Tag: Youth Against Settlements

Remembering Balfour under Apartheid

6th November 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, Occupied Palestine

Yesterday in al Khalil (Hebron) the Palestinian group Youth Against Settlements held an event to mark the 100^th years anniversary of The Balfour Declaration. The Balfour Declaration is viewed as a foundational document of the Israeli states ethnic cleansing of Palestine. Despite promises to the Palestinian population the British government, in an act of betrayal, made a declaration that was viewed by the zionist as a promise of Palestine becoming a homeland for the Jewish people.

sadadada — “The event was colourful and different,“ an ISM’er says.

A large group of Palestinians and internationals gathered at the “Beeping Gate” which is one of the closuers in al Khalil (Hebron). The “Beeping Gate” is at the bottom of “apartheid road” where a fence divides a Palestinian pathway from the road Israelis walk on. An extension to the apartheid fence finishes at a new gate which fences in part of the Salaymeh neighbourhood. The gate is locked at night forcing Palestinians to walk a longer route on foot to their houses. When the people of the neighbourhood use the gate it sets off an ear-piercing beep adding a tormenting repetitive noise to the harsh realities of discrimination and occupation the neighbourhood suffers.

“The event was colourful and different,“ an ISM’er that attended the event says. “Kids and clowns gathered to mark the Palestinian rejection of the colonial Balfour Declaration which supports the Zionist project.“

Border Police from the Israeli military push Internationals away while a settler from a nearby settlement films.

Even tough the event was light-hearted a group of Boarder Police Officers, Civil Police and Soldiers from the Israeli army showed up and watched the Palestinians and internationals. The children chanted, speeches were made and clowns interacted with the children with balloons, dances and face painting.

A settler from a nearby illegal settlement films the Palestinians at their event through the gate.

An aggressive Zionist settler from a nearby settlement, who had previously intimidated ISM activists during the day showed up at the event. His attempted intimidation failed to disrupt the colourful and joyful celebration of the Palestinian resistance of the occupation. After a while he was led away from the celebration by Israeli Border police. He continued to film from outside attempting to provoke the Palestinians behind the fence.

“I think the colourful event expressed the Palestinian’s Sumud (Arabic for stedfastness) against the occupation and discrimination they face on a daily basis,“ another ISM’er said.

Demonstrators call for end to unjust restrictions in Hebron 22 years after Ibrahimi mosque massacre

26th February 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

On 26th February 2016, Palestinians in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron) jointly commemorated the Ibrahimi Mosque massacre and protested against the closure of Shuhada Street and the illegal Israeli military occupation.

kids apartheid 2016 — Palestinian children display a sign against the apartheid regime

The peaceful demonstration, organised by the local activist group Youth Against Settlements as part of their Open Shuhada Street campaign, started marching from al-Nimrah mosque after the noon prayer towards the Ibrahimi Mosque. Palestinians, international supporters and journalists from local and international media walked through the streets of the city toward the Ibrahimi mosque, chanting against the illegal Israeli occupation, the illegal settlements and in support of prisoners under administrative detention being held by Israel without charge or trial.

open shuhada st 2016 march — Palestinians from across the West Bank and international activists marched together in solidarity to Open Shuhada Street

The demonstration was in commemoration of the 1994 Ibrahimi Mosque massacre, in which 29 Muslim worshipers were murdered by extremist Israeli settler Baruch Goldstein when he opened fire inside the mosque during a Ramadan Friday prayer, also injuring more than 120 people. In the aftermath of this heinous massacre, Israeli forces cracked down on Palestinian basic human rights and freedom of movement, closing shops in the once thriving Palestinian market in Shuhada Street and completely barring them from accessing this road that has been declared a sterile area. The Ibrahimi Mosque was divided into exclusively Jewish and exclusively Muslim areas for most of the year, with access to the mosque entirely controlled by Israeli forces.

israeli forces open shuhada — Israeli forces deploying against nonviolent demonstration in al-Khalil

