The Evolution of The Palestinian Resistance and Its New Strategy

22 Oct 2022 23:3

Source: Al Mayadeen English

Robert Inlakesh 

The bravery and defiance of Ibrahim Nablusi, immortalized him as a heroic martyr and saw tens of thousands pack the streets of Nablus city, where the resistance fighter was killed, in order to attend his funeral.

There have been at least 11 large-scale Israeli assaults on the Gaza Strip, four wars, and hundreds of attacks against the territory, resulting in the untold misery of the Gazan civilian population

The ongoing Palestinian uprising, along with the revival of the armed struggle inside the occupied West Bank, has largely been characterised by its tendencies as a popular movement, namely that there has been a chaotic reaction from the occupier. The past months’ developments have been an indicator of a major shift from the initial stages of the uprising and it’s time to take note.

The Palestinian armed uprising, inside the West Bank, can largely be traced back to the 11-day war that broke out in May, 2021, between the Palestinian resistance in Gaza and the Israeli military. Following this, although the armed fighters had been previously active, in September of 2021  when the ‘Jenin Brigades’ were officially formed and the action they began to take shook “Israel” to its core. 2022 has been a more violent year for the West Bank, than the besieged Gaza Strip, with the majority of Palestinians killed by the occupation forces this year being inside the West Bank, with nearly 170 dead so far.

The scenes of armed resistance attacks, which occur multiple times per day at this time, against Israeli forces and settlers, have brought back the tactics and brutality of the Zionist regime never witnessed inside the West Bank since the Second Intifada (2000-2007). Although the initial attacks that came from groups such as the Jenin brigades, the Tulkarem brigades, and the Nablus brigades, seemed to have been loosely organized and worked primarily to inspire later action, along with shaking up the Israeli “security system”, this seems to be no longer the case. What has marked a seismic shift in the conflict between the occupier and the resistance inside the West Bank, has been the introduction of the Areen al-Oussoud, or Lions’ Den group, that declared themselves out of the old city of Nablus on September 2nd. 

The Gaza based resistance movement

Since the armed resistance in the West Bank was either destroyed or disbanded in the early 2000’s by the Israeli military and Palestinian Authority (PA), the armed struggle has been isolated into the hands of the movements operating out of the Gaza Strip. For a long time, there has been a successfully implemented strategy, by the Israelis and Americans, to isolate the Gaza Strip from the West Bank, during this time the resistance in Gaza – headed by Hamas primarily – had taken over the path of armed struggle.

There have been at least 11 large-scale Israeli assaults on the Gaza Strip, four wars, and hundreds of attacks against the territory, resulting in the untold misery of the Gazan civilian population. Since the imposition of the siege, by not only “Israel” and Egypt but more importantly by the collective Western governments, the strategy has been to pressure the Palestinian people who live inside the territory to overthrow Hamas as their democratically elected government. This strategy, implemented since the 2006 – not 2007 when the siege was tightened significantly and is often framed as having started – the sanctions against Gaza have failed to bring the resistance to its knees and this is owed to the resounding resilience of the Palestinian people.

For most of the history of the Hamas rule of Gaza, it had been “Israel” that had taken most of the initiative to strike first and to be on the offensive. It has been noted by many analysts and historians, that despite the bravery and constant innovations of the resistance, “they had largely proven ineffective at inflicting significant defeats upon the enemy”. The strategic thinking of the resistance began to undergo significant shifts, however, dating back to 2015, but truly showing steadiness from 2017, during the major dispute between Qatar and many of the Gulf States, in addition to other pro-Western reactionary Arab regimes.

In 2018, during the Great March of Return, the armed resistance movements – which had not been constantly fighting each other but had also not participated in a real unified command – decided to form the ‘Joint Operations Room’ of the Palestinian resistance. Although during most of 2018, the Israeli military would routinely attack the Gaza Strip with airstrikes and was constantly on the offensive, this would change by November of that same year.

Israeli agents had infiltrated the Gaza Strip in 2018, plotting to either assassinate or kidnap a commander in the armed wing of Hamas, the Al-Qassam brigades, named Nur Baraka. The Israeli agents were discovered and fled, one of them was shot dead in the process, whilst Israeli drone strikes were launched against the Gaza Strip. What ensued was a complete embarrassment for the Israeli political establishment, not only was the Israeli raid a complete failure, but the resistance showed a new unified strategy that we had not seen the likes of before. “Israel’s” then-minister of war, Avigdor Liberman, was so embarrassed that he resigned from his position. 300 rockets were fired at “Israel”, whilst the resistance fired anti-tank munitions that killed Israeli soldiers. A video was also released by the Sala al-Din brigades, which showed that at least 5 Israeli soldiers had been killed or mortally wounded in an explosive attack, an event that had happened in February but was covered up by the Israelis. The armed movement had laced Palestinian flagpoles with explosives, waited for Israeli soldiers to pull them down, and then detonated the devices.

Then, in early May 2019, the armed resistance movements in Gaza chose to strategically escalate tensions and open up a limited battle with the Israeli military, around 2 weeks prior to “Tel Aviv’s” hosting of the Eurovision song contest. In November 2019, “Israel” attempted to gain back some of its strategic initiatives, by attempting to isolate and target the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement in both Gaza and Syria. Despite assassinating leading figures in the PIJ movement, most prominently Baha Abu Al-Atta, the attack did little to change the course of the armed struggle.

Fast forward to May 2021, when the battle of Saif al-Quds was declared by the Israeli military, the people of Palestine had unified against the ongoing desecration of the Holy Sites in the old city of al-Quds. Saif al-Quds was when the Joint Room came to real prominence and it was clear that all the groups resisting Israel were unified, this provided inspiration to the rest of the Palestinian population in the other occupied Palestinian territories. Until this moment, despite “Israel’s” three-day attack against the PIJ movement, back in August, Tel Aviv has failed to achieve the equation it had before 2018. The Zionist regime went from attacking Gaza at will, constantly launching any strikes it wanted, to being deterred from striking Gaza unless it was willing to commit to an all-out war and now it is the resistance in Gaza that plots to strike first,  of strategic initiative.

Lessons learnt and the evolution of the West Bank struggle

One of the major issues that caused the setback of August this year, which had caught the resistance by surprise, was a fault made in the rhetoric of the Gaza-based resistance. “Israel” exploited this weakness in order to inflict a psychological blow against the resistance as a whole, it was clear that the resistance had not prepared for the scenario that befell them and although they reacted in a very rational way, within their means, the Israelis managed to score a pyrrhic victory on the propaganda front. The problem was, not that the resistance had acted in the wrong manner, but had projected great strength and made threats that weren’t intended on being followed through with, in the way that many had interpreted them.

“Israel’s” attack on Gaza in August may have resulted in political points for Prime Minister Yair Lapid and a distraction from the maritime border dispute with Lebanon if only the regime did not get greedy. Days later, the Israeli military sent in special forces units to assassinate the 19-year-old resistance fighter, Ibrahim Nablusi, yet, his killing served the opposite of its intended purpose. The bravery and defiance of Ibrahim Nablusi, immortalized him as a heroic martyr and saw tens of thousands pack the streets of Nablus city, where the resistance fighter was killed, in order to attend his funeral. As his mother held a pride-filled smile, whilst carrying her son’s body, thousands chanted Ibrahim Nablusi’s name and all over the West Bank young resistance fighters pledged to avenge his martyrdom. Instead of beating down the spirits of the Palestinian people and their belief in the armed struggle, Israel strengthened the resistance.

The mistake in the rhetoric of the Gaza-based resistance has undoubtedly been addressed now also, shown clearly through the statement released last Friday by the Joint Operations Room. This joint statement marks a turning point in the course of the armed struggle, as they not only have shown growth in their strategic rhetoric, but also they were dressed in a very interesting way. It should be noted that the Joint Room, which comprises all the serious armed movements in the Gaza Strip, dressed in military uniform, keffiyeh and did not wear anything to distinguish the resistance faction. This is symbolically powerful, as simultaneously the Lions’ Den group in Nablus is also refraining from identifying themselves with any single political or military party/movement. 

The armed groups that have been formed throughout the West Bank are made up of young people, mostly between the ages of 18 to 25, who come from many different political backgrounds and choose to work together as a unified force. The Lions’ Den group has also received a lot of popular support for its methods, managing to amass demonstrators that will take to the streets of Ramallah, Jenin, Nablus and beyond in order to support the resistance group. Unlike unity agreements that have been signed on paper in the past, this unity agreement has manifested itself in the physical world between armed resistance factions. It is clear that the resistance in Gaza is always taking notes of the popular will of the Palestinian people, it is adapting to this and is learning from their past mistakes in order to implement a strategy to escalate the armed struggle against the occupier. 

What is happening now with the development of the armed struggle; the unifying efforts of the younger generation and the resistance in Gaza, must be analyzed as part of this new chapter that has been opened in the history of the Palestinian struggle. This movement is becoming ever more unified, it is from the masses and in many ways is driven by the younger generation of Palestinians, it cannot be defeated by small Israeli military operations and soon this will escalate, paving the way to a completely new political landscape inside all of occupied Palestine.

The opinions mentioned in this article do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Al mayadeen, but rather express the opinion of its writer exclusively.

Battle of Naalan mountain: one town’s fight against the full might of the Israeli settler project

SEPTEMBER 16, 2022 

The small town of Mazraa Qabaliya in the northern West Bank is fighting the Israeli military and armed settlers to protect a resource that is both revered and essential to their community — Naalan mountain.

JAAFAR LADADWEH, 55 AND YOUSEF ALI LOOKING AT THE SETTLEMENTS ACROSS FROM NAALAN, SEPTEMBER 2022. (PHOTO: MARIAM BARGHOUTI/MONDOWEISS)

Source

By Mariam Barghouti

On October 26, 2018, the small town of Mazraa Qabaliya just 11 km northwest of Ramallah witnessed a brutal assault by Israeli settlers and their military vanguard. 

As Palestinian men gathered for Friday prayers under a cluster of brown and green leadtrees, they were met with teargas from the Israeli military in tandem with an organized attack by armed Israeli settlers. Youth responded by hurling stones back at the settlers and soldiers.

“It was a bloodbath that day,” Jaafar Ladadweh, 55, recalled to Mondoweiss almost four years later on the same Naalan mountaintop where two men were fatally shot.

Two Palestinians from the village were shot — Othman Ahmad Ladadweh, 33, was hit in the thigh and died that Friday evening, while Mohammad Ibrahim Shreiteh, 28, was shot in the head, succumbing to his wounds almost two weeks later, on November 10, 2018. More than a dozen were injured with live bullets while dozens more were injured with teargas and rubber bullets.

THE VIEW FROM NAALAN MOUNTAIN OVERLOOKING ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS IN THE NORTH OF THE WEST BANK. (PHOTO: MARIAM BARGHOUTI/MONDOWEISS)

Guardians of the mountain: ‘we must keep the light on’

The confrontations in Naalan would intensify in 2018. Protests were being held in tandem with the Great March of Return in Gaza, where Palestinians marched every Friday in the thousands to protest the Gaza siege and its population of 2 million people. 

Like the Israeli military response to Palestinian unarmed protest in Gaza, the youth and residents of Mazraa were met with lethal force — mostly live ammunition. 

Four years later, the sunset from the top of Naalan mountain is calm and the air is crisp, with a breeze reminiscent of Ramallah’s windy evenings. The contrast of the dying colors of orange, red, yellow, and purple blue with a darker sky and almost yellow full moon commands appreciation. 

Under September’s full harvest moon, a group of 11 men gather on plastic chairs and wooden benches they have set up over the years, to revive the mountain and maintain it.

“We all take turns making sure there is electricity extended and that the lights on this mountain are on at all times, to make sure there is a sign of life here” Ahmad Obeid, 62, says with a smile. 

Eager and passionate about sharing their story of successfully holding on to their homes, Obeid points at one of the flickering lights hanging from a treehouse they had built months ago to encourage visitors to come and help protect the mountain from settler takeover.

“We must keep the light on,” Obeid said, his tone passionate. “We must keep the light on here on the mountain at all times. Once it’s off, know that something is wrong, that there has been an attack,” he said to Mondoweiss. 

POSTER WITH THE IMAGES OF TWO MARTYRS KILLED DURING MILITARY AND SETTLER ATTACKS ON OCTOBER 26, 2018, HANGING IN THE COMMUNITY OFFICE AT THE TOP OF NAALAN MOUNTAIN. MOHAMMAD SHREITEH, 28, ON THE LEFT, AND OTHMAN LADADWEH, 33, ON THE RIGHT. (PHOTO: MARIAM BARGHOUTI/MONDOWEISS)

Abandoned by parties and actors that are supposedly responsible, including the Palestinian Authority (PA), the mountain was nurtured and developed through the power of community initiatives and youth volunteers. 

Through collective conversations, the village of Mazraa Qabaliya organized itself into committees to renovate, preserve, and document the archeological artifacts that sprawl across and inside the mountain. 

“When we pray here, you would find settlers coming to also pray,” Ali Shreiteh, 54, told Mondoweiss. Shreiteh had been documenting the historical significance and archeological richness that is hidden across the mountain top, from Roman wells to centuries-old antiques. 

Over the past four years, organized settler visits and attacks on the site in coordination with Israeli army have intensified. These visits seek to establish a presence on the land, which in turn would create a justification for the annexation and forcible takeover of Palestinian lands by judicial decree. 

Yet, these sinister practices do not occur in isolation. They are embedded in, and enforced through, broader Israeli policies denying Palestinians ability to use their resources and lands for growth and building of healthy and unified communities.

ISRAELI FORCES ARREST AN UNARMED PALESTINIAN DURING CONFRONTATIONS IN 2018. (PHOTO: MOHAMMAD SHREITEH)

Greenlighting ethnic cleansing in Area B

Naalan mountain is located in Mazraa Qabaliya, a town known for its agricultural produce and capacity for sustainable water infrastructure. 

Mazraa Qabaliya and its Naalan mountain are also categorized as “Area B” under the Oslo Accords, which places them under the civic and administrative control of the PA and military control of Israeli army. This power vacuum, combined with the lack of foreign support, has meant that the town residents have had to take it upon themselves to counter the continuous impunity for armed Israeli aggressions and organized settler crimes.

Since the growth of settlement expansion to Areas B in 2017, added to the peak in settler violence in 2018, the townspeople have directed their efforts to ensure that Naalan mountain remains vibrant and accessible to Palestinians. This has largely only been possible through constant confrontation whereby Palestinians must face armed settlers and soldiers with either their voice, their bodies, or the hurling of stones — a crime punishable by up to 10 years under Israeli military regulations.

“They want to take this mountain by any means, even if it is fabricating a historical association with it,” Yousef Ali, 45, told Mondoweiss. 

NAALAN MOUNTAIN, 2018 (PHOTO: MOHAMMAD SHREITEH)

ccording to the Oslo Accords, settlers expanding to Area B are not only in violation of international law, but also Israeli law. The clandestine manner in which Israel takes over lands has been well-documented, but with little repercussions. In 2018, former US president Barack Obama was reportedly “shocked” at the systemic nature of Israeli settlements and their fragmentation of Palestinians from one another. 

This settler expansion has been devastating to Palestinian farmers. Already economically deprived of more than 63% of the most fertile and grazing land as well as agricultural resources in Area C, farmers in Mazraa Qabaliya and the rest of Area B are restricted by Israeli veto power over building and constructing water wells and drilling into reservoirs or springs.  

The wells around the Naalan mountain top could provide the community with the resources that would allow for sustainability and income generation in the face of the economic depression plaguing Palestinian communities.  In fact, the families and communities near Naalan have renovated some old wells, but the energies of the townspeople continue to be occupied mainly with surviving and confronting Israeli efforts to takeover their lands for the purpose of expanding illegal settlements.

In this way, not only are settlements furthering Israeli theft and abuse of natural resources, but are also impeding Palestinian capacities to develop what resources they have.

ISRAELI SETTLERS MARCHING WITH MILITARY PROTECTION ON NAALAN MOUNTAIN. (PHOTO: SHREITEHPHOTO)

In contrast, illegal Israeli settlers are not only provided with Israeli court-ordered military force as protection, but also governmental financial support from the “Settlement Division” of the World Zionist Organization (WZO) to help link agricultural and natural resource networks with a growing physical settler infrastructure..

In June and July of this year, the WZO declared plans to invest additional $ 8.5 million USD in connecting and legitimizing illegal outposts in the West Bank, a policy pushed forward by former Prime Minister, Naftali Bennet. And not only are settlements expanding but they are even creeping towards Area B of the West Bank also in violation of the Oslo Accords.

What this adds up to is that Palestinian communities lack nearly any form of financial, legal, emotional, or logistical support in their efforts to defend their land while Israeli settlers are provided with international impunity, constant and growing economic funding, as well as protection from its military, one of the most advanced in the world. 

Call for solidarity

With what little remains, Palestinian towns and villages are constantly attempting to salvage what they have been able to hold onto in the face of a increasingly emboldened settler population, which maintains a strong hold on military power and international public opinion.

As Palestinian communities attempt to safeguard their communities from settler attacks, they are calling on supporters to join them in ensuring that Palestinian lands remain alive with Palestinian lives. “Just come be with us, build with us, bring nothing but will and joy,” Ladadweh says as the evening fades into darkness, as an LED lightbulb flickers behind him. 

