements and the construction of the wall. Soldiers fired tear gas at the demonstrators. One demonstrator, who had climbed the wall using a ladder, was speaking to the soldiers through a megaphone before they shot him directly in the chest with a tear gas canister.The impact caused him to fall of the ladder and require medical treatment. More tear gas was fired at other demonstrators, photographers and internationals.The demonstration lasted about one hour, weakening the wall and showing the resilience of the population of Ni’lin.
Ni’lin’s history is characterised by land theft, starting with the first Israeli occupation of Palestine in 1948. Before 1948 the village of Ni’lin owned 58’000 dunams of land, from which 40’000 were stolen with the creation of Israel. The 1967 occupation lead to the construction of illegal settlements on Ni’lin’s land, stealing a further 8’000 dunams. The illegitimate establishment of the wall, which began in 2008, has stolen a further 2’500 dunams. Furthermore, the entrance of the village was closed in order to build a tunnel exclusively for settlers that lead to a further land theft of 200 dunams, highlighting the apartheid nature of Israeli policy. Nearly 90% of Ni’lin’s original land has been lost due to this systematic theft from war, settlements and the wall.
The non-violent demonstrations since 2008 have lead to the killings of five Palestinians. 10 year old Ahmed Moussa, 17 year old Yousef Amera, 22 year old Arafat Khawaja, 20 year old Mohammed Khawaja and 36 year old Yousef ‘Akil’ Srour. The residents of Ni’lin still struggle for peace and justice, and will not give up hope in spite of Israel’s use of extreme force and oppression.
17th April 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah, Occupied Palestine
This Palestinian Prisoners Day, the 17th April 2013, Palestinian and international activists cut down a fenced section of the Israeli apartheid wall in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli occupation jails. A section of around ten metres was torn down near Ofer prison, where Palestinian prisoners can be tried in military court or held by Israeli forces. Army arrive as protesters cut down Apartheid Wall. Photo by Hamdi Abu Rahma
Protesters wearing surgical masks conducted a swift and efficient action against the Wall – a symbol and physical expression of apartheid – aiming to send a message to the Israeli authorities that the Palestinian people will “never agree to have Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.”
After around ten minutes, one Israeli army jeep arrived in the buffer zone behind the separation barrier and a single sound grenade was thrown at protesters, who left shortly afterwards, having completed their action.
Protesters wore shirts with the image of Bassem Abu Rahma of Bil’in, who was also protesting the cause of prisoners on 17th April, four years ago when he was killed by Israeli forces.
Palestinian prisoners are treated brutally under the Israeli occupation. Many are mistreated or tortured during detention and arrested on false or fabricated charges. Others are held under administrative detention laws, which mean that they can be imprisoned indefinitely without charge or trial. According to Addameer, there are currently 4,936 Palestinian political prisoners held in Israeli jails, including 178 administrative detainees, many of whom are held in Ofer.
September 12, 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank
On Friday 7th September myself and four other international activists attended the weekly demonstration against the apartheid wall in the village of Ni’lin. Since 2004 the villagers of Ni’lin have been non violently protesting against the annexation of their lands. So far the village has lost over 50,000 dunum (1 dunum = .1 hectare) of land, in part to surrounding illegal settlements and in part annexed from the village in the construction of the apartheid wall. Saeed Amireh, member of the Ni’lin popular committee explains that the confiscation of the land and colonization of the West Bank with illegal Israeli settlements are calculated methods designed to expel the Palestinians from the land. Many of the inhabitants in Ni’lin rely on the farm land and in particular the ancient olive trees for their livelihood.
Protestor stands with Palestinian flag as tear gas moves across the land.
This Friday was the first demonstration with an international presence for three weeks. Saeed says that the presence of internationals is vital to the resistance in Ni’lin and is glad to give us a talk after the demonstration, explaining the history of Ni’lin. The demonstration began after the midday prayers which waft from the mosque and through the fields lined with olive and carob trees, under which we wait. We walk through the fields alongside the villagers and children who carry Palestinian flags and a megaphone. Along the way the shabab (young people) pick up tires and stuff them with straw and dry grass. The wall which cuts through the rocky valley is made of concrete blocks, barbed wire and electric fence. There, the soldiers are waiting expectantly in the midday sun, their helmets and guns glinting like the backs of well armored insects. Even before we reach the wall the soldiers of the Israeli Army begin to fire rounds of tear gas and spray the land with skunk water. The shabab are not deterred, they set the tires alight at the base of the wall and the flames further blacken the already charred concrete blocks. Fire weakens the wall and makes it easier to remove, Saeed explains. This was how, in November 2009 – on the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall – Ni’lin became the first village to succeed in removing a piece of the apartheid wall. The demonstration lasts for an hour, and as we leave the Israeli Army continue firing tear gas canisters into the field.
Tear gas falls on Ni’ilin during weekly demonstration against the annexation wall.
This week’s demonstration has been smaller than most weeks as strikes against the PA have been a distraction for many of the usual attendees. However the people of Ni’lin remain positive that their non violent resistance to the occupation will succeed, that the wall will fall, piece by piece and that they will be able to access their land again.
Saeed Amireh, of the Ni’lin popular committee, has been working to raise international awareness of Ni’lin’s struggle against the occupation. www.nilin-village.org
Anna is a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement (name has been changed).
