Tag: Apartheid Wall - Page 6 - International Solidarity Movement

Villagers continue to resist settlements in Kafr Qaddum

13th January 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil Team | Kafr Qaddum, Occupied Palestine

The Friday demonstration against the illegal wall in Kafr Qaddum was attended by over 100 Palestinians along with numerous pro-Palestinian Israelis and other internationals.

Two days prior to the demonstration, the villagers were told if there was the usual demonstration on Friday, everyone would be arrested.

There were two surprises this Friday. A high ranking female member of the Palestinian authority (PA) attended the demonstration. Prior to the march she spoke to those gathered about the importance of continued activism and protests against the illegal colonial settlements and apartheid wall.

The second surprise was the Israeli occupation forces made no arrests and in fact only a handful of soldiers were seen about 500 metres from the demonstration. It is only speculation on the part of this writer but this may have been due to the PA official being present at the demonstration. There were no shots fired and no injuries reported.

At the Friday demonstration a week earlier in Kafr Qaddum, a 7-year old boy was kidnapped by Israeli forces and interrogated before being returned to his family a couple of hours later. The boy has said that soldiers threatened to kill his father if he did not cooperate.

Village leader addresses demonstration in Kafr Qaddum.

Member of the PA addresses demonstration — Member of the Palestinian Authority addresses the demonstration in Kafr Qaddum.

Children out in force at demonstration in Kafr Qaddum.

Over 100 villagers protesting apartheid wall — Over 100 villagers protesting illegal apartheid wall in Kafr Qaddum.

The Palestinian flag still continues to fly in Kafr Qaddum.

Blocking the road to Israeli forces with burning tires.

Illegal settlements built right next to village of Kafr Qaddum — Illegal colonial settlements built on stolen land right next to village of Kafr Qaddum.

7-year old kidnapped by Israeli forces last week — 7-year old kidnapped by Israeli forces in Kafr Qaddum at the previous week’s demonstration.

Children: marvelous examples that life must go on whatever happens

29th November 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

Children: marvelous examples that life must go on whatever happens, even if their growing up is influenced by negative experiences with settlers, soldiers, torture, humiliations…

We experienced this in the two days of the Jewish festival of “Chaye Sara” in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron) in which 2.500 settlers arrived, camped in tents, went on their tours along the Palestinian souq and all the streets around the Ibrahimi Mosque. Apparently they prayed, but… what did they ask to their God?

Palestinians and internationals were expecting the usual violence against people and shops. In fact, groups of youngsters, feeling protected by their army, destroyed a shop window, insulted shop owners, made exercises with their third finger… violently stole handcraft souvenirs from many shops. To steel is a crime…. But here in Palestine, it depends on who you are.

Some of the settlers in their tour, just in front of a soldier, threw stones at houses on the hill over the Ibrahimi Mosque. So we spent two nights in the area, trying to reduce more violence: soldiers and settlers could see us and ours cameras…

As usual, the families were very welcoming, never complaining… they knew… this is their life. And the children? After the first moments, the explosion of their innocence, of their hunger of attention, thirst of joy.

children-and-soldiers — drawing made by Palestinian child

In front of the houses, soldiers equipped and ready for the most terrible fight, the rifles pointing to a possible enemy and hundreds of Jewish settlers walking proud to demonstrate their presence there.

And the children? They went on playing with us, laughing, jokeing, even when we accompanied them to a shop.

The rifles and the most sophisticated guns against the incredible strength of these children able to smile and play with the simplest things in their streets, in their homes, thanks to their minds still free of a gray and oppressive wall.

The right to be a child – also in this situation of human stupidity and of too many adults against them. The international society has the duty to protect them. Too many of them have already had their lifes ruined. It’s enough!!!

Israeli forces cause fires at Ni’lin weekly protest

25th November 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, Huwarra team | Ni’lin, occupied Palestine

The non-violent demonstrations against the illegal occupation of Palestine and the Apartheid Wall in in the West Bank village of Ni’lin have been going on weekly since 2008, as an attempt to get back the land and the fields, that was stolen from the villagers.