In that moment, words from earlier in the evening seemed to hang in the air and resonate with the 11 men firmly planted at the top of Naalan mountain: “the light must stay on.”

Palestine’s Land Day: In 2018 mass protests, in 2022 armed struggle

March 30 2022

Source: Al Mayadeen Net

Robert Inlakesh 

This 30th of March may more symbolically represent something very different for the youths of Palestine today than it did for those of past generations.

Land Day, first started in the 1948 territories of occupied Palestine, was revived again in 2018 and has shaped the way Palestinian youths are today opposing the occupation of their lands. Whilst mass demonstrations were used a few years ago, today we see a shift towards the use of armed struggle in order to oppose “Israel’s” settler colonialism.

In 1976 Palestinian demonstrations erupted in the Galilee, in addition to areas such as Wadi Ara and al-Naqab (the Negev). The protests inside the 1948 territories of Palestine came as a reaction to the Zionist entity’s expropriation of thousands of dunams of Palestinian land, resulting in Zionist forces killing 6 Palestinians and injuring of hundreds of others. Every year since, Palestinians have marked Land Day on the 30th of March, in order to remember the resistance of their people to “Israel’s” settler-colonial regime.

The 30th of March, however, may more symbolically represent something very different for the youths of Palestine today, than it did for those of past generations. This is also the date on which the ‘Great Return March’ was launched in 2018, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinian demonstrators in the Gaza Strip protested against the separation fence/wall between them and their lands from which over 70% of the population are originally from and are forbidden to return to. The Palestinian refugees and native Gazans hoisted up banners calling for the implementation of United Nations General Assembly resolution 194, which demanded the Palestinian right of return to their homelands. 

The Great Return March continued for over a year, it was overwhelmingly non-violent and resulted in no deaths of Israeli soldiers or settlers. Many international observers thought that this was it, the international community was finally going to be forced to break its silence and the blockade on Gaza would be put to an end. They were unfortunately wrong. The nonviolent protest movement, one of the largest in history – in terms of the percentage of the population in question – only gave Israeli snipers the opportunity for mass murder. Over 300 Palestinian civilians were massacred, more than 30,000 were injured. The international community remained silent, the Western media and governments defended “Israel”, barely even paying attention to the suffering of Gaza’s demonstrators. Women, children, infants, medical workers, journalists, disabled persons, and elderly were amongst the dead and injured, overwhelming Gaza’s already brittle health sector. 

The world sat by and did nothing as the Palestinian people did exactly what is always asked of them, nonviolent resistance, quoting international law, and asking for their rights. Not only did the world media sit by and underreport the demonstrations, when they did touch on the subject they described them as “clashes” and “border riots”. This was despite the fact that no such “border” exists between Gaza and “Israel”. As for the allegation that there were clashes; if so, where are the dead Israelis? Where are the injured Israelis? What really occurred is that a heavily militarized force sat behind mounds of dirt or military towers, behind layers of barbed wire, on top of militarized fences/walls, and shot at defenseless Palestinians like fish in a barrel, often with banned explosive bullets. This was not just the likes of Fox News that reported on the demonstrations like this, it was the BBC, CNN, The New York Times, and just about every other mainstream Western news outlet you could think of.

Land Day in 2018 should have been, according to the liberal pundits who preach nonviolence for the Palestinians – but not for Ukrainians against Russia’s military of course – that ended all their oppression. Instead, it was the beginning of a massacre, a catastrophe. 

On this Land Day, the Palestinian people prepare for the month of Ramadan ahead of them, where fascist Israeli settler mobs threaten to raid Al-Aqsa Mosque, they do so in a very different environment than the one we saw in 2018. The world lied to the Palestinians when they told them they could take back their rights through nonviolent resistance, and saw last May, that the only time they can extract a win against their occupiers is through armed struggle. The younger generations are tired of the lies and a Palestinian Authority that collaborates with the Zionist occupier through security coordination, they see that there is no hope in waiting on the Oslo process. The armed struggle is now rising inside the 1948 territories, the West Bank, Al-Quds, and is no longer isolated to the ‘Joint Room’ of resistance factions in the Gaza Strip. 

The Palestinian armed struggle is undergoing a new revival and this time it will take more than empty promises to stop it. A United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) report, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch (HRW), B’Tselem, and many more have declared “Israel” an Apartheid regime and this system of injustice will be confronted by any means necessary.

The opinions mentioned in this article do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Al mayadeen, but rather express the opinion of its writer exclusively.

Related Photos (Al-manar)

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Turks Rally against Zionist President’s Visit to Ankara

12 Mar, 2022

By Staff, Agencies

Turkish protesters took to the streets of the capital Ankara to vent their outrage at a controversial visit by the Zionist regime’s ‘president’ Isaac Herzog.

In Friday’s demonstration, the participants carried the flags of the Lebanese and Yemeni resistance movements, Hezbollah and Ansarullah, as well as pictures of Iran’s top anti-terror and anti-Zionist commander General Qassem Soleimani, who was assassinated by the United States in early 2020.

They chanted slogans such as, “Down with the US,” “Down with ‘Israel’,” “Hello to jihad [endeavor for the sake of God],” “Hello to Hezbollah,” and “We are all Qassem Soleimani.”

Herzog visited Turkey on Wednesday at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the most senior Zionist visit since 2008.

Erdogan described Herzog’s trip “a new turning point” in long-strained ties, expressing Turkey’s readiness to cooperate with the occupying regime in the energy sector.

Relations between Ankara and Tel Aviv hit a low in 2018 when they expelled ambassadors in a dispute over the killing by the Zionist regime’s forces of dozens of Palestinians during the Great March of Return protests near the Gaza fence erected by ‘Israel.’

It halted years of reconciliation following a row over a 2010 ‘Israeli’ raid on Gaza-bound aid ship Mavi Marmara that killed 10 Turkish pro-Palestinian activists.

On Wednesday, Turkish people held protests in the cities of Ankara, Istanbul, Gaziantep and Burdur against Herzog’s visit.

They urged Ankara to reverse the “mistake” of boosting ties amid lingering animosity over the killing of the activists.

“Mavi Marmara is our pride,” the demonstrators chanted, holding up banners reading, “We don’t want a killer in our country.”

“This is a great pain and a torment, it is like a knife to our people’s chest,” said Mehmet Tunc, one of those who was on the Mavi Marmara ship at the time of the deadly ‘Israeli’ raid.

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Solidarity with Palestine in Stadiums: When Sports and Politics Conjoin

January 4, 2022

Chants of solidarity show that sports can’t be separated from politics and losing a game by withdrawing for political reasons can be a powerful victory.

Fans wave the Palestinian flag during the FIFA Arab Cup 2021 group C football match between Morocco and Palestine at the Al-Janoub Stadium in the Qatari city of Al-Wakrah on December 1, 2021. x Photo by Karim Sahib, AFP via Getty Images

YOUSEF M. ALJAMAL

Palestinian football history is rich and goes back to British Mandate Palestine when the Palestinian national team played against Australia’s football team in Sydney on July 2, 1939. Interestingly, at the time, nine years before the creation of Israel, the entire Palestinian team comprised of Jewish players and Australia won 7-5. Today, Palestinian sports unions and clubs are scattered across major Palestinian cities such as Jaffa, Gaza, Jerusalem, and Haifa.

Despite suffering a serious blow in 1948 due to the establishment of Israel and the takeover of many Palestine’s sports facilities by the Israeli authorities, Palestinian sports remained alive over the years with sports taking a particular political taste. Sports has never been separated from politics especially after Israel’s occupation of Palestine.

The scenes of football fans waving the Palestinian flag in stadiums at local, regional, and international tournaments have become familiar across the globe. To the disappointment of people who call for separating sports from politics, this does not seem possible. Supporters of various teams have turned stadiums into platforms to voice their support for the Palestinian people and their struggle for freedom and statehood. In some cases, they have received punishments and restrictions from sports bodies such as UEFA for doing so.

In response to imposing a fine penalty on the Green Brigade, one of the team’s ultras groups raised money to pay the fine imposed by UEFA and an additional 176,000 British pounds to support Palestinian charities. The Scottish Celtic fans in Scotland have repeatedly expressed their support for the Palestinian cause by raising Palestinian flags especially when their team is playing against an Israeli one. Celtic fans are also known for their pro-Palestine chants.

Palestinian players and sports people have always been a target for Israel.

In fact, Israel also knows that sports can’t be separated from politics. Israel’s former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu published a video calling on the Iranian people to revolt against their own government, when Iranians took to the streets in 2018. He asked them, “Can you imagine how hard it is to stop Ronaldo from scoring a goal? I used to play soccer, let me tell you, it is almost impossible, but the Iranian team just did the impossible. To the Iranian team I say, you showed courage on the playing field, and today, you are sharing the same courage in the streets of Iran.”

Palestinian players and sports people have always been a target for Israel. In 2009, Israeli forces arrested Palestinian footballer Mahmoud al-Sarsak, while he was on his way to the West Bank from the Gaza Strip. They held him under the “Unlawful Combatants Law,” which allows Israel to hold prisoners without charge or trial. After three years under arrest, al-Sarsak gained his freedom after going on a three-month-long hunger strike.

Palestinian sports infrastructure and players have also been targeted by Israel. In 2009, Israel bombed Al Ahli Sports Club in a refugee camp, Al-Nusierat, and during the Great March of Return (GMR), on April 4, 2018, Israeli snipers shot Palestinian footballer Mohammed Khalil in the knee, ending his career. In fact, dozens of Palestinians who were rendered amputees by Israeli forces during the GMR protests formed an amputee football team.

Israel has made it almost impossible for Palestinian teams from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank to play against each other during national tournaments. This has prompted Palestinian sports officials to complain against Israel to FIFA. Israel has lifted some of these restrictions, but many of them are still in place, rendering it almost impossible for Palestinian players to compete freely.

During the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, a number of Arab players chose to withdraw from competing rather than compete against Israeli players. Algerian judoka Fethi Nourine was sent home and had a 10-year ban imposed on him as punishment for his withdrawal, which effectively ended his career.

Sudan’s Mohamed Abdalrasool did the same when he had to compete against Tohar Butbul – whom Nourine had refused to play with – citing solidarity with the Palestinian people. The stance of these athletes reveals the huge gap between the political and popular levels in the Arab world, and it further explains the importance of sports and the impossibility of separating it from politics.

More recently, at the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup held in Doha between November 30 and December 18, increasing solidarity with the Palestinian people was expressed by football fans. During the Tunisia-Egypt game, Palestinian flags were visible. The Algerian football team and its fans were very vocal in support of Palestinians, raising the Palestinian flag during their matches.

Following winning the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup, Algeria’s fans and team raised the Palestinian flag. Following the Algeria-Morocco match, Houcine Benayada, Algeria’s national team player who wrapped the Palestinian and Algerian flags over his body, said, “We do not play for any bonus, we play for these two flags.” Madjid Bougherra, the Algerian team’s coach, dedicated his country’s victory to the Palestinian people, adding, “We dedicate the Arab Cup to the Palestinian people and our people in Gaza.” In the streets of Gaza, Palestinians took to the streets to celebrate Algeria’s championship.

Read:

•  Olive Harvest in Palestine: Could Oil Become Tears?
• The Morality of Violence in Settler-Colonial Contexts: From Algeria to Palestine
• “Is It Our Turn to Die?”: Being a Mother in Gaza

Bahaa Abou Al-Ata…A Name Deeply Engraved within the Israeli Mind

Nov 20, 2021

Source: Al Mayadeen

By Hassan Lafi

Abou al-Ata was responsible for removing the “Master of Israeli Security” from the podium in an embarrassing fashion, which Netanyahu viewed as a personal insult.

The decision taken by “Israel” to assassinate Bahaa Abou al-Ata, the leader of the northern region in the Quds Brigades – the military faction of the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine -, was certainly not a normal event. It took place on the dawn of Tuesday, 12 November 2019, and showcased a string of complicated Israeli calculations given that this assassination would be the first targeting a resistance commander since 2012, and occurred amidst a lack of tension or war.

Thus, the two Israeli institutions, the political and military, were aware that taking this decision would certainly break the equation sanctified by the Palestinian resistance, which stipulates that any assassination equals a war.

Subsequently, the assassination of Abou al-Ata, for “Israel”, was a declaration of a military battle with the resistance in Gaza. And certainly, the Israeli intelligence assessments know very well that the shrapnel of the Gaza rockets in that battle will not be confined to the borders of the settlements around the Gaza Strip and the south, but will rather reach deep into the “Gush Dan” area, the most densely populated center in the occupied lands.

Nonetheless, this scenario occurred in the battle of “Sayhat al-Fajr” (The Cry of Dawn) which the al-Quds Brigades fought against “Israel.”

Two years after the assassination of Bahaa Abou al-Ata, the question still remains: what was the Israeli view of the Palestinian leader’s personality? And what did it represent in the Israeli mindset of both military and political institutions? 

Amos Gilad, head of the Israeli Institute for Policy and Strategy (IPS) and former director of policy and political-military affairs at the Ministry of Security, answered when asked about Bahaa Abou el-Ata by saying: “He was the chief motivator for the Islamic Jihad’s operation, and possesses a strong and bold personality.” 

Israeli Occupation Army Spokesman Heidi Zilberman did not diverge from Gilad’s assessment, saying to journalists following the assassination of Abou al-Ata that “Israel” understands well that the martyr was “a wild element, mostly working according to a point of view paradoxical to regional interests.” This confirms that the occupation dealt with the resistance leader as a major hurdle to its regional plans, the most important of which were:

First: “Israel” was in need of cooling down the Gaza front through understandings of instilling calm in exchange for humanitarian facilitations (on a humanitarian level). This approach turned, two years after the assassination of Abou al-Ata, into a full-fledged plan put forward by the Israeli foreign minister Yair Lapid, and adopted by his government, titled “Security in exchange for Economy”, away from any political dimensions related to the Palestinian rights as a people under occupation.

Second: The political leadership of the Israeli occupation at the time, represented by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, considered that the continuation of the “ninth hour” strategy, of which martyr Abou al-Ata was the icon, that maintains a state of perpetual conflict through engagement with “Israel,” negatively affects the impetus of some normalizing countries to steer towards “Tel Aviv”, which Netanyahu considered a major goal in his regional policies. Moreover, the name of Bahaa Abou al-Ata was engraved deeply in Netanyahu’s mind at two instances that had great impact on his policies and personality. 

The first instance was Abu al-Ata’s crucial role in sanctifying the eye for an eye equation with the occupation, which came in defense of the peaceful protesters who were being assaulted during their “Return Marches” by the IOF. This equation engendered successive rounds of military escalations, becoming the main reason behind the toppling of Netanyahu’s government in November 2018 following the resignation of the then-Minister of Security, Avigdor Lieberman, who opposed accepting a ceasefire with the resistance in Gaza right after the “Ashkelon Hell” battle. Lieberman viewed this “compromise” as a capitulation on the part of Netanyahu’s government. 

The second instance was al-Ata’s responsibility for removing Netenyahu, the so-called “master of Israeli security,” from the podium in an embarrassing fashion in front of his electoral audience in “Ashdod”. This incident was considered by the former PM as a personal insult to him that affected his entire political future, especially with the wide circulation of Abou al-Ata’s picture in Israeli media. Although this circulation aimed to send a threat to the Palestinian leader in order to hinder his work, the continuation of “Al-Quds Brigades”, under his leadership, in the engagement strategy, made him a permanent presence in the Israeli media. Every time Bahaa Abou al-Ata’s photo is published, the Israeli public recalls the humiliation of Netanyahu and his escape from Abou al-Ata’s missiles to the shelter. 

Third: At the time, “Israel” was seeking to focus its efforts on the northern front and the Iranian nuclear project, taking advantage of the presence of US President Donald Trump in office. However, as the Gaza front continued to heat up through the engagement strategy, the occupation considered that the Islamic Jihad, as an effective part of the resistance axis, impeded these Israeli endeavors. Therefore, the Israeli occupation planes tried to assassinate in Damascus the commander of the military department in the Islamic Jihad movement, Akram al-Ajouri, whom “Tel Aviv” calls the military mastermind of the al-Quds Brigades, in tandem with their assassination of Abou al-Ata, who was considered the most powerful executive commander in the Brigades. Thus, “Israel” would have dealt a simultaneous double blow to the military mind and arm of the Islamic Jihad, in order to paralyze the military capacity of the al-Quds Brigades.

This strategy echoes the mistakes made in 1995 when former Israeli PM Yitzhak Rabin decided to assassinate the founder of the Islamic Jihad movement and its first secretary-general, Dr. Fathi Shaqaqi, believing that the movement was solely based on the person of Shaqaqi.

However, less than six months later, the Islamic Jihad was carrying out its first operations in “Tel Aviv,” in response to the assassination of martyr Shaqaqi, under the leadership of Dr. Ramadan Shallah back then, may God have mercy on him.

In the case of Bahaa Abou al-Ata, the Jihad movement, led by its Secretary-General Ziad al-Nakhala, did not wait extensively to prove to “Israel” the failure of its expectations: Half an hour after Abou al-Ata’s assassination, al-Quds Brigades fired a rocket barrage in the direction of the “Gush Dan” area, announcing the start of the “Sayhat al-Fajr” battle.

