Tag: Apartheid Wall - Page 91 - International Solidarity Movement

Soldiers kidnap Palestinian youth in Jayous and impose curfew on the village

On Friday, February 27, residents of the village of Jayous conducted their weekly demonstration despite a torrential downpour. The marchers reached the last intersection before the south gate of the Apartheid Fence carrying Palestinian flags and chanting. They then dispersed to find shelter from the rain.

Despite the kidnapping of dozens of youths the previous week by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) and the continued detention of about 15 of them, roughly two dozen approached the gate and began throwing rocks at the Israeli jeeps stationed on the far side.

Unlike some weeks, the youths did not build barricades in the roadway leading into the village. Military jeeps entered the village via that roadway a few minutes later and soldiers gave chase to the fleeing young men. Maher Mohammed Fazi Shamasna was arrested in the immediate vicinity of his home, despite no indications that he had been involved in the stone throwing. His mother stated that he had gone outside to feed the family’s chickens when he was abducted by the soldiers who had not yet been able to capture any of their antagonists.

Maher was placed in a military jeep before any international or Israeli activists could respond to the situation. Soldiers near the jeep threw sound bombs at nearby people. His mother and female relatives pleaded with the soldiers to release Maher and activists who had arrived attempted to question the soldiers as to the reason for the arrest. The Israeli soldiers and border police refused to answer any questions and threatened the international and Israeli activists with arrest. They demanded that no photos or video footage be taken and demanded ID’s from the activists, all of whom refused to produce them for the soldiers.

All of the activists consented to go inside one of the Palestinian homes at the request of the mother of the kidnapped youth, who was attempting to negotiate the release of her son. The jeep carrying Maher had already exited the south gate and returned without the prisoner. The IOF then imposed a curfew on the village and showed a closed military zone order which had been apparently produced in advance of the demonstration. They remained in the village until dark. International activists who left homes in defiance of the curfew were threatened with shooting by the soldiers occupying a rooftop and another group was threatened with immediate arrest if seen on the streets again.

To date, Maher Shanasna is still in custody and is reported to have been transferred to the Huwarra detention center where he may be held for an indefinite period without legal representation or contact with family members.

Demonstration in Ni’lin

6 February 2009

On Friday, around 100 residents of Ni’lin along with 20 international and Israeli solidarity activists gathered for a demonstration against construction of the Apartheid Wall. The Israeli army fired on people gathered around the medical clinic before the start of the demonstration. The army entered the town of Ni’lin during the demonstration and shot at demonstrators and homes. Hamada Abed Erazik was shot in the thigh with 0.22 calibre live ammunition. Additionally, the Army shot tear gas at the medical team as they were trying to treat and retrieve the injured.

At 11.40am, the Israeli army started shooting teargas at demonstrators gathered at the medical clinic for the weekly demonstration before the prayer. Residents had to run towards the centre of town before they could start the prayer at the medical centre. Shortly after the prayer the army began shooting again and tried to occupy the clinic but the doors were locked. The army then took position on the roof of the construction site of the new school to fire towards the town. Another group of soldiers came from the olive field into the outskirts of the town, firing teargas and sound bombs in the side streets, before moving into the centre of the village.

The Israeli army continued to shoot teargas canisters as they entered town. When international activists tried to persuade them to stop, reminding them that children where inside their homes, the army threw a sound bombs and and gas grenade at the activists. The continual onslaught of teargas fired into the town caused a ten-year-old boy to faint from inhilation. The army set up snipers in the side streets, firing 0.22 calibre live ammunition at the demonstrators.

At around 4.00pm the demonstration moved to the olive fields when the army began snipering with the 0.22 live ammunition again. Individuals took cover behind olive trees but one demonstrator was shot in the thigh. When the medical team ran over with a stretcher to treat the injured man and take him to safety, the army fired teargas, putting the medical team in danger and disrupting their work. The 0.22 ammunition snipers also targeted a Palestinian demonstrator and an Israeli activist. They were both hit with the 0.22 calibre ammunition but were extremely fortunate to be unharmed as it only pierced their clothes. According to the Red Crescent, there were 23 injuries in all that required medical attention, 3 with rubber coated steel bullets, 1 with 0.22 live ammunition and 17 people with serious teargas inhalation.

Ni’lin has been demonstrating against the construction of the Apartheid Wall since May 2008. Upon completion, despite the International Court declaring such construction illegal by international law standards, the Wall will annex a large amount of Ni’lin’s land. The occupation has been using means of collective punishment against the resistance in the town. The Israeli Occupation Forces have also murdered four youths within the last 6 months, all but 10 year old Ahmed, were killed during participation in a non-violent demonstration against the Wall.

Israeli forces hold Palestinian youth hostage during invasion of Jayyous

6th February 2009

The Israeli Occupation Forces continued their most recent assaults on the village of Jayyous, near Qalqilya, invading on the 5th and 6th of February.

On the 5th February , Israeli forces invaded at 2pm, imposing curfew on the village until 10pm.

The following day, at around 12.30pm, the army once again entered the village, this time using a bulldozer to pave the way for 6 jeeps, dozens of soldiers and border police firing tear gas and rubber bullets. They then proceeded to occupy one family home, taking up position on the roof as the village attempted to resist the invasion by throwing rocks.

The IOF also attempted to break in to another house nearby. When their attempts to break open the lock on the front gate with a rock failed, they employed the bulldozer to break it open creating much damage to the gate. Yet they then failed, after many attempts, to break down the front door, all the time threatening international Human Rights Workers (HRWs) who were filming while trying to stop them.