This past week, before the demonstration began, as Palestinians gathered for the Friday prayer in the olive grove just outside the village, Israeli forces aggressively intervened, detonating a sound grenade close to the Palestinians. The Palestinians still managed to finish their prayer and the protesters, including Palestinians, Israeli and international activists, began walking down the road running through the olive trees and down towards the Apartheid Wall. After walking about 50 meters, the protesters were blocked by more than ten Israeli soldiers and border police, commanding that the Palestinians return to the village, and telling them they were not allowed to be on their land.

A longer stand off followed. Protesters would argue with the Israeli forces that they have the right to peacefully protest the illegal occupation and theft of their land. As a response, the occupation forces started pushing the protesters further back towards the village. The protesters left the road and walked through the olive plantations in order to get past the soldiers and exercise their right to walk through their lands to reach the Wall. Again, even before the wall was in sight of the participants in the peaceful march, the Israeli forces intervened, and this time opened fire with teargas bringing the demonstration to a halt.

When the protesters still didn’t disperse and return to the village, the Israeli forces increased the use of teargas, firing it both from their guns and from an attachment from an armed military jeep, which is able to fire multiple canisters at once. They also used robber coated steel bullets and one Israeli solidarity activist got hit on her hand, leaving it very swollen.

At a time when fires rage across Israel, and Palestinians are being accused of starting these fires, the very hot teargas canisters from this protest caused multiple fires across the village olive fields. One olive tree got burned, and as the demonstration came to an end, the villagers were awaiting fire trucks to put out the fires.

Israeli forces shoot and kill Palestinian man at Qalandiya checkpoint

24th November 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Ramallah, occupied Palestine

It has been confirmed that Jihad Mohammad Khalil, 48, was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers at Qalandia checkpoint early Tuesday morning, 22nd November. Khalil is from Beit Wazan village, west of Nablus in the northern part of the West Bank. He was shot on the spot by an Israeli soldier, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. A spokeswoman from the Israeli Police claims that the man was approaching a security guard welding a knife and so he was neutralized, while another spokesperson says that he was attempting to stab Israeli security forces.

So far there has been absolutely no evidence shown to prove these claims. No soldiers were hurt during the incident and no other injuries reported. After he got shot, Jihad Khalil was left to bleed to death by the soldiers, as they would deny access to the medics rushing to give first aid. After the killing, the soldiers shot down the checkpoint and prevented the Palestinians from crossing into illegally annexxed al Quds (Jerusalem).

Call to action to #FreeSalah!

21st November 2016 | International Soldiarity Movement, Ramallah team | occupied Palestine

On the morning of October 26^th, Israeli forces raided the home of and arrested Salah Khawaja, a Palestinian human rights defender and Secretary of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee. ISM joins Stop the Wall and other human rights organizations asking Internationals from around the world to contact their governments to take action and put pressure on Israel to #FreeSalah.

Almost a month since his arrest, Salah is still waiting for the Israeli courts to give him a charge of any kind. Since he has been imprisoned, he has undergone 40 interrogation sessions, each lasting from eight to sixteen hours. According to Stop the Wall, he has reported physical aggression such as being beaten, interrogators spitting in his face, screaming in his ears, kicking his genitals. Psychological pressure and ill-treatment has been used against Salah, including threats against his family members. In his most recent court hearing this past Wednesday, the Israeli state decided to extend the interrogation period for another eight days.

At weekly demonstrations across the West Bank on Friday, Palestinians, Israelis and internationals held signs demanding Israel #FreeSalah, and called for an end to the systematic targeting by Israel of human rights activists.

Protestors hold Khawaja-poster at last week's demonstration in Ni'lin — Protestors hold Khawaja-poster at last week’s demonstration in Ni’lin

Support this call for justice by contacting your own government to take action to put pressure on Israel to #FreeSalah. Follow this link to support this effort.