Land day: Israel’s programme of Palestinian land theft goes on undisturbed

Palestinian protesters mark Land Day in the Umm Al-Hiran village in the Wadi Atir area of the Negev (Naqab) desert (AFP)

Ghada Karmi is a former research Fellow at the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter. She was born in Jerusalem and was forced to leave her home with her family as a result of Israel’s creation in 1948. The family moved to England, where she grew up and was educated. Karmi practised as a doctor for many years working as a specialist in the health of migrants and refugees. From 1999 to 2001 Karmi was an Associate Fellow of the Royal Institute of International Affairs, where she led a major project on Israel-Palestinian reconciliation.

Ghada Karmi

30 March 2021 13:32 UTC | Last update: 

For Palestinians, Land Day continues to be an inspiration and a tribute to the just struggle of an unbowed people for their land

The centrality of the struggle for land has always been fundamental to understanding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

It is at the heart of two major events whose anniversaries fall due on 30 March. The first, Land Day, commemorates the surge of Palestinian resistance to the takeover of their land by Israel in 1976; and the second marks the start of the Great March of Return in 2018, when thousands of Palestinians in Gaza demonstrated for the right of refugees to return to their confiscated lands in Israel.

From the start the Zionist movement was predicated on the acquisition of an empty territory on which to establish a state exclusively for Jews. Since no such land was available in the Palestine of the time, it had to be carved out, first by purchase, and later by war.

The land-grabbing journey

As Jewish immigrants began to arrive in the country in increasing numbers after 1917, Zionist organisations such as the Jewish National Fund and the Palestine Jewish Colonisation Association set about buying Palestinian land, provided it was untenanted at the time of purchase.

Today, Israel’s settlements have meant that Palestinian ownership of West Bank and East Jerusalem land has shrunk to under 13 percent

Many Arab landowners living outside Palestine, in addition to a minority of Palestinian peasants, sold them land. These sales were mainly motivated by economic necessity, since the Zionist organisations had access to foreign funds unavailable to Arabs.

Years of intense Zionist effort, however, yielded disappointing results. By 1947, and despite their funding and connections to powerful supporters of Zionism, these organisations had acquired no more than a meagre 6.7 percent of Palestine’s land.

But this disappointment was soon reversed by the Arab-Israeli war of 1948. In that war Israel captured 78 percent of Mandate Palestine, taking large swathes of Palestinian land, mostly untenanted thanks to population flight and expulsions in the war. 

After 1948 the new Israeli state swiftly enacted a series of laws designed to acquire more Palestinian land by pseudo-legal means. These included the 1950 Absentee Property Law, permitting the state to take over Palestinian land and property in their owners’ absence; and soon after, the 1953 Land Acquisition Law, which introduced a new category of “state lands” and “closed areas”.

This had the effect of making the state the majority owner of the land, which was to be permanently out of the reach of its previous Palestinian owners.

Subsequent events up to and including the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, that put Israel in occupation of the rest of Palestine, have been stages on the same land-grabbing journey. Today, Israel’s settlements have meant that Palestinian ownership of West Bank and East Jerusalem land has shrunk to under 13 percent. That is set to diminish further as the settlement process continues with further land loss. 

Palestinian children hold up pictures of keys, symbolising the homes they left behind (AFP)

This is the background to the dramatic protests of Land Day in 1976. Their trigger at the time was the Israeli government’s plan to expropriate thousands of dunums of Arab land in the Galilee to build Jewish industrial villages. In line with the Israeli government’s 1975 “Galilee Development Plan” to expand Jewish settlement, it would accelerate Judaisation of what was a majority Arab area. 

A turning point

On 30 March a general strike was called, and widespread demonstrations in Arab towns erupted from the Galilee to the Negev. Thousands marched in protest, while solidarity demonstration were held in the Occupied Territories and the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon.Land Day: A potent symbol of the Palestinian struggle

Unexpected at the time from what had been a largely quiescent Arab population, Israel was alarmed and deployed thousands of police, army units and tanks to quell the protests. Six Arabs were killed, hundreds wounded, and hundreds more arrested.

Land Day, as it became known, was a turning point. It was the first time since 1948 that the Arabs in Israel acted as a national collective, refusing to accept the theft of their land after years of control by Israel’s military rule. Land Day was an expression of national pride and self-confidence. It marked the assertion of an Arab presence that Israel’s politics could no longer ignore, and the starting point for Arab political participation in Israel. 

From that time to this, Land Day has been commemorated annually by Palestinians everywhere. In 2018 it was marked by the start of another great Palestinian protest over land. The Great March of Return saw 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza demonstrate near the Israeli separation fence of electrified barbed wire and sensors. It was a peaceful protest, demanding the right of refugees to return to their lands and an end to the blockade of Gaza. Intended to last from 30 March to 15 May, Nakba Day, the same protests took place every Friday.

A double heroism

As in 1976 Israel retaliated with murderous violence. Between 30 March and 15 May 2018 an estimated 110 protesters were killed, and 13,000 wounded by a combination of sniper fire and drones. By the time the March of Return was halted by Hamas in December 2019, 214 people had been killed, and 36,000 wounded. Of these, 1,200 needed long term rehabilitation following bone infections and limb injuries. Israeli soldiers seemed to be using a “shoot-and-maim” policy, deliberately targeting the legs of protestors to cause maximum disability.

Land Day marked the assertion of an Arab presence that Israel’s politics could no longer ignore

Gaza’s health system, damaged by years of blockade, understaffing, and equipment and power shortages, has been unable to cope with the toll of so many injured. Yet that did not stop Palestinian youth braving death and injury each week for nearly two years, and creating a new Palestinian legend to commemorate on 30 March. 

Israel never changed course in the face of that double Palestinian heroism celebrated on Land Day. It went on to build “Development towns” for Jews, 26 by 1981, with the effect of altering the Galilee’s demography in favour of Jews.

In Gaza, likewise, the blockade continues, and Israel’s pretext of its brutality as self-defence against the Great March of Return has been accepted by many Western governments. Its programme of Palestinian land theft goes on undisturbed.  

But for Palestinians on 30 March, Land Day continues to be an inspiration, and a tribute to the just struggle of an unbowed people for their land.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye.

Related

• The Story of Palestine’s Land Day
• On Land Day, Palestine will be free from the river to the sea
• Land Day Report: Sharp Rise in Illegal Jewish Settlement Building in West Bank
• On the Land Day, the 2011 Nakba-Naksa Days and the war on the Armed Resistance
• Global March to Jerusalem Celebrates Land Day at Lebanese-Palestinian Borders
• Land Day: A potent symbol of the Palestinian struggle
• On Land Day: In Occupied Palestine, Existence is Resistance
• On Land Day, Listen to the Land
• Land Day: Why It Matters
• Land Day Martyrs

Historical References:

• Land Day in Palestine (contemporary report of first Land Day) PFLP Bulletin, March/April 1976
• Day of the Land (report on 6th Land Day), PFLP Bulletin, March 1982
• Land, the Central Issue of Zionist Strategy (Report on eighth Land Day), Democratic Palestine, May 1984
• Land Day 1976 in Vancouver – Canada Palestine Association

Investigation to Move Forward: Everything You Need to Know about ICC Latest Ruling on Israeli War Crimes (SPECIAL REPORT)

February 6, 2021

ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda. (Photo: UN Website)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff

On Friday, February 5, the last hurdle in the way of an international investigation into war crimes committed in occupied Palestine has been removed, as the International Criminal Court in the Hague has finally approved the Prosecutor’s request to open legal proceedings regarding war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories, including Gaza.

“Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court .. decided, by majority, that the Court’s territorial jurisdiction in the Situation in Palestine, a State party to the ICC Rome Statute, extends to the territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem,” the ICC said in a press release that was made available to international media, including The Palestine Chronicle.

BREAKING: #ICC Finally Approves #Investigation into #WarCrimes in Occupied #Palestine https://t.co/tg8pQrShG8 via @PalestineChron #IsraeliCrimes pic.twitter.com/5GLjlDaepF

— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) February 5, 2021

The Investigation

After years of haggling, the ICC had resolved in December 2019 that, “there is a reasonable basis to proceed with an investigation into the situation in Palestine, pursuant to Article 53(1) of the Statute.”

Article 53(1) merely describes the procedural steps that often lead, or do not lead, to an investigation by the Court.

That Article is satisfied when the amount of evidence provided to the Court is so convincing that it leaves the ICC with no other option but to move forward with an investigation.

Investigation to move forward: Everything you need to know about #ICC latest ruling on #Israeli #WarCrimes pic.twitter.com/R0CYbX4pCE

— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) February 6, 2021

Indeed, Bensouda had already declared late last year that she was,

“satisfied that (i) war crimes have been or are being committed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip… (ii) potential cases arising from the situation would be admissible; and (iii) there are no substantial reasons to believe that an investigation would not serve the interests of justice.”

The Reactions

The decision, then, has angered Israel and its Western allies, who insisted that the ICC has no jurisdiction, since Palestine, they alleged, is not an independent state. 

As soon as Bensouda made her decision, although, after much delay, the US administration swiftly moved to block the Court’s attempt at holding Israeli officials accountable. On June 11, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order slapping sanctions on members of the global judicial body, citing the ICC’s investigations of US war crimes in Afghanistan and Israeli war crimes in Palestine.

In an historic irony, Germany, which had to answer to numerous war crimes committed by the Nazi regime during World War II, stepped in to serve as the main defender of Israel at the ICC and to shield accused Israeli war criminals from legal and moral accountability.

Germany, among others, then argued that the ICC had no legal authority to discuss Israeli war crimes in the occupied territories. These efforts, however, eventually amounted to nil.

Dr. Triestino Mariniello, member of the legal team for Gaza victims at the ICC,  told Palestine Chronicle TV: 

“There are at least eight countries that are openly against an investigation of the Palestinian situation. Germany is one. Some of the others came as a surprise, to be honest, for at least four other countries, Uganda, Brazil, Czech Republic, and Hungary had explicitly recognized that Palestine is a State under international law, yet are now submitting statements before the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber saying that this is not true anymore.”

The Pre-Trial Chamber

Consequently, Bensouda referred the matter to the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber, requesting a “ruling on the scope of the Court’s territorial jurisdiction in the Situation in the State of Palestine”.

The pre-trial chamber consists of judges that authorize the opening of investigations. Customarily once the Prosecutor decides to consider an investigation, she has to inform the Pre-Trial Chamber of her decision.

According to the Rome Statute, Article 56(b), 

“… the Pre-Trial Chamber may, upon request of the Prosecutor, take such measures as may be necessary to ensure the efficiency and integrity of the proceedings and, in particular, to protect the rights of the defence.”

According to Dr. Mariniello:

 “This request to the Pre-Trial Chamber was not necessary, for a simple reason: because the situation is being referred by the State of Palestine. So, when a State party refers a situation to the Prosecutor, the Prosecutor does not need authorization by the Pre-Trial Chamber.”

The Court’s Jurisdiction

The State of Palestine became a signatory of the Rome Statute in January 2015. By accepting the jurisdiction of the Court, Palestine became a State Party. 

The Pre-Trial Chamber 1 reiterated that Palestine is a State Party, therefore the Court has jurisdiction over its territory. Dr. Mariniello told The Palestine Chronicle: “The Pre-trial Chamber did not only recognize that Palestine is a State, they also stated that the Court’s jurisdiction extends to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza. What we feared was a further fragmentation of the Palestinian territory” but, according to the ruling, this was not the case.

A Victory

“It is a landmark decision since all the comments expressed by the legal team representing the Gaza victims have been approved. Therefore, they rejected all the arguments by civil society organizations or even states who were trying to persuade the Court that Palestine is not a State,” Dr. Mariniello added.

Professor Richard Falk, Former UN Special Rapporteur on Palestinian human rights, told Palestine Chronicle TV that the ICC investigation is a “breakthrough”.

“It’s a breakthrough even to consider the investigation, let alone the indictment and the prosecution of either Israelis or Americans that was put on the agenda of the ICC, which led to a pushback by these governments … Israel has denounced the Court as if it is improper to examine any State that claims the matter of geopolitical impunity. So you have a core denial of the rule of law.”

The Narrow Scope

Professor Falk elaborated, 

 “The scope of the investigation is something that is ill-defined, so it is a matter of political discretion,” Professor. Falk said, adding that “the Court takes a position that needs to be cautious about delimiting its jurisdiction and, therefore, it tries to narrow the scope of what it is prepared to investigate. I don’t agree with this view … but it does represent the fact that the ICC, like the UN itself, is subject to immense geopolitical pressure”.

The legal representatives of the ‘Palestinian Victims Residents of the Gaza Strip’ had expressed their concern on behalf of the victims regarding “the ostensibly narrow scope of the investigation into the crimes suffered by the Palestinian victims of this situation.”

The ‘narrow scope of the investigation’ has thus far excluded such serious crimes as Crimes Against Humanity. According to the Gaza legal team, the killing of hundreds and wounding of thousands of unarmed protesters participating in the ‘Great March of Return’ is a crime against humanity that must also be investigated.

The ICC’s jurisdiction, of course, goes beyond Bensouda’s decision to investigate ‘war crimes’ only.

Article 5 of the Rome Statute – the founding document of the ICC – extends the Court’s jurisdiction to investigate the following “serious crimes”:

(a) The Crime of Genocide

(b) Crimes Against Humanity

(c) War Crimes

(d) The Crime of Aggression

It should come as no surprise that Israel is qualified to be investigated on all four points and that the nature of Israeli crimes against Palestinians often tends to constitute a mixture of two or more of these points simultaneously.

That in mind, according to Mariniello,

“The scope of the investigation is not binding for the future. The Prosecutor can decide, at any moment, to include other crimes. We hope it will happen because, otherwise, many victims will never get justice.”

What Now

Mariniello told The Palestine Chronicle,

 “Now, the hard work starts for the legal representatives of the ‘Palestinian Victims Residents of the Gaza Strip’, we cannot lower the guard. We need to work so that the ICC Prosecutor can identify the people responsible for international crimes and their criminal behavior as soon as possible.”

The Prosecutor

The decision that there were sufficient elements to investigate war crimes committed in the Occupied Palestinian Territories was taken by ICC Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, who is currently nearing the end of her term. 

A new prosecutor should be elected soon.

(Managing Editor of The Palestine Chronicle, Romana Rubeo, composed this report) 

Progressive Spirit Podcast: Gilad Atzmon on the Upcoming US Civil War

NOVEMBER 25, 2020BY GILAD ATZMON

John Shuck writes: Gilad Atzmon returns to discuss what he sees as a civil war brewing in the United States over dividing lines that are based on identitarian politics. In this educational and informative interview, he elaborates on a recent post of his, It’s Not About Trump or Biden, and he discusses the history of identitarian politics and why the U.S. is so polarized today. He is the author of The Wandering Who: The Study of Jewish Identity Politics and Being In Time: A Post-Political Manifesto. In May 2018 he was on my program that commemorated the 70th anniversary of the Nakba “The Catastrophe” and Palestinian resistance.

More here

BDS Victory, Manchester university divest from Caterpillar

By Elfalasteen -August 5, 2020

MANCHESTER, PALESTINOW.COM — Students across the UK have called on universities to end their complicity in Israeli apartheid. ‘Apartheid off Campus’ actions were held at over 30 universities this week.

Stop Arming Colonialism

The protests are part of the annual Israeli Apartheid Week, an international series of events that “seeks to raise awareness about Israel’s apartheid regime over the Palestinian people and build support for the growing Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.”

Israel is currently militarily occupying the West Bank and East Jerusalem, maintaining a siege of the Gaza Strip and denying equal rights to its Palestinian citizens.

Israeli Apartheid Week is now in its 15th year. The theme of the event this year is #StopArmingColonialism.

Students call for divestment from Caterpillar

In the UK, students at Manchester University called for an end to university investments in Caterpillar:The BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions of Israel) society marched through the University of Manchester campus to demand that the University divests its shares, worth £482,381.26, from Caterpillar, and in solidarity to the Palestinians protesting every day during the Great March of Return, of which over 200 have been killed by the Israeli military.

The protest is part of a three-year campaign against the university’s investments in Caterpillar. In February, students occupied a meeting of the Board of Governors, demanding that the university divest.

Caterpillar bulldozers used in revenge attacks on Palestinian families

Caterpillar, a US multinational, provides D9 military bulldozers to the Israeli army through the US’ Foreign Military Sales programme. According to a recent book by research group Corporate Occupation, Caterpillar bulldozers were used in demolitions of at least 41 Palestinian properties by Israeli authorities during 2018. Seven of these demolitions were acts of collective punishment against the families of Palestinians accused of involvement in resistance attacks on Israeli soldiers or colonists. The Israeli policy of punitive home demolitions is widely accepted to be in breach of international law.

Caterpillar D9 bulldozers were used in January 2018 to demolish houses near Jenin in the West Bank. The demolition was carried out as a revenge attack against the family of Ahmad Jarrar. Jarrar was suspected of fatally shooting an Israeli colonist. According to Israeli human rights group B’Tselem, the soldiers, accompanied by Caterpillar D9 bulldozers, began the demolition while people were still inside one of the houses. One Palestinian man was killed during the incident.

“Our kids were so frightened they were in tears”

In a testimony given on 24 January 2018, Nassim Jarrar said:

Shortly after 3am we heard cars and a bulldozer approaching our house. The bulldozer started demolishing the western side of the house. My husband, children and I started screaming because we were scared the house would collapse on top of us. We felt the ground shake and heard parts of the house come crashing down. We went into the kitchen and stood there, confused and scared. Our kids were so frightened they were in tears. The sounds of the demolition grew louder.