Israeli Forces ambushed the peaceful march when they were about half way towards the Ibrahimi Mosque, using the roof of a Palestinian family home to throw stun grenades into the crowd of people peacefully making their way to the mosque. As the demonstrators rapidly tried to escape the stun grenades flying at them in from above above in quick succession, Israeli forces began shooting endless rounds of tear gas into the neighbourhood. They aimed mainly, though not only, above the heads of the protesters into the neighbourhood populated by Palestinian civilians not even involved in the march.

israeli forces open shuhada demo — Excessive amounts of tear gas used against peaceful protesters

soldiers tear gassed themselves! — Israeli forces even made themselves sick from inhaling the tear gas they employed excessively against protesters and nearby Palestinian homes

While Israeli forces showered the area in tear gas, the sound of ambulance sirens echoed through the streets. About a dozen people had to be taken to hospital by ambulance for excessive tear gas inhalation. “We were filming with an ambulance next to us and we could see the Israeli army target this ambulance, throwing stun grenades directly at it”, recalled James, an Australian activist.

Israeli forces arrested two Palestinians, one of them a lawyer, the other a journalist. The journalist was directly targeted by the army, that went up to a group of people, grabbed him and walked away with him while ignoring everyone else.

This 7th annual Open Shuhada Street protest comes after months of increasing violence, restrictions and collective punishment imposed by Israeli authorities on al-Khalil’s Palestinian residents. At the end of October Israeli forces began imposing a ‘closed military zone‘ on the short portion of Shuhada street where Palestinians were previously still allowed to walk, along with a large part of the adjacent Tel Rumeida neighbourhood. Palestinian residents and activist groups have been nonviolently resisting the closed military zone, which requires residents to register in order to be allowed into their homes and bars other Palestinian and human rights defenders from entry. The closed military zone, along with the widespread, deadly violence and closures deployed against Palestinians in al-Khalil, has also been broadly condemned by Palestinian and international human rights groups; on the February 25th anniversary of the Ibrahimi mosque massacre, Amnesty International released a public statement calling on Israeli authorities to “lift the discriminatory restrictions, end the collective punishment of Palestinians in the city and protect human rights defenders there.”

Aggressive settler interrupts nonviolent commemorative event hosted by Youth Against Settlements

24nd February 2016 | Youth Against Settlements | Hebron, occupied Palestine

Notorious settler Anat Cohen interrupted a peaceful movie screening, which was hosted by Youth Against Settlements to commemorate the victims of the Ibrahimi Mosque Massacre in 1994.

12596062_930292280358953_36423822_n — Palestinians gather around fire near checkpoint by Ibrahimi mosque, lighting candles

Every night, Palestinians gather around a bonfire in the Salaymeh neighborhood of occupied Hebron to keep watch in case of settler attacks. Today, as part of the Open Shuhada Street campaign, 50-60 people had come here to light candles in memory of each of the 33 victims of the massacre and its immediate consequences, followed by a documentary titled “Hebron Under the Microscope.”

12788033_930292290358952_1751592501_n — Candles lit in commemoration of the victims of the Ibrahimi mosque massacre

29 Palestinians were murdered inside the Ibrahimi Mosque on the 25th of February, 1994, when Israeli settler Baruch Goldstein entered and opened fire at the Muslim worshipers inside. Four Palestinians were killed on the same day in the clashes that broke out around the Mosque in response to the massacre. In the aftermath, the mosque (also known as the Tomb of the Patriarchs) was divided in two, with the larger part turned into a synagogue while heavy scrutiny was imposed on the Palestinians and areas closed completely to them, including an important market and the main street, Shuhada street. In protest of these closures, Youth Against Settlements organizes events around the anniversary of the massacre as part of their Open Shuhada Street campaign, held annually in Hebron and worldwide since 2010.