Israeli forces entered Jayyous in armored jeeps and bulldozers

Several jeeps accompanied by soldiers on foot then descended into the village continually firing at residents. When the international HRWs confronted the soldiers they were told that the area was a closed military zone and threatened the internationals with arrest if they stayed. Throughout this time the Israeli soldiers did not show the required paper for declaring a closed military zone.

The army pushed further through the whole village, firing tear gas, rubber-coated steel bullets and live ammunition indiscriminately, even to the point where they seemed to be treating the invasion as a game. The soldiers moved towards a house in the centre of the village when two HRWs came into view of the house. The international HRWs were quickly fired upon from around 10 metres away, despite being clearly unarmed having even been acknowledged moments before by the soldier who shot at them.

Villagers in Jayyous protest detention of youth

The soldiers then came out of the house with a young man and were taking him towards the jeeps, when his brother who was trying to prevent his brother’s arrest was shot at close range with a rubber-coated steel bullet causing serious injury to his arm. While one international HRW headed to the area where Israeli soldiers were arresting the young man, they were fired upon, with the soldier, anxious that no film or photos were captured, obviously aiming for the head.

During the next half hour many of the residents of the village, supported by internationals, came out of their houses and argued with the soldiers demanding they release the boy and leave the village. On more than one occasion the soldiers used sound grenades, throwing them into the crowd mainly composed women and elderly men.

Attempts to release the boy were met with physical violence and the pointing of weapons in peoples faces. The Israeli military eventually made their way to the edge of the village near the south gate. They told villagers that they would stay there and if the village was quiet for 5 minutes they would release the boy, thus making it obvious that they were holding him for no other reason than for blackmail.

After another half hour, the Israeli DCO arriving and the grandfather stubbornly negotiating with them, the boy was released. During this time the army had gained access to the house they tried to break into previously and took up sniping positions on the roof. After several clashes between the village youth and the Israeli army they retreated temporarily to the south gate before once again entering the village, this time on foot with no support from jeeps.

As it got dark they once again retreated to the south gate, before spreading themselves out along the fence that runs along the edge of the village. Youths from the village attempted and were successful a couple of times in setting tires alight on the fence but the army used flares and were repeatedly shooting with automatic rifle fire. This continued for a couple of hours until at this point the village has been invaded again by many jeeps and soldiers with the whole village yet again under curfew.

Two injured during Bil’in weekly demonstration

6th February 2009

The residents of Bil’in gathered again today after the Friday prayer in a protest joined by international and Israeli activists. The protesters carried Palestinian flags and banners calling for a stop to the crimes against civilians, to break the siege on Gaza and for the prevention of settlement building.

The protest left from the centre of the village, calling for national unity and resistance to the occupation, heading towards the apartheid wall which is built on Bil’in’s land. An Israeli army unit was situated behind the wall and prevented the crowd from going through the gate, the army fired tear gas canisters to disturb the crowd, causing dozens to suffer from gas inhalation andinjuring two people. The two injured were Adib Abu Rahma and Abdullah Abu Rahma.

The Israeli army has been raiding the village at night almost on a daily basis. There have been clashes between the army and residents of the village. Some residents have been kidnapped. These Israeli actions are collective punishment which aims to create fear among people in the hope that they will stop resisting the occupation. The Popular Committee against the wall is still encouraging people to continue resisting the wall and the occupation despite these threats.

Israeli forces attack Ni’lin

3rd February 2009 | Ni’lin

On the 3rd of February the Israeli Occupation Forces attacked Ni’lin, shooting teargas and entering the outskirts of the village. The incursion disrupted life as people were going to the medical clinic, working or attending their land and as the army withdrew they shot live ammunition at the people who went to protest their presence.

At noon the army came through the olive field approaching the village of Ni’lin. Soldiers started firing teargas at the medical clinic where people were going about their daily business. People were forced to run to the clinic or turn back during the attack. Construction workers building the new school near the clinic were targeted making the situation dangerous as they were on scaffolding or on the roof if the gas affected them. The military action prompted people in the village who heard the attack to organize a protest to their presence and gathered at the medical clinic. The army shot more gas, then occupied the medical centre, chasing and shooting the demonstrators as they escaped down the hill through the cemetery. From the medical clinic the army continued to shoot teargas into the village before they withdrew.

A woman had been in the olive field with her goats and became trapped behind the army during the attack on the village. Three women, including an international activist, went to make sure she would be able to return to the village safely. After finding the woman they started walking back. The group was stopped by the army with soldiers were waving with sound bomb,s threatening to use them if the women continued the path back to the village.

The army entered the village again on the outskirts, shooting teargas and throwing sound bombs in the streets closest to the olive field. At around 5pm the army moved back and demonstrators succeeded in reaching the construction site of the illegal Apartheid Wall before the army dispersed them with teargas and fired live ammunition in the air. The demonstrators were moving back to the town and were on a large hill in the olive field where they were joined by two Israeli activists. The army continued shooting teargas as they pursued the demonstrators and then started shooting live ammunition as it was becoming dark. Demonstrators and international activists lay flat on the ground in fear of being hit before they managed to make it back to the village at 5.45pm.

The village of Ni’lin has been resisting the construction of the illegal Apartheid Wall since May 2008. The Wall will annex much farmland and make Ni’lin accessible only by road through a tunnel. Ni’lin has suffered greatly from the construction and the occupation as four youths were killed during demonstrations. The continual use of live ammunition against demonstrators shows Israel’s contempt for non-violent resistance to the occupation.