Caterpillar D9 Bulldozers are also regularly used in invasions of the Gaza strip, razing Palestinian farmland in the area close to the apartheid barrier between Gaza and Israel, levelling the land to give Israeli snipers a clear shot at Palestinian Great March of Return protesters.

Bulldozer used in yet another murder

On 19 March, the Israeli military shot dead two young Palestinian men. Raed Hamdan, 21, and Zayed Nuri, 20, were driving in their car when soldiers opened fire on them. A military bulldozer was then used to drag and crush the car. The bulldozer appears to be manufactured by Caterpillar. Palestinian people tweeted that the men were still inside the car when it was bulldozed:

About last night in #Nablus and the killing of the two friends, Raed and Zayed.
“Then an Israeli bulldozer drove over the car several times, and the screaming of the guys inside the car was heard, until they were no longer screaming”. pic.twitter.com/TWM8KKB0hG

— Fidaa فِداء (@fidaazaanin) March 20, 2019

The Canary contacted Caterpillar for comment but had not received a reply at the time of publication.

The Apartheid Week protest comes as campaigns against Israel’s home demolition policies are gathering momentum. The #StopTheDemolitions campaign aims to persuade construction equipment manufacturers to stop supplying the Israeli authorities. The Israeli state used military and civilian bulldozers to demolish 461 Palestinian structures in the West Bank last year.

Caterpillar isn’t the only company being targeted. Activists have also taken direct against bulldozer company JCB twice within a year, blockading its factories and preventing goods from arriving and leaving.

On 21 March, four #StopTheDemolitions activists appeared in court in Newcastle-under-Lyme to plead not guilty. They were charged with blockading the JCB Global Logistics Headquarters earlier this month. UK company JCB also manufactures bulldozers which the Israeli authorities use to demolish Palestinian homes. The defendants plan to argue that their actions were justified because of JCB’s complicity in Israel’s home demolitions.

As activists face prosecution, Israel continues to act with impunity, while the bulldozer companies continue to rake in the profits.

Land Day 2020 in the Time of the Coronavirus

March 30, 2020

Samidoun issued a call for a rally in New York City to commemorate the second anniversary of the Great Return March in Gaza, that has been transformed into a virtual event. (Photo: via Samidoun)

By Benay Blend

On March 3, 2020, Samidoun: Palestinian Prisoner Network issued a call for a rally in New York City to commemorate the second anniversary of the Great Return March in Gaza.

Plans were to hold the march in conjunction with the Palestine Writes Festival (March 27-29), but due to the Coronavirus the literary gathering has been postponed, and the march, like so many other events, has been transformed into a virtual event.

Two years ago, on March 30, 2018, Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip launched the Great March of Return in order to demand an end to Israel’s closure of the Gaza Strip and the right of return for millions of Palestinian ethnically cleansed from their homes.

Despite Israel’s ongoing use of live ammunition, tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets, Palestinians continue to use every legitimate means possible—including armed resistance, general strikes, Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaigns, and the Great Return March—in their struggle for national liberation.

This year, in the words of Tamara Nassar: “Palestinians face two enemies: occupation and pandemic.” As Nassar notes, their struggle against the virus entails the same precautions as the rest of the world, while, in addition, Israel “continues to demolish structures, conduct night raids, arbitrarily arrest children and routinely harass civilians.”

For example, palinfo.com reports that on March 27, 2020, Israeli occupation soldiers invaded several areas in the West Bank city of al-Khalil where they “deliberately spat” at Palestinian homes and cars. After their departure, Palestinian workers sterilized the places where the soldiers spat in order to reduce the chances of infection.

Moreover, while the West Bank and Jerusalem are quarantined, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights last week recorded that Israelis undertook 59 home raids and 51 arrests.

All of these atrocities and more are unique to the Occupation. Nevertheless, there is a larger framework that makes it possible to place the Palestinian struggle within a broader context. As stated in Samidoun’s decision to transform the various rallies in support of Gaza into virtual events:

“Protecting each other’s health at this critical time is essential to continuing the struggle against the forces of oppression and exploitation that deny people health care or price it with a profit motive.”

For many in the labor force, this is not an option. In countries under the rule of right-wing capitalist leaders, workers are being told that they have a choice between staying home without a paycheck, thus placing their families under economic hardship, or going to workplaces that put them at risk for serious infection with the virus.

For example, the lieutenant governor of Texas Dan Patrick suggested that older Americans would surely sacrifice themselves in return for guaranteeing their grandchildren’s economic future. He also advocated that the country should be opened up for business in weeks, not months as health professionals propose.

President Donald Trump’s call to open up the country for business by Easter echoed a similar prioritizing of business and mega-church religious leaders over the lives of workers and their families.

In Palestine, too, Akram Al-Waara reports that workers face a similar dilemma, though aggravated by realities of the Occupation. For those working in Israel, new restrictions related to the Coronavirus mean that they have a choice between sacrificing a “much-needed income,” or taking the chance of being apart from their families for months.

As the virus continued to extend across Israel and the West Bank, Israeli Defense Minister Naftali Bennet, who had already closed the borders around Bethlehem, announced that only workers in “essential” fields—construction, healthcare, and agriculture—would be granted entry; everyone else would be quarantined at home.

“While the Israelis are staying inside their homes, they are putting us to work so that things don’t collapse,” Kareem, a Palestinian construction worker, told Middle East Eye, all “for the sake of saving their economy.” Though the situation is different within the context of the Occupation, the paradigm of profit over people is inevitable wherever there is a capitalist economy. In New Mexico, where I live, Indian reservations make up expendable labor pools, much like Palestinians are today.

In the preface to Simon Ortiz’s Fight Back: For the Sake of the People, For the Sake of the Land (1980), historian Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz explains that “Indians have a basis of unity with non-Indians,” and it is there, “in the fields and on the picket line, that they may see through the smokescreen of racism” to pinpoint the real cause of their oppression: capitalism.

She continues:

“For the Indian and non-Indian worker in the United States and most of the hemisphere, their exploited labor provides the profits for those who claim to own the land and the factories and have armies to back their claim.”

Dunbar-Ortiz’s analysis is more important today than ever as we see workers around the world faced with the choice of watching their families starve without a paycheck or bringing sickness home from their workplace.

As Italians called for a General Strike on March 25 under the slogan “Our lives are worth more than your profits,” and requests for a nationwide rent strike erupt in the U.S., it seems an excellent time for international solidarity among the working class, Indigenous, immigrants and all other oppressed groups of people.

Meanwhile, news sources such as NPR are using fears over the Coronavirus to air the following message: “Israelis and Palestinians now have a common enemy: the Coronavirus.”

Described by +972 Magazine as “ ‘colonization of the mind,’ whereby the oppressed subject comes to believe that the oppressor’s reality is the only ‘normal’ reality that must be subscribed to, and that the oppression is a fact of life that must be coped with,” “normalization” never sleeps. Neither does colonialist oppression, even during the height of the pandemic.

As Akram Al-Waara relates, Palestinian workers in Israel who are suspected to have the virus are “dumped…like trash” near the most convenient checkpoints. “This is the true face of the Israeli occupation,” Ibrahim Abu Safiya told Middle East Eye. “They kill us on a daily basis, so this isn’t any different for them.” No cooperation here over a “common enemy to battle,” as Daniel Estrin of NPR termed it, only the continuation of the Palestinian struggle for liberation.

In Israel, the United States, and around the world, exploited groups of people are expendable, thrown away when no longer serving the needs of the elite. As a community activist and scholar Oliver Baker wrote on Facebook, this is how “whiteness in capitalism works. It expects you to consent to give it your labor and enforce empire. But it cares nothing about your life. It’s time to betray it, or if not, you’ll be in the way of people trying to free themselves from these conditions, and you don’t want to be in the way of that right now.”

Nevertheless, the message of Land Day 2020 remains one of sumoud (steadfastness) and creativity, as Palestinians from Gaza to Bethlehem mobilize collectively to fight the virus.

“If we can overcome Coronavirus, we can overcome the occupation,” writes Suha Arraf, a sentiment echoed by Lucy Thaljiyeh, a city council member and feminist political activist: “The solidarity between people has returned, the solidarity we had during the First Intifada which somehow disappeared in the Second Intifada. We are together once again, trapped; we are taking care of each other.”

As support gathers around the world in the coming days for Land Day 2020, it seems fitting to end with the words of Palestinian American activist and scholar Steven Salaita:

“I find myself thinking about the Gaza Strip, Attica, Wounded Knee, the Warsaw Ghetto, not because our situation is analogous, and not because suffering must be exceptional to have meaning, but because they’re examples of incredible strength amid hardship and insecurity and therefore provide a radical vision of fortitude in which victims of power, not its beneficiaries, serve as inspiration for survival.”

– Benay Blend earned her doctorate in American Studies from the University of New Mexico. Her scholarly works include Douglas Vakoch and Sam Mickey, Eds. (2017), “’Neither Homeland Nor Exile are Words’: ‘Situated Knowledge’ in the Works of Palestinian and Native American Writers”. She contributed this article to The Palestine Chronicle.

Palestinians Mobilize against Trump’s “Deal of the Century”

 January 28, 2020

Palestinians staged protests Tuesday against US President Donald Trump’s Middle East peace plan, hours before it was to be unveiled in Washington.

Thousands demonstrated in Gaza, burning pictures of Trump and the American flag, while further rallies were planned for tonight and the coming days.

Details of the initiative, also known as the “Deal of the Century”, remained under wraps, but leaked reports say it will heavily favor the Zionist entity, whose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was to attend the White House unveiling.

Hamas Joins Fatah Meeting

In a rare event, rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah agreed to meet in the West Bank city of Ramallah to discuss a response to Trump.

“We invited the Hamas movement to attend the emergency meeting of the leadership and they will take part in the meeting,” senior Palestinian official Azzam al-Ahmed said.

Hamas official Nasser al-Din al-Shaar confirmed he would attend the meeting, which all Palestinian factions were invited to.

“The meeting will discuss the position that must be taken (against) Trump’s plan,” Shaar said.

Palestinian resistance factions also voiced firm rejection to the plan, with Resistance Committees issuing a statement calling for Palestinian unity and stressing that the resistance will manage to overthrow the so-called “Deal of the Century”.

Details on the Plan

Trump was due to release his plan, in preparation since 2017, at the White House together with his close ally Netanyahu, who is battling corruption charges which he denies and campaigning for March 2 elections.

The Palestinians, who accuse Trump of pro-Israel bias after his administration has unwaveringly backed Israeli objectives, were not taking part in the Washington event.

And Trump’s vision of the so-called “peace” is almost certainly a non-starter for most Palestinians, including those in the Jordan Valley, a strategically vital area that constitutes around 30 percent of the West Bank.

Trump’s plan may seek to give the Zionist entity the green light from Washington to annex the Jordan Valley, which is home to around 65,000 Palestinians, according to the Israeli anti-occupation NGO B’Tselem.

Source: AFP (edited by Al-Manar English Website)

IOF Attack Final Round of Weekly Protests in Gaza

Source

 December 27, 2019

Israeli occupation forces attacked Palestinians taking part in the final round of protests held on a weekly basis near the fence separating the Gaza Strip from the Occupied Territories, leaving a number of protesters injured.

Palestinian media outlets reported that the Israeli forces shot and injured protesters in the east of Jabalia and the east of Khan Yunis on Friday.

Tens of Palestinians also suffered from suffocation due to inhaling tear gas used by the Israeli troops in the eastern part of Gaza.

The “Great March of Return” rallies have been held every week since March 30 last year. The Palestinians want the return of those driven out of their homeland by Israeli aggression.

The protest organizers announced on Thursday that the rallies would be suspended until March 2020, after which it would be held on a monthly basis.

Yousri Darwish, a member of the Supreme National Committee of the Marches of Return, said the decision to suspend the rallies was made in the best interest of the Palestinian people.

He said preparations for the commemoration of the Land Day would be done in the upcoming few months in which the protests would stop. The annual event is held on March 30 to mark the killing of six Palestinians by Israeli forces during mass protests against Israel’s seizure of their land in 1976.

جماهير غزة تؤكد تمسكها بحقوقها وثوابتها الوطنية

Great Return March: Dozens of Palestinians Injured by ‘Israeli’ Forces

By Staff, Agencies

Dozens of Palestinians have been wounded by ‘Israeli’ forces during protests against the Tel Aviv regime near the fence separating the besieged Gaza Strip from the ‘Israeli’ occupied territories.

The Gazan Health Ministry said 30 people were injured during the 85th Friday of protests in the eastern part of Gaza.

Ashraf al-Qedra, the spokesman for the ministry, said in a tweet that eight of the wounded had been shot with live ammunition fired by Zionist troops.

The “Great March of Return” rallies have been held every week since March 30 last year. The Palestinians want the return of those driven out of their homeland by the ‘Israeli’ occupation.

At least 307 Palestinians were martyred by ‘Israeli’ occupation soldiers since the beginning of the rallies while more than 18,000 others were wounded, according to the Gazan Health Ministry.

In March, a United Nations fact-finding mission found that ‘Israeli’ forces committed rights violations during their crackdown against the Palestinian protesters in Gaza that may amount to war crimes.

Gaza has been under Zionist siege since June 2007, which has caused a decline in living standards.

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Blinded Palestinian Journalist Exposes Israel’s Increasing Violence Against Media

Blinded Palestinian Journalist Exposes Israel’s Increasing Violence Against Media

November 25th, 2019

By Delilah Boxstein

On November 15, Palestinian photojournalist Muath Amarneh covered a demonstration in Surif, a West Bank city where residents were protesting against the theft of their land by Israeli settlers. Wearing a press jacket and helmet, Amarneh was shot in the head by an Israeli bullet while taking pictures on a nearby hill — about 330 feet from the soldiers.

“Everything just changed. I felt the whole world was circling around me. And I felt my whole life flash before me. I felt like I was dying,” Amarneh said, describing his reaction when hit.

With blood dripping from his eye, Amarneh was taken to a hospital in Hebron, West Bank. He was eventually transported to Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem where his left eye was removed. He remains there awaiting further operations to have the bullet removed from his head. 

Videos and photos capturing Amarneh after the bullet pierced his eye went viral online. Using the hashtags #MuathEye, #EyeofTruth and #MuathAmarneh, “journalists across the world posted images of themselves with an eyepatch or one hand over their eye as a way to stand in solidarity with Amarneh.

Increasing Israeli violations against Palestinian press

After being shot, Israeli soldiers rushed to Amarneh claiming he wasn’t hit by one of their bullets but rather with stones thrown by protesters, but Amarneh was behind a line of demonstrators hurling stones.

“The army told me that, “This is not from us. This is from the people who are protesting and throwing stones. It’s the Palestinian who threw stones at you. It’s not a bullet from us,” Amarneh said.

Israeli police said they used “non-lethal means” to “disperse the rioters.” “The use of the non-lethal means was not directed at all at the photographer, and his injury could have been caused by the violent rioters,” Micky Rosenfeld, the Israeli police’s foreign press spokesperson, said.

Palestinian journalists take cover from tear gas shot by Israeli police during a solidarity protest on November 17, 2019 in Bethlehem. Photo | Musa Al-Shaer

However, Amarneh believes he was directly attacked by Israeli forces.

Four days before Amarneh lost his eye, Omar al-Badawi was fatally shot by Israeli soldiers during clashes near Hebron. Video captured al-Badawi as he was shot in the chest by Israeli forces. Soldiers claimed they assumed al-Badawi was carrying a molotov cocktail, but he was merely holding a towel to extinguish a fire engulfing a tree near his home. Amarneh was one of the journalists who documented al-Badawi’s murder.

“After what happened, the Israeli army really doesn’t want journalists to show the world what’s going on,” Amarneh said. He feels that since al-Badawi’s killing was broadcast globally, the Israeli army is intensifying its crackdown on Palestinian journalists. He mentioned how an area in Bethlehem designated for journalists for years by the Israeli military is now an unwelcome location.

“This Thursday, they started telling journalists that if you stay in this place, we will arrest you,” Amarneh said, describing how the soldiers pushed the journalists and seized their cameras.

The following Sunday after Amarneh was shot, Palestinian journalists held a sit-in in Bethlehem to express their support. Israel Police dispersed the crowd using tear gas, with dozens of demonstrators suffocating from tear gas inhalation and seven individuals lightly wounded.

Israeli polcie grab a member of The Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate during a solidarity protest on November 17, 2019, in Bethlehem. Photo | Musa Al-Shaer

On Wednesday, the Israeli army closed the office of Palestine Television in Jerusalem for six months after storming Al-ArzMedia Services Company which provides services to Palestine TV.

Mousa Rimawi, Director General of the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA), believes the Israeli army targeted Amarneh.

“I think they are targeting him. Witnesses say that. He said that. This is not the first time they are targeting journalists,” Rimawai said.

We saw it in Gaza, especially last year. When the Israeli army was targeting journalists, killing two of them and injuring tens of journalists by snipers.”

In 2018, Palestinian journalists Yasser Murtaja and Ahmad Hassan Abu Hussein were killed by Israeli snipers just one week apart from each other while covering the Great March of Return protests at the Gaza border.