12767781_930292277025620_985790354_n — Palestinians gathering for the Open Shuhada Street event

During the screening of the documentary, three Palestinians were detained by the army for no apparent reason across the street along with a ten-year-old girl. The coordinator of Youth Against Settlements, Issa Amro, was also detained when trying to reason with the soldiers.

detained girl and men — Israeli forces arbitrarily detained 3 young men and a 10-year-old girl

Then the notoriously aggressive settler Anat Cohen slowed down her car next to a group of Palestinians and hit those who could not escape fast enough. She made a u-turn and left her car to yell at and intimidate the Palestinians gathered in the street. She filmed and verbally and physically attacked Palestinians and internationals while soldiers stood by and did not intervene. Instead of stopping her unprovoked aggressions, they began loudly pushing back the Palestinians, restricting them to certain parts of the street and preventing them from documenting.

pushing palestinians away — Soldiers forcing Palestinians back

Heavy arguments broke out. A man fainted and had to be taken to hospital by ambulance when he witnessed a soldier hit his wife with a gun. The army repeatedly pushed back Palestinians using excessive force. Eventually, Anat Cohen left without facing any consequences for her violent assaults and harassment, witnessed by the army and civil police.

Wael Fakhouri, a resident of the neighborhood: “We work hard to protect ourselves from settler violence.”

Contact: Issa Amro 059 934 0549 issaamro@gmail.com

Children living in closed military zone enjoy day of fun under the shadow of the occupation

13th February 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

On February 13^th 2016 Youth Against Settlements in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron) organised a children’s activity in front of Shuhada Street checkpoint.

Children drawing during fun-day organised by YAS

Around 50 children from the neighbourhoods located on the H2 (entirely Israeli military-controlled) side of the checkpoint – Tel Rumeida and the tiny strip of Shuhada Street still accessible for Palestinians – participated in the event organised by the Palestinian group Youth Against Settlements together with Old City resident Zleikha Muhtaseb.

The children have hardly had any chance to play and enjoy time with their friends since their neighbourhoods were declared a closed military zone on November 1^st 2015. For the last three months only residents registered with the Israeli military have been allowed to access this highly militarized neighbourhood, where Israeli forces have stepped up their efforts to crack down on Palestinian residents’ everyday lives even more than in the many other neighborhoods suffering under the harsh Zionist occupation. Extremist Israeli settlers from the adjacent illegal settlements meanwhile enjoy complete impunity for their actions.

Girls writing their wishes for the future on balloons

The children gathered at the Youth Against Settlements sit-in tent that was first erected over a month ago in protest of the ongoing restrictions and human rights violations inflicted under the closed military zone. They enjoyed creative activities including drawing, painting, balloons and face-painting.

Israeli settlers, walking inside the closed military zone without any hassle, harassment or ever being stopped, approached the checkpoint from the other side in order to gape at the children playing outside the checkpoint with balloons.

Settlers observing playing Palestinian children through the checkpoint

The immense psychological effect of the occupation on children living in these neighbourhoods was clearly visible in their drawings. They drew soldiers shooting Palestinians, families living in houses surrounded by barbed wire, imprisoned Palestinians dreaming of Palestinians guarded by a heavily-armed soldier; drawings also featured Palestinian flags and the words ‘I love Palestine.’

Growing up in an environment where the Israeli military occupation, with all its concurrent human rights violations, deadly violence, humiliation and intimidation permeates everyday life, the impacts are hardly surprising. Saturday’s event was a great opportunity for the children of these neighbourhoods to just be children again, to play with their friends, have their faces painted, enjoy childhood.

As the event ended they lined up outside Shuhada Street checkpoint, which the children have referred to as the ‘death checkpoint’ since the September 22nd extrajudicial execution of 18-year-old Hadeel al-Hashlamoun, to wait to be allowed to walk back to their homes within the closed military zone.