According to The Palestinian Center Development and Media Freedoms (MADA), 455 Israeli violations and 129 Palestinian violations occurred against Palestinian journalists in 2018  — a more than 52 percent increase in the last two years. During the first half of 2019, 330 violations were documented against Palestinian media  — a 19 percent increase from the same period last year. The majority of these violations comprise physical abuse, arrests or detentions, questioning, preventing coverage and shutting down websites and social media accounts.

Palestinian journalists help a colleague injured during a solidarity protest on November 17, 2019 in Bethlehem. Photo | Musa Al-Shaer

“They want to silence this media who is covering the events relating to the Israeli occupation and to cover their crimes and daily practices in Palestine,” Rimawi said.

The Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate (PJS) places the number of violations in 2019 higher, at more than 630, with 90 percent of reported attacks executed by Israel. Musa Al-Shaer, a board member of PJS, said MADA’s calculation is lower because they adjust the statistics in order to receive financial aid from the international community.

 

Facebook’s censorship of Palestinian media

Of the 330 documented violations by MADA, 65 of them were committed by Facebook. In 2016, the Israeli government and Facebook announced they were working together to combat incitement on social media. The driving force behind this partnership was Israel’s accusation that Palestinian violence is fueled by incitement online.

“After that announcement, Facebook began to block Palestinian sites for journalists and media outlets,” Rimawi said. He explained that Facebook has adopted Israel’s definition of incitement when deciding what content to censor. But going by Israel’s standards poses a problem for Palestinians.

“If someone posts a picture of a martyr, that’s incitement for Israelis, but for Palestinians that is normal. You could be posting a picture of your cousin who is a martyr,” Rimawi said.

Palestinians call those who died resisting the Israeli occupation “martyrs”, while Israelis refer to them as terrorists. He mentioned that words like Hamas (which literally translates to excitement in Arabic) and Qassam, the name of the military wing of Hamas, are consistently flagged. In some instances, a person named Qassam might end up with a deactivated Facebook account.

Facebook censorship of Palestinian media is increasing, and Israel appears to be the one steering the wheel. In 2017, 85 percent of Israeli government requests to “remove content deemed harmful or dangerous” was approved.

“We know Israel is pressuring other social media sites like Instagram and Twitter, but there are no agreements between them and Israel,” Rimawi said. “But with Facebook there is.”

 

Paving the way for Palestinian freedom of press

Amid a sharp rise in violations against Palestinian journalists, MADA is working with other civil society organizations to build a coalition to defend freedom of expression and digital freedom in Palestine. The coalition plans to tackle legislation, government policies, monitoring press freedom, Israeli violations and Facebook restrictions.

“It’s a good thing when people will not be silent, when countries will not be silent when there’s killing of journalists. But it must be linked with policies,” Rimawi said.

Palestinian photojournalist Muath Amarneh lies injured in his hospital bed in Jerusalem. Photo | Delilah Boxstein

Amarneh has frequently experienced Israeli abuse in his ten years of working as a journalist. He was previously shot multiple times by rubber bullets on the lower parts of his body and fired at by water cannons. But this recent attack was the most severe.

Amarneh is currently focused on his recovery but asserts he will seek legal action when he is healed. Despite the trauma of losing his eye, he still plans to continue reporting.

“I won’t stop being a journalist but now I feel unsafe,” Amarneh said. “They could attack my other eye. It will be harder for me to continue what I am doing.”

Feature photo | Palestinian photojournalist Mu’ath Amarneh, seated on the left, moments after being shot in the left eye by an Israeli soldier in Surif, West Bank on November 15, 2019. Photo | Palestinian Information Center

Finally the USA Supports the One State Solution

NOVEMBER 19, 2019 BY GILAD ATZMON

By Gilad Atzmon

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced yesterday that the US is softening its position on Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Secretary Pompeo repudiated the 1978 State Department legal opinion that stated that Jewish settlements in the occupied territories are “inconsistent with international law.”

 It is hard to determine whether the move was intended to rescue Benjamin Netanyahu’s political career or to buy the Jewish Lobby’s support for President Trump at a critical time. It is reasonable to assume that the policy was put forth to advance both aims.

 Pompeo’s declaration was, predictably, welcomed by PM Netanyahu and denounced by Palestinian officials and anyone else who still advances the delusional Two State Solution. Like Secretary Pompeo, I am far from an expert on international law, but it seems the notion of international law is vague or elastic enough to allow the secretary to (mis) interpret it in a radical manner. Yet, unlike most Palestinian solidarity campaigners, I see Trump, his administration and the recent move as a positive development.

 However inadvertently, Trump has finally committed the USA to the One State Solution. It is hard to deny that the area between the ‘River and the Sea’  is a single piece of land. It shares one electric grid, one pre-dial code (+972) and one sewage system. Ay present, the land is ruled over by a racist, tribal and discriminatory ideology through an apparatus that calls itself  ‘The Jewish State;’ and declares itself home for every Jew around the world; yet, is abusive, lethal and some would say genocidal toward the indigenous people of the land.

Yesterday’s move may buy Netanyahu some time and it may save Trump from being evicted from his current residence, but what it did most clearly was to redeliver a message to the Palestinians: In the battle for your liberation you are alone. America is not a negotiator, it has never been one. The USA has a side in the conflict and it is not your side.

In categorical terms Pompeo’s declaration repeats Trump’s earlier decision to move the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. On December 6, 2017, President Trump announced that the United States recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and ordered the relocation of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. No doubt, the move bought Trump support from the Jewish Lobby in America, and political gain for Netanyahu in the Jewish State, it was also an unambiguous message to the Palestinians: there is no prospect of a  harmonious and peaceful solution for your plight.

 For the Palestinians, the move also exposed the misleading and dangerous nature of their ‘solidarity’ movement. Jewish ‘anti’ Zionist institutions have undertaken a relentless effort to suppress the Palestinian’s Right of Return and replace it with watery alternatives such as ‘End of occupation’ or  ‘the Right to BDS.’ Trump’s move forced the Palestinians to accept that they were alone in their battle and finally  accept that The Right of Return is the core and the essence of their plight. Less than four months after Trump’s Jerusalem decision, on 30 March 2018,  thousands of Gazans gathered on the Israeli border to demand a return to their land.

That clumsy decision by Trump made to serve some immediate political purpose to do with Jewish support has matured into a vast awakening for the Palestinians.  Week after week, for almost three years, Gazans have arrived at the Gaza border in the thousands to bravely confront the IDF’s merciless snipers, tanks and air force.  The Hamas owes a big thank you to Trump who has managed to fuel and unite the Palestinians with a renewed spirit of fearless resistance. Israeli military analysts and commanders admit that the situation at the Gaza border is pretty much out of control. They agree that Israel’s power of deterrence is literally a matter of  nostalgia. Accordingly, Palestinian resistance organizations do not hesitate to retaliate against  Israel. Last week Israel was hit by the rain of 400 rockets fired over the course of only two days in response to  Israel’s assassination of a Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant.

 Pompeo’s declaration provides an explicit and necessary message to the Palestinians in general and in the West Bank in particular. The conflict is not progressing toward a peaceful resolution. Those amongst the Palestinians who advocated the ‘Two States Solution’ will have to hide now.  Pompeo has affirmed that there is one Holy Land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. From now on the battle over this disputed land is whether it will be subject to the racist discriminatory ideology implied by the notion of “The Jewish State” and its ‘National Bill,’ or if it will transform itself into a ‘State of its Citizens’ as is inherit in the notion of One Palestine.

النخالة للميادين: سرايا القدس لم تستنفذ كل ما في جعبتها من صواريخ وأسلحة النخالة للميادين: إذا رفضت “إسرائيل” شروطنا فنحن قادرون على المواجهة لوقت طويل

الميادين نت

الأمين العام لحركة الجهاد الإسلامي في فلسطين زياد النخّالة يؤكد للميادين أن قرارنا بالرد على اغتيال الشهيد أبو سليم تم اتخاذه فوراً، كاشفاً أن” إسرائيل” نقلت إلينا طلباً لوقف إطلاق النار، موضحاً ان” من شروطنا لوقف اطلاق النار وقف الاغتيالات ووقف إطلاق النار على مسيرات العودة”، وتزامن بثّ المقابلة عبر الميادين مع نقل الإعلام الإسرائيلي شروط التهدئة التي وضعها النخّالة.

النخالة للميادين: سرايا القدس لم تستنفذ كل ما في جعبتها من صواريخ وأسلحة

أكد الأمين العام لحركة الجهاد الإسلامي في فلسطين زياد النخالة أن سرايا القدس اتخذت القرار الصائب بالرد على اغتيال اسرائيل للشهيد أبو سليم.

وفي حوار خاص مع الميادين قال النخالة إن قرارنا بالرد على اغتيال الشهيد أبو سليم تم اتخاذه فوراً بعد دقائق على عملية الاغتيال، مؤكداً أن سرايا القدس لم تستنفذ كل ما في جعبتها من صواريخ وأسلحة في مواجهة “إسرائيل”.

وإذّ شدد على أن قرارنا كان منذ البداية استهداف العمق الاسرائيلي بالصواريخ، توجه القيادي الفلسطيني بالتحية والتقدير للمقاومين الذين يواجهون إسرائيل ويقصفونها بالصواريخ”.

وأضاف “أقول لعائلات الشهداء إننا على موعد مع النصر و بهم سننتصر”.

النخالة أكد أن سرايا القدس وقيادة الجهاد الاسلامي هي التي حددت هذا القرار ونحن نتحمل المسؤولية بالكامل، موضحاً في ردٍّ على سؤال للميادين أن “باقي فصائل المقاومة موجودة على الأرض لكن سرايا القدس حاليا تتقدم المواجهة”.

وأردف قائلاً “أنا لا أقبل بمقولة أن الجهاد هو ولي الدم لأنني اعتقد أن الشعب الفلسطيني هو ولي الدم”.

النخالة شدد على أننا قادرون في حركة الجهاد على إدارة المعركة لوقت طويل ضمن خطط موضوعة سلفاً، وسنثبت للجميع أننا قادرون على مواجهة المعركة مع العدو وإدارتها بنجاح.

ولفت الأمين العام لحركة الجهاد الإسلامي في فلسطين أن “ردّنا من غزة على اسرائيل يشمل الرد على العدوان الإسرائيلي الأخير على دمشق“، مشدداً على أننا “لم نطلب من حلفائنا في محور المقاومة المساعدة في المعركة الحالية ضد “إسرائيل”.

وفي السياق، أعلن النخالة أننا لم نصل إلى مرحلة الحرب الشاملة بين محور المقاومة و “إسرائيل”.

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“إسرائيل” نقلت إلينا طلباً لوقف إطلاق النار ونحن وضعنا شروطنا للموافقة على ذلك

وكشف أن “إسرائيل” نقلت إلينا طلباً لوقف إطلاق النار ونحن وضعنا شروطنا للموافقة على ذلك، موضحاً ان” من شروطنا لوقف اطلاق النار وقف الاغتيالات ووقف إطلاق النار على مسيرات العودة”.

النخالة قال للميادين إن “طلبنا لوقف إطلاق النار أن تقوم “إسرائيل” برفع الحصار عن غزة”، مذكّراً أنه يوجد تفاهمات قديمة عليها الالتزام بها لوقف إطلاق النار”.

وفي وقتٍ أوضح فيه أن “سرايا القدس لا تطلق رصاصة واحدة على “إسرائيل” دون قرار من القيادة التي تتحمل مسؤولية ذلك”، وفي حال تم الاتفاق على وقف إطلاق النار وأخلّت الأخيرة بأي بند منه سنكون بحلٍّ من الاتفاق”.

النخالة قال إن الدور المصري إيجابي وهم يبذلون جهداً لايقاف العدوان الإسرائيلي علينا، كاشفاً عن وضع مسودة الاتفاق على وقف إطلاق النار، متوقعاً أن يتلقى الرد الليلة.

وأضاف أنه “في حال وافقت “إسرائيل” على شروط وقف إطلاق النار يمكن التواصل مع مصر وإبرام الاتفاق فوراً”، مضيفاً أن “هدف وجودنا نحن هو مقاومة “إسرائيل” وأخذنا من العمر ما يكفي ومستعدون للشهادة”.

القيادي الفلسطيني قال “نحن مستمرون في المواجهة ونملك كل الامكانات لذلك والمقاومة اليوم اقوى بكثير”، لكنه أعلن أن “سرايا القدس تعمل حالياً بالمستوى المنخفض بالأداء العسكري العام”.

النخالة أكد”لمن يقول إن المعركة الحالية هي معركة سرايا القدس نقول إنها معركة الشعب الفلسطيني”، معتبراً أنه عندما توافق “إسرائيل” على إدخال اموال المساعدات هدفها ترويض المقاومة”.

وحول مسيرات العودة قال “قررنا حماية مسيرات العودة لذلك هي ضمن شروط وقف إطلاق النار”.

المسؤول الفلسطيني قدّر الدور اليمني “نقول لهم أنتم على حق ونحن معكم في مواجهة العدوان عليكم، ووجّه النخالة “التحية الكبيرة لتونس وللرئيس قيس سعيد الذي وجّه تحية للشعب الفلسطيني”.

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الإعلام الإسرائيلي ينقل مواقف النخالة بصور واسعة

وتزامناً مع المقابلة عبر الميادين نقل الإعلام الإسرائيلي شروط التهدئة التي وضعها النخّالة، وواكب ما يقوله زياد نخالة للميادين عبر نقل واقتباس مواقفه بصورة واسعة.

وبثّت قناة “كان” الإسرائيلية على الهواء مقطعاً مصوراً من المقابلة مع نخالة ونقلت أهم مواقفه.

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• الفصائل الفلسطينية تواصل قصف المستوطنات ضمن عملية “صيحة الفجر”
• صفارات الإنذار تدوي صباحاً في مستوطنات إسرائيلية بعد إطلاق صواريخ من غزة
• الجناح المسلح لحركة “الجهاد الإسلامي” يستهدف تل ابيب والقدس برشقة صاروخية .. والجيش الإسرائيلي يجدد الغارات على أهداف للحركة في قطاع غزة
• “الجهاد” تعلن استشهاد نجل أحد قادتها باعتداء إسرائيلي على دمشق
• بهاء أبو العطا، أحد ثلاثة في رأس قائمة “إسرائيل” للاغتيالات؟

Weekly report on israel’s terrorism on Palestinians (03 – 09 Oct. 2019)

Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in Palestine Territory (03 – 09 October 2019)

Israeli violations of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory

03 – 09 October 2019

 

• Great March of Return in Eastern Gaza Strip: A civilian was killed and 67 others injured, including 30 children, a woman, and a paramedic and a civilian previously injured succumbed to his wounds.

• West Bank: 11 civilians injured, including 2 journalists and an Israeli activist, in the West Bank.

 

• During 80 incursions into the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem: 60 civilians arrested, including 2 children and a woman.

• Israeli forces accompanied with police dogs raided Augusta Victoria Hospital in occupied East Jerusalem.

 

• 2 houses demolished in Hebron and Jenin, and farmers attacked by Israeli settlers in different areas in the West Bank while harvesting olive trees.

 

• Hundreds of settlers raided al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City and closed the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron.

 

• 4 shootings reported against Palestinian fishing boats off Gaza Strip Shore.

                                                

• 26 temporary checkpoints established in the West Bank, where 3 Palestinian civilians were arrested.

 

• Complete closure imposed on the Gaza Strip and the West Bank for Jewish holidays

 

 

Summary

 

During the reporting period, PCHR documented 138 violations of the international human rights law and international humanitarian law (IHL) by Israeli forces and settlers in the occupied Palestinian territory.

As part of the Israeli violations of the right to life and bodily integrity, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian civilian and wounded 67 others, including 30 children, a woman, and a paramedic on 77^th Friday of the Great March of Return in the Gaza Strip.  Furthermore, a civilian succumbed to wounds he sustained 8 months ago at the Great March of Return protests. Meanwhile in the West Bank, the Israeli forces wounded 11 Palestinian civilians, including 2 journalists and an Israeli activist; 3 of those wounded, including the activist, were wounded during the peaceful protests weekly organized on Friday against the occupation and settlement activity. While others, including the journalists, were wounded during Israeli forces raids to Palestinian cities, and an incident near the Annexation Wall in the West Bank.

As part of the Israeli incursions and house raids, Israel carried out 80 incursions into the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, and raided civilian houses, attacking and enticing fear among residents in addition to shooting in many incidents. As a result, 60 Palestinians were arrested, including 2 children and a woman. During this week, the Israeli forces raided Augusta Victoria Hospital in occupied East Jerusalem and searched the Oncology Department.  They ransacked through the department and terrified patients with their police dogs.

As part of Israeli attacks against Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip, 4 shootings were reported by the Israeli gunboats against the Palestinian fishing boats at sea within the allowed limited area for fishing while 2 shootings were reported against the agricultural lands in eastern Gaza Strip.

Under the settlement expansion activities in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, PCHR documented 2 house demolitions in Hebron and Jenin and 8 attacks by settlers, including throwing stones at vehicles and puncturing their tires; preventing farmers from entering their lands; cutting and burning olive trees; raiding al-Aqsa and al-Ibrahimi Mosques and closing the latter.

In terms of the Israeli closure policy, the Gaza Strip still suffers the worst closure in the History of the Israeli occupation of the oPt as it has entered the 14^th consecutive year, without any improvement to the movement of persons and goods and ongoing isolation of the Gaza Strip from the West Bank and the rest of the world. Meanwhile, the West Bank is divided into separate cantons with key roads blocked by the Israeli occupation since the Second Intifada and with temporary and permanent checkpoints, where civilians’ movement is restricted and others are arrested.

Moreover, during the reporting period, Israel imposed a complete closure on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip for Jewish Holidays.  In the West Bank, Israel completely closed the King Hussein Bridge starting from 08:00 on Tuesday, 08 October 2019, to Thursday, 10 October 2019, as announced by the General Administration of crossings and borders.

 

1. Violation of the right to life and to bodily integrity

 

1. Excessive Use of Force against the Great March of Return in the Gaza Strip

Israeli forces continued the excessive use of lethal force against “The Great March of Return and Breaking the Siege” (GMR) peaceful demonstrations in the Gaza Strip; as well as protests in the West Bank against settlement expansion activities.

This week’s protest in Gaza was titled “Reconciliation is the People’s Choice,” and witnessed large civilian participation, faced with excessive and lethal force by Israeli forces despite the peaceful nature of the demonstrations. At approximately 15:00 on 04 October 2019, protests started across the five GMR encampments until 19:00, and involved activities such as speeches and theatrical performances. Hundreds of civilians protested at varied distances from the border fence across the Gaza Strip, and threw stones, firecrackers and Molotov Cocktails at Israeli forces. As a result, a civilian was killed and 67 other were injured, including 30 children, a woman and a paramedic. Additionally, a previously wounded civilian at GMR succumbed to his wounds.

The incidents were as follows:

 

• Northern Gaza Strip: Israeli shooting at the demonstrators resulted in the killing of ‘Ala’a Nizar ‘Ayesh Hamdan (28), from Beit Hanoun village, after being shot with a live bullet in the chest while he was about 50 – 100 meters west of the border fence. Hamdan was transferred via an ambulance of Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) to the medical point where medical crews tried to resuscitate him for half an hour, with no avail. At approximately 17:05, Hamdan was pronounced dead. Furthermore, 12 civilians injured, including 9 children: 5 were shot with live bullets and their shrapnel, including 3 children; 5 children were shot with rubber bullets; and 2 civilians, including a child, were directly hit with tear gas canisters. The wounded civilians were transferred via ambulances belonging to the Ministry of Health and the Union of Health Work Committees (UHWC) to the Indonesian and al-‘Awda Hospitals and their injuries were classified between minor and moderate.
• Gaza City: Israeli shooting and teargasing at the demonstrations, which continued from 16:00 until 18:30, resulted in the injury of 11 protestors, including 7 children: 6 shot with live bullets and their shrapnel; 2 with rubber bullets and 3 were hit with tear gas canisters.
• Central Gaza Strip: Israeli shooting and teargasing at the demonstrators, which continued from 15:00 from 19:00, resulted in the injury of 16 protestors, including 4 children; 10 were shot with live bullets and their shrapnel, 5 were shot with rubber bullets and 1civilians was hit with tear gas canister.
• Khan Younis: Israeli shooting and teargasing at demonstrators resulted in the injury of 9 civilians, including 4 children and a paramedic; 3 of them were shot with live bullets and their shrapnel, 3 were shot with rubber bullets and 3 with tear gas canisters. The wounded volunteer paramedic, ‘Ali Abdul ‘Aziz Fuseifes (22), from Bani Suheilah, was hit with a tear gas canister in the head.
• Rafah: Israeli shooting and teargasing resulted in the injury of 19 civilians, including 6 children: 5 were shot with live bullets and their shrapnel, 11 were shot with rubber bullets and 3 were hit with tear gas canisters.

 

Civilian Succumbed to his wounds in northern Gaza Strip:

• At approximately 12:30 on Monday, 07 October 2019, the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip declared the death of Fadi Osama Ramadan Hejazi (20), from Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza Strip, after he succumbed to the wounds he sustained at GMR.

According to PCHR’s investigations, on 22 February 2019, Hejazi sustained serious wounds after he was shot with a live bullet in the thighs in eastern Jabalia, damaging his veins, tendons and arteries. He sustained additional wounds on 19 April 2019, as he was shot with a live bullet in the right knee in eastern al-Buraij camp protests in the central Gaza Strip. As a result, Hejazi suffered from another cut in the veins and arteries. Hejazi later suffered from blockage of arteries leading to a coma. At approximately 14:00 on Sunday, 06 October 2019, Hejazi was taken to the Indonesian Hospital and doctors said that he suffered from clots. He was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU); unfortunately, he was pronounced dead at approximately 09:30 on Monday, 07 October 2019. Hejazi was transferred to the Forensic Medicine Department in al-Shifa Hospital to reveal the cause of death; the forensic report identified the complications of thrombosis in the blood vessels in the lower extremities as the cause of death. Therefore, the Palestinian Ministry of Health officially announced that Hejazi’s death was caused by his wounds.

 

2. Excessive use of force in the West Bank:

• At approximately 13:30 on Friday, 04 October 2019, Palestinians from Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqiliyah launched their weekly peaceful protest and headed towards the village’s eastern entrance that has been closed by Israeli forces for the past 16 years in favor of “Kedumim” settlement. The demonstrators chanted national slogans demanding end of the occupation and protested the Israeli forces’ crimes against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The protestors threw stones at the Israeli soldiers stationed behind sand berms while the soldiers fired live and rubber bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, 3 civilians, were injured injured, including an activist from the Israeli Youth Civic Leadership Institute (YCLI); a 26-year-old civilian was shot with a sponge-bullet in the foot, a 28-year-old civilian was shot with a rubber bullet in the hand, and a 26-year-old civilian was hit with a rubber bullet in the shoulder.
• At approximately 13:30 on Friday, 04 October 2019, a group of Palestinian civilians organized a peaceful protest from the center of Kafer Thuluth village, northeast of Qalqiliyah, into ‘Arab Khuli area in the village where Israeli forces established a steel gate to ban farmers from entering their lands behind the gate. The protestors threw stones at Israeli forces stationed behind sand berms, while the soldiers responded with rubber bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, many civilians sustained tear gas inhalation. On Saturday, 05 October 2019, Israeli forces opened the gate.

 

3. Shooting and other violations of the right to life and bodily integrity

• At approximately 02:00 on Thursday, 03 October 2019, Israeli forces moved into Ramallah and stationed in al-Tirah neighborhood, west of the city. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mohammed Walid Hanatshah and then arrested him. Meanwhile, a number of Palestinian young men and children gathered and threw stones and empty bottles at Israeli soldiers in military vehicles. The soldiers fired rubber bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, photojournalist Mohammed Radi was shot with a rubber bullet in the foot. On 16 August 2017, photojournalist Radi was shot with a rubber bullet in the face while covering the demolition of a house by the Israeli forces along with Palestine TV Channel crews.
• At approximately 08:30 on the same Thursday, Israeli gunboats stationed off al-Sudaniyah shore, west of Jabalia in northern Gaza Strip, sporadically opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats sailing between 3 to 5 nautical miles and chased them. As a result, the fishermen were forced to flee fearing for their lives; neither casualties nor material damage was reported.
• At approximately 07:35 on Friday, 04 October 2019, Israeli gunboats stationed in northwest of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza Strip, heavily opened fire and chased Palestinian fishing boats sailing within 3 nautical miles. As a result, the fishermen were forced to flee fearing for their lives; no casualties were reported.
• At approximately 08:25 on Saturday, 05 October 2019, Israeli gunboats stationed in northwest of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza Strip, heavily opened fire and chased Palestinian fishing boats sailing within 3 nautical miles. The shooting recurred at approximately 08:55 on the same day. As a result, fishermen were forced to flee fearing for their lives; no casualties were reported.
• On Saturday evening, Israeli forces assigned to guard the annexation wall, fired rubber bullets at Lo’ai Mohammed Abu Rmelah, from Ya’bud village, southwest of Jenin. As a result, he was shot with a rubber bullet in the leg while attempting to sneak into Israel through the Gate established on lands of Qifin village, north of Tulkarm. Rmelah was transferred to Dr. Khalil Suleiman Governmental Hospital in Jenin for treatment.
• Also on Saturday evening, Israeli forces assigned to guard the annexation wall fired rubber bullets at Suheib ‘Ammar ‘Amer (26), from ‘Alar village in Tulkarm. As a result, he was shot with a rubber bullet in the foot while attempting to sneak into Israel through the gate established on lands of Zeta village, north of the city.
• At approximately 10:00 on Sunday, 06 October 2019, Israeli forces assigned to guard the annexation wall, fired rubber bullets at Khalid Mahmoud Tawfiq Ja’arah (25), from ‘Alar village, north of Tulkarm, while attempting to sneak into Israel through the gate established at lands of Zeta village. As a result, Ja’arah was shot with a rubber bullet to the foot.
• At approximately 23:00 on the same Sunday, Israeli forces moved into Nablus through its eastern and southern entrances and stationed in the eastern area of the city to secure the entry of dozens of buses carrying settlers to the abovementioned area in order to perform their religious rituals and Talmudic prayers in “Joseph’s Tomb” in Balatat al-Balad village. Meanwhile, a number of Palestinian civilians gathered and set tires on fire, put barricades on streets and threw stones and empty bottles  at Israeli vehicles in the city. Israeli forces fired rubber bullets and tear gas canisters at them to disperse them. As a result, a number of civilians suffocated due to tear gas inhalation and they received medical treatment on the spot. Journalist Mo’tasem Samir Saqf al-Hait (31) was shot with a rubber bullet in the abdomen. Emad Edden Yaseen Taha Hamzah (18) was shot with rubber bullet in the left hand, causing a fracture to it. Hamzah was transferred to Rafidiya Hospital to receive medical treatment. Israeli sources mentioned that Israeli forces moved into Nablus to secure the entry of 17 buses carrying 1100 settlers to “Joseph’s Tomb”. They added that “Eli Cohen”, Israeli Minister of Economy, “Yossi Dagan”, Head of the Shomron Regional Council, and “Moshe Arbel”, a member of the Knesset, were along with the settlers.
• At approximately 07:30 on Monday, 07 October 2019, Israeli forces assigned to guard the annexation wall fired rubber bullets at Ahmed Mustafa Tawfiq Sa’abnah (23), from Fahmah village, south of Jenin, while attempting to sneak into Israel through the Gate established on lands of Zeta village, north of the city. As a result, he was shot with a rubber bullet in the foot.
• On Monday evening, 07 October 2019, Israeli forces assigned to guard the annexation wall fired rubber bullets at Abdul Salam Khalil Katanah (25), from Nazlet ‘Essa village, north of Tulkarm, while attempting to sneak into Israel through the gate established on lands of Zeta village, north of the city. As a result, he was shot with a rubber bullet in the leg. Israeli forces detained Katana at Barta’a checkpoint, southwest of Jenin for questioning him and then handed him to the Palestinian Military Liaison. The ambulance officer said that Katana was transferred to Dr. Thabet Governmental Hospital in Tulkarm for medical treatment. It should be noted that Katana is the fifth civilian, who was wounded by Israeli forces assigned to guard the annexation wall this week.
• At approximately 07:20 on Tuesday, 08 October 2019, Israeli forces stationed northwest of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza Strip, opened fire and chased Palestinian fishing boats sailing within 3 nautical miles. As a result, the fishermen were forced to flee fearing for their lives; neither casualties nor material damage was reported.
• At approximately 08:00 on the same Tuesday, Israeli soldiers stationed in eastern al-Shoka village, east of Rafah opened fire at agricultural lands; no casualties were reported.
• At approximately 07:30 on Wednesday, 09 October 2019, Israeli soldiers stationed east of Khan Younis opened fire at agricultural lands in the west of the border fence; no casualties were reported.

 

1. Incursions and Arrests

Thursday, 03 October 2019:

• At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into Deir Abu Mesh’al, northwest of Ramallah. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mohammed Yousef Zahran and then arrested him.

• At the same time, Israeli forces moved into Kobar village, north of Ramallah. They raided and searched a house belonging to Obeid Wajdi al-Barghouthi and then arrested him.

• At approximately 01:30, Israeli forces moved into Nablus, and stationed at al-Makhfeya neighborhood, north of Nablus. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mohammed Anwar Fawzi Hamami (25) and then arrested him.

• At the same time, Israeli forces moved into al-Janeya village, west of Ramallah. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mamdouh Jamal Omaira and then arrested him.

• At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into southern Hebron. They raided and searched two houses belonging to Yousef Abu Hussain (33) and Basheer Khaled al-Rajabi (31) and then arrested them.

• At the same time, Israeli forces moved into Qalqelya. They raided and searched a house belonging to Omar Mohammed Khadraj (25) and then arrested him.

• At approximately 02:15, Israeli forces moved into ‘Anza village, south of Jenin. They raided and searched a house belonging to Ali Bassam Sabri ‘Atyani (27) and then arrested him.

• In the afternoon hours, Israeli forces moved into Kober village, north of Ramallah for the second time in a few hours. They raided and searched a house belonging to Abdulsalam al-Barghouthi, and then arrested his three sons; Qasam, Nasim, and Aseel.

• At approximately 17:00, Israeli forces moved into al-Dar Hotel at al-Shaikh Jarrah neighborhood, north of the old city of occupied East Jerusalem. They banned an event organized by the Higher Islamic Commission titled as “Jerusalem Cultural Landscape”, claiming that it is sponsored by Hamas Movement. Eyewitnesses said that the Israeli police and intelligence services stormed the hotel while Shaikh Najeh Bkirat, Director of Islamic Education in the Department of Islamic Endowments, was giving his speech. Suddenly, they stopped him and interrupted the event claiming that Hamas Movement sponsored it. The order was signed by Doron Yedid, the Jerusalem District Israeli Police Commander stating that: “By the power vested in me, according to Article 69 of the Anti-Terror Law 2016, I am convinced that today, at al-Dar Hotel, a cultural seminar sponsored by Hamas (terrorist organization) will be held, so I ordered to ban this event in the above-mentioned place or any place inside the State of Israel at this or any other date“. Furthermore, they detained all the attendees at al-Dar Hotel, checked their IDs, and confiscated a video camera belonging to Palestine TV. They also arrested Shaikh Najeh Dawoud Bkairat (65) and the academic researcher Aziz al-‘Asa (63), then they were taken to investigation center number (4) which is belonging to Israeli police office in West Jerusalem.

• Israeli forces carried out (7) incursions in Jifna, north of Ramallah; Kafr Romman village, east of Tulkarm; Kafl Hares city and Hares village, in Salfit; Dora, Samoua’, and al-Shoyoukh villages in Hebron. No arrests were reported.

Friday, 04 September 2019:

• At approximately 00:00, Israeli forces moved into al-Issaweya village, northeast of old East Jerusalem. They raided and searched a house belonging to Laith Tariq Darweesh (19) and then arrested him after they hit him. It should be noted that a video published on shows the Israeli soldiers beaten Darweesh using batons, then taken him by force into a military vehicle.

• At approximately 01:30, Israeli forces established a temporary military checkpoint at the main street leading to Qalqilya. They checked Palestinian civilians’ ID cards and then arrested, then they arrested Said Belal Swailem (30), form Qalqilya, and took him to an unknown destination.

• Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into Bait Kahel village, northwest of Hebron. They raided and searched three houses belonging to Mohammed Ali ‘Asafra (33), Yousef Izzat ‘Asafra (43), and sabri Aqil ‘Asafra, and no arrests were reported.

• At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into Kafr Jamal village, south of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a house belonging to Hasan Abdulatif Mohammed Tuba, and confiscated (15,000) NIS. The above-mentioned civilian said to PCHR’s fieldworker:

“At approximately 02:00, on Friday down, 04 October 2019, Israeli forces stormed my house. Suddenly, the Israeli police officer ordered me to give him the money I have. I replied: which money? He answered the money that you withdrew from the bank today. I refused and said I do not have money because I could not bear the idea of having my money taken unlawfully. They searched my house upside down with no avail, so the police officer ordered a female soldier to search my wife’s clothes and then confiscated my money that I took in compensation for my work as a construction worker. At the end, they confiscate 15,000 NIS, and handed me a warrant with the confiscated amount. I headed to the Israeli military liaison and Ariel settlement police station, but with no avail. And now I am banned from working in Israel because I do not have security clearance and I have a martyr son“.

• At approximately 19:00, Israeli forces moved into Beit Ummer village, north of Hebron, and stationed in al-‘Ain neighborhood, they closed the street leading to Israeli military watch tower at the entrance of the village. Dozens of protestors approached and threw stones at Israeli soldiers. The Israeli soldiers fired live and rubber bullets and tear gas canisters at the participants and chased them until they arrived to the city center. As a result, dozens of civilians suffocated due to teargas inhalation, and they arrested Mohammed Mofeed Mohammed Ekhlaliel (18). The Israeli forces claimed that they stormed the village because they found explosives near the abovementioned tower.

• Israeli forces carried out (6) incursions in Tel village, southwest of Nablus; Kafr Jamal village, south of Tulkarm; Kafr Qadoum village, northeast of Qalqelya; Yasouf village, east of Salfit; Yata; and Hebron. No arrests were reported.

                                      

Saturday, 05 October 2019:

• At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into Issa village, in western Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mahmoud Abdulaziz al-Jamal (39) and then arrested him.

• Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into Beit Ummer village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched two houses belonging to Ahmed Rafea’ al-Salibi (23) and Kareem Ibrahim Abu Maria (24), and then arrested them. Furthermore, Israeli forces stormed two stores belonging to Yousef Ahmed Abdullah Ekhlaiel and Ahmed Mohammed Ali Ekhlaiel, and then confiscated their digital video recorder device. Also, they stormed a house belonging to Sami Hasan Jaber al-Allami and got onto the roof of his house looking for surveillance cameras.

• At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into Deir Samit, southwest of Dura, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Ahmed Khader al-Haroub (34) and then arrested him.
• Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into al-Burj village, south of Dura, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Kayed Mohammed ‘Amaira (44) and then arrested him.

• At approximately 03:00, Israeli forces moved into al-Issaweya village, northeast of old East Jerusalem. They raided and searched two houses belonging to Yousef Fareed Obaid (21) and Nadeem Harbi Obaid (24), and then arrested them.

• At approximately 10:00, Israeli forces stationed at King Hussein Bridge Crossing, arrested Islam Asri Fayyad (24) anbd Na’em Abdulrahim Jaradat (23), from Jenin refugee camp, west of Jenin, while they were back from Jordan to oPt; they were led to an unknown destination.

• At approximately 17:50, Israeli forces arrested Basel Aziz Obaid (21), while he was near his house in al-Issaweya village, northeast of old East Jerusalem. He was taken to an investigation center in Israel.

• At approximately 19:30, Israeli forces moved into ‘Azoun village, east of Qalqilya, amidst firing sound bombs and teargas canisters at the participants. As a result, dozens of civilians suffocated due to teargas inhalation, and Dr. Mohammed Othman Mattar’s house sustained damage. Israeli forces threw a teargas canister at Mattar’s window, which burnt the sofas, curtains, and carpets. After that, the civil defense units came and put the fire out.

 

Sunday, 06 October 2019

• At approximately 00:00, Israeli forces moved into Bab Hattah neighborhood in occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City. They raided and searched 2 houses belonging to Ayham Khaill Sharifah (18) and amjad Mohammed Abu Suneinah (23) and then arrested them

• At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into Silwan village, south of occupied East Jerusalem. They raided and searched a house belonging to Emad Eden Kahlil al-‘Abasi (32) and then handed him a summons to refer to al- Maskobiya detention center in West Jerusalem.

• At approximately 01:15, Israeli forces moved into Nazlet ‘Essa village, north of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mosa’ab Abdul Qader Abu al-Shawareb (14) and then arrested him.

• At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into Qifin village, north of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a house belonging to Hadi Saleh Tawfiq Harshah (23) and then arrested him.

• At approximately 03:30, Israeli forces moved into ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqiliya. They raided and searched several houses and the arrested Samer Sa’ed Redwan (22), ‘Ala’a ‘Asem Mansour (24) and Mo’ath Islam Redwan (17).

• At approximately 11:00, Israeli forces arrested Mo’men Abdullah Hashimah (19) in Bab Hattah neighborhood in occupied East Jerusalem and took him to a detention center.

• At approximately 22:00, Israeli raided Augusta Victoria Hospital in al-Tour neighborhood, east of occupied East Jerusalem. They searched the medical departments claiming to search for weapons. Eyewitness that officers from the police and Israeli Intelligence Service along with police dogs and deployed inside the rooms of “Oncology Department” and carried out a wide-scale search process for weapons. As a result, patients in the hospital panicked.

• Israeli forces carried out (3) incursions in Deir Samet village, al-Fawar refugee camp and Dura in Hebron. No arrests were reported.

Monday, 07 October 2019:

• At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into al-Duheishah refugee camp, south of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging Majd Khalid Mohammed al-Ja’fari (21) and then arrested him.

• At the same time, Israeli forces moved into Bethlehem and stationed in Wad Ma’ali area. They raided and searched a house belonging to Saleh Hasan Salahat (38) and then arrested him.

• At approximately 01:30, Israeli forces moved into Safa village, northwest of Ramallah. They raided and searched Hanthalah Cultural Centre (HCC) after breaking the main door. They confiscated files and other office contents. Hanthalah was established in 1998 and organize festivals and activities relevant to the Palestinian heritage that aim at developing individual skills.

• At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into al-Mazra’ah al-Ghrabiyah village, northwest of Ramallah. They raided and searched 2 houses belonging to Bader Eden Feras Soboh (18) and Abdullah Abu Fraih (19) and then arrested them.

• At the same time, Israeli forces moved into ‘Anza village, south of Jenin. They raided and searched a house belonging to Karam Mohammed Sadaqa (21) and then arrested him.

• At the same time, Israeli forces moved into ‘Atil village, north of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a house belonging to Hammam ‘Atef Mohammed Nassar (24) and the arrested him.

• At approximately 02:30, Israeli forces moved into Hares village, northwest of Salfit. They raided and searched a house belonging to Ahmed Mesleh Shehadah (21) and then arrested him.

• At the same time, Israeli forces moved into Hares village, northwest of Salfit. They raided and searched a house belonging to Na’el Ahmed Mesleh Shehadah Kalib (18) and then arrested him.

• At approximately 03:00, Israeli forces moved into ‘Anabta village, north of Tulkarm. They raided and searched several houses after which they arrested Reda Majdi ‘Ozati (22), Yusuf Islam Abu Raya (21) and ‘Amr Khalid Husein Foqaha’a (20).

• At approximately 04:00, Israeli forces moved into Far’ata village, northeast of Qalqiliyah. They raided and searched a house belonging to Na’el ahmed Rafiq Shana’ah (18) and then arrested him.

• At approximately 20:00, Israeli forces stationed at Jeet military checkpoint between Nablus and Qaliliyah, arrested 5 civilians from Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus and they were identified as: Mohammed Lutfi Hasan Marshoud (28), Mohammed Mahmoud Suleiman Marshoud (27), Mohammed Maimoun ‘Anab (25), Namer Husein Abu Mustafa (38) and his wife, Shurouq Mohammed Hasan Abu Mustafa (29).

Tuesday, 08 October 2019:

 

• At approximately 01:30, Israeli forces moved into Silwad village, northeast of Ramallah. They raided and searched several houses and the arrested 3 civilians namely: Mahmoud ‘Awad Hamed , Mustafa Abdul Ra’ouf Hamed and Mohammed Saleh Dar Saleh.

• At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into al-‘Issawiyah village, northeast of occupied East Jerusalem. They raided and searched a house belonging to Ayman Mohammed Sharif (24) and then arrested him.

• At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mohammed Nasser Eden and then arrestd his sons ‘Ezz Eden (23) and Yahiya (19).

• At approximately 02:30, Israeli forces moved into al-‘Aroub refugee camp, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mohammed ‘Atiyah Banat (44) and the arrested him and his son Jamal (20).

• At approximately 11:00, Israeli police officers stationed at Bab Hatta, which is one of al-Aqsa Mosque gates in occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City, handed summonses to journalists Misa’a Mahmoud Abu Ghazala (34) and Sondos Abdul Rahman Abu Baker ‘Ouwais (23) to refer to al-Qashla police center in occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City. When both journalists arrived at the abovementioned police center, they were interrogated on claims of “disturbing public order” through recording settlers, who entered al-Aqsa Mosque. Both journalists were later released.

• Israeli forces carried out (13) incursions in ‘Aboud, al-Nabi Saleh and Kafer Ne’mah villages in Ramalah and al-Birah Jenin and ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqiliyah; Shuweikah Suburb, east of Tulkarm; Beit Ummer, Sa’ir, Ethna, al-Koum, Kherbat Mosafer and Yatta villages in Hebron. No arrests were reported.

 

Wednesday, 09 October 2019:

                   

• At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into Hebron and stationed in Farsh al-Hawa area. They raided and searched a house belonging to Badran Bader Jaber (72) and then arrested him.

• At the same time, Israeli forces moved into Beit Ummer village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mohammed Abdul Karim Abu Daya (16) and then arrested him.

• Collective Punishment:

• On Sunday evening, 06 October 2019, Israeli forces informed Abu Hmaid family, al-Am’ari refugee camp residents, in al-Birah by phone to demolish their house. Lutfiyah Naji Abu Hmaid said that an Israeli officer phone called her and informed her of the demolition decision. The officer told Lutfiyah that she can appeal against the decision within a week, but she confirmed that she would not appeal before, what she called, moot courts. Lutfiyah added that she is currently reconstructing the house, which was blown up, and now building the third floor. Lutfiyah also said that the demolition of the house was on grounds of being built on a confiscated land and Israeli forces ban construction of any demolished house for 5 years.

This decision is part of the collective punishment policy adopted by the Israeli forces against families of Palestinian individuals accused of carrying out attacks against Israeli forces and/or settlers. Israeli forces blew up Abu Hmaid family on Saturday, 15 December 2018 as a punishment for her after her son Islam threw a stone at the head of a soldier on 06 June 2018 leading to his death. Before its demolition, their residence was a 4-story house built on an area of 150 square meters. It should be noted that Israeli forces demolished Abu Hmaid family for the third time as they demolished it before in 1994 and in 2003. Moreover, Abu Hmaid’s family has 6 prisoners, who serve their sentences in the Israeli prisons; the last one of them was Islam, who was arrested on 13 June 2018.

1. Settlement Expansion and settler violence in the West Bank including occupied East Jerusalem

 

1. Demolition and Confiscation of Civilian Property for Settlement Expansion Activities

 

• At approximately 09:00 on Thursday, 03 October 2019, an Israeli force backed by military construction vehicles and accompanied with 2 excavators and a vehicle of the Israeli Civil Administration moved into Beit Ummer village, north of Hebron. They stationed in Wad al-Shaiekh area in the eastern part of the village and demolished an under-construction house under the pretext of non-licensing. The 150-sqaure-meter house belongs to ‘Ali Mohamed ‘Ali al-‘Alami. It should be noted that the Israeli authorities handed al-‘Alami a notice based on a military order No. (1797), which was issued in 2018. Al-‘Alami was given 96 hours to implement the demolition or the Israeli authorities will demolish it.
• At approximately 14:00 on Thursday, an Israeli force backed by military construction vehicles and accompanied with a bulldozer and a vehicle of the Israeli Civil Administration moved into al-Taiba village in western Jenin. They stationed in al-Qars neighborhood, where the bulldozer demolished an under-construction house belonging to Mohamed Mahmoud Ahmed Jabareen, under the pretext of non-licensing in Area C. The houses was built on an area of 240 square meters and its cost was estimated at NIS 1000.000.

2. Israeli Settler Violence

 

• At approximately 02:25 on Sunday, 06 October 2019, a group of Israeli settlers moved into Qirah village, north of Salfit, and punctured the tires of 11 vehicles. They wrote slogans on the vehicles and the walls of 3 houses. ‘Aisha Khalil Nimer, Head of the village’s council, said that surveillance cameras recordings fixed in al-Qibali neighborhood showed the settlers’ attack. She added that “when official authorities came to document the assault, the Israeli liaison officer confirmed that the attackers were the same ones who attacked Askaka village in afternoon”. The affected vehicles belong to: Saher ‘Abed al-Fattah ‘Arabasi, Raied Saleh Saleh, Hekmat Majed Dalelni, Yaseen ‘Abood Abu Shamma, Naseem ‘Abood Abu Shamma, ‘Abood Yaseen Abu Shamma, Jaser Kareem ‘Arbasi, Mohamed Hatem Dalelni, Akram Hatem Dalelni, and Rami Rashid Dalelni. The affected houses belong to: Wael Majed Dalelni, Mahmoud ‘Abed al-Fattah ‘Arbasi and ‘Abed al-Jabbar Abu Shamma.

• At approximately 08:00 on Sunday, Israeli forces prevented Palestinian farmers from harvesting olive trees in the eastern side of Kafur Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqiliyia. ‘Akef ‘Abed al-Raouf ‘Abdullaj Jum’a and his family headed to their lands and an Israeli force expelled them. On the next day, Israeli forces expelled Jum’a and other international solidarity groups from his land. Jum’a said that: “on Sunday morning, 06 October 2019, my wife, grandsons and I headed to Hariqat ‘Ali Hijlah area in eastern Kafur Qaddoum village to harvest olive trees. When we began harvesting the trees, the guard of Kedumim settlement, who was armed, came and attempted to expel us. We refused to leave and continue our work. The guard then left the area and an Israeli force came and expelled us. On the next day, international solidarity groups and I headed to my plot of land and the settlement’s guard followed us along with an Israeli force. The Israeli soldiers decided to expel me while the international solidarity groups stayed in the land. The Israeli force came again to inform us that the area is a “closed military zone” and we should leave it. On Tuesday, 08 October 2019, I headed alone to my land and picked up some olive trees while the settlement’s guard was there and shouting at me all the time.”
• Early on Monday morning, 07 October 2019, the residents of Bureen village in southern Nablus wake up and found that Israeli settlers, from “Yatizhar” settlement, attacked Bab Khelet al-Ghoul area. The settlers cut 36 olive trees with automatic saws. This attack came in the olive harvest season to deprive the residents of reaping crop. The trees belong to Naser Isma’il Ibrahim Qadous and Ahmed Mahmoud al-Najjar.
• At approximately 10:30 on the same day, a group of Israeli settlers, from “Yatizhar” settlement, attacked the mixed Bureen School in the eastern entrance to the village, under the Israeli forces’ protection. The School administration evacuate all students for fear of their lives.

• On Tuesday, 08 October 2019, hundreds of Israeli settlers, including the Israeli Minister of Agriculture, Uri Ariel, and right wing MP Yehuda Glick, moved into al-Aqsa Mosque’s yards in occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City, amid tight Israeli security measures. They imposed restrictions on Palestinian worshipers and denied their access to the mosque, coinciding with Yom Kippur Holiday. The Islamic Endowment (Awqaf) Department stated that hundreds of Israeli setters raided al-Aqsa Mosque as groups via al-Maghareba Gate under Israeli forces and intelligence officers’ protection. It should be noted that many Palestinians were threatened with arrest and banned from entering the mosque by Israeli forces if they head to Bab al-Rahma Mosque. The Israeli forces also detained the worshipers’ IDs. It should be noted that groups of Temple Mount Movement have called via media and social networking sites for collective raids of al-Aqsa Mosque during the Jewish holidays, with assurances of full protection by the Israeli police.

• At approximately 13:30, Israeli settlers, from “Yatizhar” settlement, set fire to olive trees belonging to Palestinian civilians on “Yatizhar” Bypass Road in Um Brais and al-Tanour areas, south of the village. As a result, at least 100 fruitful olive trees were burned before the residents and Civil Defense managed
  to extinguish the fire. The affected olive trees belong to Ahmed Mohamed Ya’qoub ‘Odah.

• At approximately 17:30 on Tuesday, Israeli settlers, who were driving a car on Ramallah-Nablus main street in ‘Oyoun Haramiyia area, threw stones at Ibrahim Suliman Mohamed al-Deek’s (31) vehicle, from al-Sawiyia village, south of Nablus. As a result, the vehicle’s windshield was broken. Al-Deek said to PCHR’s fieldworker that: “At approximately 17:30 on Tuesday, 08 October 2019, I was returning from my workplace in Ramallah and heading to al-Sawiyia village. When I arrived at ‘Oyoun Haramiyia area, north of Ramallah, there was a traffic jam. I was startled when a stone hit my windshield. The glass scattered on my face, body and inside my car. I closed my eyes and paused for a moment, then proceeded with caution.”

 

• On Wednesday, 09 October 2019, Israeli forces closed al-Ibrahimi Mosque in the central of Hebron’s Old City. They ordered the Islamic Endowment officers to get out of the mosque and prevented worshipers from entering it. Hundreds of Israeli settlers raided al-Ibrahimi Mosque to perform prayers on Yom Kippur Holiday.

1. Closure policy and restrictions on freedom of movement of persons and goods

West Bank

In addition to permanent checkpoints and closed roads, this week witnessed the establishment of more temporary checkpoints that restrict the goods and individuals movement between villages and cities and deny civilians’ access to their work. Israeli forces established 26 temporary checkpoints and arrested a civilian. Furthermore, 2 civilians were arrested while travelling via King Hussein Crossing.

 

The military checkpoint were as follows:

Jerusalem:

• Israeli forces closed the “Tunnel” and “300” military checkpoints, which separate occupied Jerusalem from Bethlehem, in addition to closing “al-Jeep” and “Hizmah” checkpoints on Monday and Tuesday midnight until Wednesday midnight, coinciding with Yom Kippur Holiday. Furthermore, Israeli forces closed all the entrance to Arab villages and neighborhoods with iron barriers and cement cubes, completely paralyzing traffic within the area.

Hebron:

• On Thursday, 03 October 2019, Israeli forces established 2 checkpoints at the entrance to Sa’ir village and at the entrance to al-Fawar refugee camp.

• On Friday, 04 October 2019, Israeli forces established 4 checkpoints at the eastern entrance to Dura, at the entrances to Tarama and Beit Ummer villages, and at the entrance to al-Fawar refugee camp.

• On Saturday, 05 October 2019, Israeli forces established 4 checkpoints at the entrances to al-Shayyoukh, al-Jalajel and al-Raboud villages, and at the entrance to al-‘Aroub refugee camp. In morning hours, the Israeli forces closed the entrance to Beit Ummer village, north of Hebron, with a metal detector gate and denied Palestinians’ access to their vehicles. As a result, they were forced to use a bypass road for entering and exiting the village.