Children waiting to cross back into their 'closed military zone' neighbourhood — Children waiting to cross back into their neighbourhoods under the closed military zone

Before preparing to leave to return to their neighborhoods, the children from Tel Rumeida and Shuhada Street demonstrated their solidarity with the Palestinian journalist and hunger striker Mohammed al-Qeeq on his 81st day of hunger strike against the illegal Israeli practice of administrative detention – imprisonment without charge or trial in an Israeli military legal system which consistently denies Palestinians any right to due process of law.

Palestinian children in solidarity with hunger striker Mohammed al-Qeeq

Photo story: newly expanded Shuhada checkpoint is even more difficult to traverse

January 6th 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil Team | al-Khalil, occupied Palestine

At the end of December Israeli forces re-opened the newly expanded Shuhada checkpoint in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron). The checkpoint had been closed since December 7th, when Israeli forces had declared they would be conducting “renovations” for a then-unknown period of time.

Officially known as Checkpoint 56, Shuhada checkpoint separates Bab al-Zawiye, a Palestinian neighborhood in the H1 (nominally Palestinian-controlled and administered) part of al-Khalil and Tel Rumeida, part of Israeli military-controlled H2 and currently covered in part by a closed military zone order first issued on November 1st.

walking through wm — Palestinian family leaving Tel Rumeida, crossing toward Bab al-Zawiye

The checkpoint was rebuilt with a high fence blocking the entire street and additional turnstiles and metal detectors. The turnstiles make it very difficult for anyone carrying heavy, bulky luggage or even several bags of groceries to pass. Israeli authorities also added a completely closed off room in the center of the checkpoint, where Palestinians are questioned and searched entirely out of site of any onlookers, media, or human rights monitors.

As in previous versions of the checkpoint, there is no possibility for any car or truck – even an ambulance responding to an emergency – to pass; any vehicle larger than a baby carriage must take a time-consuming detour in order to enter or leave Tel Rumeida.

woman walking high view wm — Shuhada checkpoint as seen from a nearby window in Bab al-Zawiye, an imposing barrier Palestinian families living in Tel Rumeida must navigate

The new checkpoint has already become a flashpoint for Israeli military aggressions against Palestinians, which include the arrest of 38-year-old Wafa’ Sharabati on Monday afternoon by Israeli forces who first claimed she had a discrepancy in her ID then accused her of being a troublemaker and threatened to plant a knife on her. Wafa’s family and local activists staged a sit-in outside Shuhada checkpoint to protest her treatment and the continued humiliation and harassment faced by Palestinians forced to endure the checkpoint and the closed military zone.

family waiting for release copy — Wafa Sharabati’s family staged a sit-in awaiting her release

ppl in front of shuhada wm — A large group of local activists and residents gathered after Wafa’s arrest in front of the checkpoint, which has has been the site of countless demonstrations against the Israeli occupation of al-Khalil

rubber coated metal soldier wm — He never fired, but this Israeli soldier spent much of Monday afternoon on the roof of Shuhada checkpoint, prepared to attack nonviolent Palestinian demonstrators with potentially deadly rubber-coated metal bullets

A sign on the H1 side of the checkpoint explains the protocols for passing through: metal detector, bag search, no animals allowed through, checkpoint closed if there are any clashes. The 4th instruction reads “wait until the soldier will allow you to pass.” Sometimes people can pass in six minutes; sometimes they must wait for over an hour, outside and exposed to any weather, before being allowed to pass the few meters of turnstiles, metal detectors, fences and walls between them and the streets leading to their homes.

Lines on Monday evening left many, including young children, waiting for nearly half an hour in the cold night. Only Palestinians who are registered in the closed military zone can ever pass through the checkpoint; family members of residents, journalists, human rights defenders and internationals have all been barred. Even Palestinians who are registered have reported being forced to wait for over an hour only to be harassed and threatened by the soldiers inside the checkpoint.

Activists have planned another protest for Thursday morning to continue the struggle against the closed military zone, the even harsher regime at the newly reopened checkpoint, and the continued closure and Israeli military occupation of al-Khalil.