• On Sunday, 06 October 2019, Israeli forces established 4 checkpoints at the southern entrance to Halhoul village, at the entrance to Yatta, at the southern entrance to Hebron, and at the entrance to Beit Kahel village.

• On Tuesday, 08 October 2019, Israeli forces established 3 checkpoints at the southern entrance to Halhoul village, at the eastern entrance to Dura village, and at the entrance to Beit Kahel village.

Nablus:

• At approximately 20:00 on Saturday, 05 October 2019, Israeli forces stationed at the checkpoint of “Shavi Shamroun” settlement, on Nablus-Jenin Street, northwest of the city, obstructed the movement of Palestinian vehicles.

• Israeli forces stationed at Beit Foreek checkpoint, at the eastern entrance to the village, obstructed the movement of Palestinian every day after 14:00.

• At approximately 08:30 on Sunday, 06 October 2019, Israeli forces established a checkpoint in al-Fawar area, at the southeastern entrance to al-Tal village, southwest of the city.

• At approximately 15:30, a similar checkpoint was established in al-Sarifi area on al-Bathan-Nablus road, at the northern entrance to the city.

• On Tuesday, 08 October 2019, Israeli forces established 3 checkpoints at Tall-Madama villages’ intersections (at the southern entrance to Tall village), at the entrance to Homish settlement (Jenin-Nablus Road), and on ‘Asirah-Nablus Road (at the northern entrance to Nablus).

Salfit:

 

• At approximately 08:50 on Saturday, 05 October 2019, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance to Dir Balout village, west of the city.

• At approximately 09:50, a similar checkpoint was established at the northern entrance to the city.

Tulkarm:

 

• At approximately 23:30 on Thursday, 03 October 2019, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance to ‘Izbit al-Tabeeb village, east of Tulkarm.

• At approximately 19:00, a similar checkpoint was established on a road connecting between Jayyous and Kafur Jamal villages, south of the city.

https://pchrgaza.org/en/?p=13012

 

Palestinian Youth Martyred by IOF Fire in Gaza Protests

By Staff, Agencies

“Israeli” forces continue to target the Palestinians who take part in anti-occupation protests along the fence between the besieged Gaza Strip and the occupied territories, killing a young man and injuring dozens of others in the latest such protest.

The Gazan Health Ministry said 28-year-old Alaa Nizar Ayesh Hemdan was martyred by “Israeli” forces during the latest protest on Friday.

Ashraf al-Qedra, the spokesman for the ministry, added that 54 other Palestinians were injured during the protests, 22 of them with live ammunition.

The “Great March of Return” rallies have been held every week since March 30 last year. The Palestinians want the return of those driven out of their homeland by “Israeli” aggression.

“Israeli” Occupation Forces [IOF] troops have martyred at least 307 Palestinians since the beginning of the rallies and wounded more than 18,000 others, according to the Gazan Health Ministry.

In March, a United Nations fact-finding mission found that “Israeli” forces committed rights violations during their crackdown against the Palestinian protesters in Gaza that may amount to war crimes.

Gaza has been under “Israeli” siege since June 2007, which has caused a decline in living standards.

The “Israeli” entity has also launched three major wars against the enclave since 2008, causing the martyrdom of thousands of Gazans each time and shattering the impoverished territory’s already poor infrastructure.

Weekly report on israel’s terrorism on Palestinians (19 – 25 September 2019)

Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in Palestine (19 – 25 September 2019)

https://pchrgaza.org/en/?p=12953

Israeli violations of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory 

19 – 25 September 2019

 

• Great March of Return in Eastern Gaza Strip: 112 civilians injured, including 39 children, 2 women, 2 paramedics and a journalist.

• 13 civilians injured, including 3 children and a journalist, in the West Bank.

 

• During 110 incursions into the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem: 124 civilians arrested, including 14 children.

• Israeli forces raided ADDAMEER Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association in Ramallah and seized five laptops and other equipment.

 

• 5 shooting incidents reported against Palestinian fishing boats off the Gaza Strip shore, and 3 incursions into the eastern Gaza Strip

 

• A house demolished in occupied East Jerusalem; the wall and foundations of another house destroyed in Nablus in addition to an agricultural room and walls of a house in Hebron.                                    

• 66 temporary checkpoints erupted in the West Bank, where 4 Palestinian civilians were arrested. 

• A Palestinian arrested at Erez “Beit Hanoun” Crossing, north of the Gaza Strip.  

Summary 

During the reporting period, PCHR documented 204 violations of the international human rights law and international humanitarian law (IHL) by Israeli forces and settlers in the occupied Palestinian territory.

As part of the Israeli violations of the right to life and bodily integrity, Israeli forces wounded 125 Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. In the Gaza Strip, 112 civilians were wounded, including 39 children, 2 women, 2 paramedics and a journalist at the Great March of Return.  Meanwhile, the Israeli forces wounded 13 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children and a journalist, in separate shooting incidents in the West Bank.

As part of the Israeli incursions and house raids, Israel carried out 110 incursions into the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, and raided civilian houses, attacking and enticing fear among residents in addition to shooting in many incidents. As a result, 124 Palestinians were arrested, including 14 children. As part of Israeli attacks against human rights organizations to hinder their work, Israeli forces raided the office of ADDAMEER Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association in Ramallah and sized a number of laptop and other equipment on Thursday, 19 September 2019.  It should be noted that this is the 3^rd time in the last years the Israeli forces raid the office.

In the Gaza Strip, the Israeli forces carried out 3 incursions into the eastern Gaza Strip and arrested a Palestinian at Beit Hanoun “Erez” crossing.

Under the settlement expansion activities in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, PCHR documented 6 violations, including confiscating a construction vehicle in southern Bethlehem; destroying a house in al-Tour neighbourhood in Jerusalem; destroying the foundations and retaining wall of a house in Nablus and the walls of a house and an agricultural room in Hebron in addition to a court’s decision forcing a family to vacate their estate in Jerusalem.  Further, the Israeli settlers carried out 6 attacks at the Palestinian civilians and their property in the West Bank.

In terms of the Israeli closure policy, the Gaza Strip still suffers the worst closure in the History of the Israeli occupation in the oPt as it has entered the 14^th consecutive year, without any improvement to the movement of persons and goods and ongoing isolation of the Gaza Strip from the West Bank and the rest of the world. Meanwhile, the West Bank is divided into separate cantons with key roads blocked by the Israeli occupation since the Second Intifada and with temporary and permanent checkpoints, where civilians’ movement is restricted and others are arrested.

 

 

1. Violation of the right to life and to bodily integrity

 

1. Excessive Use of Force against the Great March of Return in the Gaza Strip

The 75^th Great March of Return took off in eastern Gaza Strip on Friday, 20 September 2019, titled “Refugee Camps of Lebanon”. The Israeli attacks resulted in the injury of 112 civilians, including 39 children, 2 women, 2 paramedics and a journalist.

The incidents were as follows:

 

• Northern Gaza Strip: At approximately 16:00 on Friday, 20 September 2019, hundreds of civilians marched towards the central tent of the Great March of Return (GMR) in Abu Safiyah area, northeast of Jabalia, north of the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces stationed behind sand berms and in military vehicles along the border fence, fired live and rubber bullets as well as teargas canisters at a number of protesters, who threw stones at them. As a result, 24 civilians injured, including 11 children: 16, including 8 children, were shot with live bullets and their shrapnel; 6 , including 3 children, were hit with tear gas canisters; and 2 were shot with rubber bullets. Those wounded civilians were transferred via ambulances belonging to the Ministry of Health and  Union of Health Work Committees (UHWC) to the Indonesian and al-Awda Hospitals and their injuries were classified between minor and moderate. Hamada Suhail Mohamed Sa’d Ghabayin (21), from al-Tuffah neighborhood in Gaza City,sustained serious live bullet wounds in his abdomen.
• Gaza City: at approximately 17:00 on Friday, hundreds of civilians marched in eastern Malakah area, east of Gaza City. Speeches, theatrical performances and other segments were performed at the protest central encampment. Dozens of protestors approached the fence and threw stones with slingshots at Israeli soldiers. The activities continued until 19:00 on the same day. Despite the peaceful nature of the demonstrations, Israeli forces directly stationed along the border fence fired live and rubber bullets and tear gas canisters at the participants. As a result, 24 civilians injured, including 2 children, a woman and a photojournalist: 6 were shot with live bullets and 18 were shot with rubber bullets. The wounded woman is Tahreer Sa’ed Abdul Razeq Baker (30) was shot with a live bullet to the left foot. Photojournalist Abdul Rahman Hani Abdul Qader al-Kahlout (23) was shot with a live bullet to the feet.
• Central Gaza Strip: at approximately 15:00, hundreds of civilians, including women, children and families, took part in the eastern Bureij refugee camp protests; tens of them gathered adjacent to the border fence at a range varying between 3 – 300 meters. A number of protestors approached the fence and threw stones with slingshots at Israeli soldiers. The Israeli soldiers, reinforced with several military SUVs, fired live and rubber bullets in addition to teargas canisters at them. As a result, 14 civilians were wounded, including 8 children: 4 were shot with live bullets and their shrapnel, 2 was shot with rubber bullets and 8 were hit with tear gas canisters.
• Khan Younis:  hundreds participated in Khuza’ah protests. Tens approached the border fence, set tires on fire, attempted to throw stones and firecrackers, and raised Palestinian flags in addition to chanting national songs. Israeli forces fired live and rubber bullets and tear gas canisters at protesters, wounding 13 civilians, including 4 children, a woman and 2 paramedics: one of them was deemed critical; 3 were hit with live bullets and their shrapnel; 6 were hit with rubber bullets and 4 were hit with tear gas canisters. The wounded volunteer paramedics were identified as: Rabah al-Bayyouk (25),who was hit with a rubber bullet in his right arm; and Ghanem Mostafa al-Najjar (45), who was hit with a rubber bullet in his right arm as well, Al-Najjar is a volunteer with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.  Furthermore, ‘Ali Mostafa Ferwanah (28) sustained serious live bullet wound in his thigh.
• Rafah: hundreds participated in the eastern Shokah protests, where folklore songs and speeches were held. Dozens approached the border fence and threw stones and fireworks at the shielded Israeli soldiers, who responded with live and rubber bullets and teargas canisters against the protestors. As a result, 37 civilians were injured, including 14 children: 23 were shot with live bullets and their shrapnel, 10 were shot with rubber bullets and 4 were hit with tear gas canisters.

2. Excessive use of force in the West Bank:

• At approximately 13:30 on Friday, 20 September 2019, Palestinians from Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqiliyah launched their weekly peaceful protest and headed towards the village’s eastern entrance that has been closed by Israeli forces for the past 15 years in favor of “Kedumim” settlement. The demonstrators chanted national slogans demanding end of the occupation and protested the Israeli forces’ crimes against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The protestors threw stones at the Israeli soldiers stationed behind sand berms while the soldiers fired sponge-tipped bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, a 46-year-old civilian was hit with a rubber bullet to the hand, a 27-year-old young man was hit with a rubber bullet to the back. The wounded journalist, Ahmed Shawer (27) was hit with rubber bullet to the hand. (the names of the wounded civilians are available at PCHR)
• At approximately at approximately 14:00 on Monday, 23 September 2019, students at Birzeit University and a number of Palestinians in addition to international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration at the northern entrance to al-Birah in solidarity with prisoners on hunger strike in Israeli prisons. When the protestors approached the checkpoint near “Beit Eil” settlement, north of the city, Israeli soldiers fired live and rubber bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, 10 students fainted and suffered tear gas inhalation and they received medical treatment on the spot.

3. Shooting and other violations of the right to life and bodily integrity

• At approximately 02:50 on Thursday, 19 September 2019, Israeli forces moved into Ramalah and stationed in al-Manarah Square in the center of the city. a number of Palestinian young men and children gathered and threw stones at Israeli forces. Israeli forces chased the protestors in the center of the city and fired rubber bulets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, 5 Palestinian young men in their early twenties sustained rubber bullets in their lower extremities of their bodies and they received medical treatment on the spot by Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) crews. (The names of the wounded civilians are available at PCHR)
• At approximately 11:40 on Friday, 20 September 2019, Israeli gunboats stationed in northwest of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza Strip, chased and opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats sailing within 3- 6 nautical miles. As a result, the fishermen were forced to flee fearing for their lives; neither casualties nor material damage was reported.
• At approximately 18:20 on Saturday, 21 September 2019, Israeli forces moved into ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqiliyah amidst firing rubber bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at Palestinian civilians claiming that those civilians threw stones at them during their patrol. As a result, a 13-year-old child was shot with a rubber bullet in the leg; a 16-year-old child was shot with a rubber bullet in the thigh; a 17-year-old child was shot with a rubber bullet in the thigh; a 22-year-old young man sustained a rubber bullet wound in the abdomen and a 20-year-old young man sustained a rubber bullet wound to the leg. (The names of those wounded are available at PCHR)
• At approximately 07:20 on Sunday, 22 September 2019, Israeli gunboats stationed offshore, opened fire and chased Palestinian fishing boats sailing within 4 nautical miles off al-Sudaniyah shore, west of Jabalia in northern Gaza Strip. As a result, the fishermen were forced to flee fearing for their lives; no casualties were reported.
• Half an hour later, Israeli gunboats stationed in northwest of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza Strip, opened fire and chased Palestinian fishing boats sailing within 3 nautical miles. As a result, the fishermen were forced to flee fearing for their lives; no casualties were reported.
• At approximately 07:30 on Monday, 23 September 2019, Israeli gunboats stationed in northwest of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza Strip, opened fire and chased Palestinian fishing boats sailing within 3 nautical miles. As a result, the fishermen were forced to flee fearing for their lives; no casualties were reported.
• At approximately 07:20 on Tuesday, 24 September 2019, Israeli gunboats stationed in northwest of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza Strip, opened fire and chased Palestinian fishing boats sailing within 3 nautical miles. As a result, the fishermen were forced to flee fearing for their lives; no casualties were reported.
• At approximately 09:20 on the same day morning, Israeli soldiers stationed in eastern al-Shoka village, east of Rafah, fired tear gas canisters at the farmers. As a result, farmers suffered tear gas inhalation and were forced to leave their lands.

 

1. Incursions and Arrests

Thursday, 19 September 2019:

• At approximately 00:00, Israeli forces moved into Zeta village, north of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a house belonging to Khalid Ahmed Abu Sharqiyah (19) and then arrested him.

• At approximately 01:15, Israeli forces moved into Balta refugee camp, east of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses after which they arrested Yusuf Sa’ed Hashash (22), Nasser Sbaitan (20) and Ra’ed Wahid Abu ‘Awad (19).

• At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into Ramallah. They raided and searched the head office of Addameer Association for Supporting Prisoners and Human Rights in al-Rafedain Square in the first floor of Sabat building. The soldiers broke the main door, tampered with office contents and seized 5 laptops, memory cards, three laptop memories, one laptop card, several books and additionally searching through the belongings of the office. 5 laptops and other contents. Israeli forces had previously raided Addameer office in 2002 and 2012.

• At the same time, Israeli forces moved into Jenin. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mohammed Hesien Manasrah (19) and then arrested him.

• At the same time, Israeli forces moved into Jenin refugee camp, west of Jenin. They raided and searched several houses and then arrested Ahmed Abed Sabbah (20), Mohammed Nathmi Abu Ghurrah (19), Suheib Mari’e al-Zare’i (24), Yusuf Sobhi Shraim (35) and Basel ‘Akramah Stati (27).

• At the same time, Israeli forces moved into Beit Daqou village, northwest of occupied East Jerusalem. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mohammed ‘Omran Rayan (27) and then arrested him.

• At approximately 02:40, Israeli forces moved into Kafel Hares village, north of Salfit. They raided and searched a house belonging to ‘Emad Mahmoud Abdul Hamid al-Qaq (17) and then arrested him.

• At approximately 03:30, Israeli forces moved into Kafer Ne’mah village, west of Ramallah. They raided and searched several houses and then arrested Mohammed Mansour Jobran ‘Abdoh (18) Ehab Mohammed Mohyee Eden ‘Abdoh (18), huein Sa’ed ‘Abdoh (18) and Bara’a Shadi al-Fayez (24).

• At approximately 04:20, Israeli forces moved into Qalqiliyah. They raided and searched several houses and then arrested Mahdi Hashem Sabri (30), Mohammed Na’em Shafiq Bakeer (27), ‘Obadah Abdul Halim al-Haj (25) and Hamzah Yasser ‘Ouweiant (25).

• At approximately 10:00, Israeli forces moved into Sour Baher village, south of occupied East Jerusalem. They raided and searched a house belonging to Monther Younis Hamadah (39) and handed him a summons to refer to the Israeli Intelligence Service at al-Maskobiya detention center in West Jerusalem. Hamadah is husband of Fadwa Hamadah (32), who was sentenced with 10 years of imprisonment in the Israeli prisons after she attempted to carry out a stab attack in Bab al-‘Amoud area in occupied East Jerusalem. Younis received a decision to deny him access to al-Aqsa Mosque for 10 days.

• Israeli forces carried out (6) incursions in Tulkarm, Kuber, Um Safa and ‘Atarah villages, north of Ramallah; al-‘Aroub refugee camp and Beit Kahel village in Hebron. No arrests were reported.

Friday, 20 September 2019:

• At approximately 18:30, Israeli forces moved into Al Mahmoud neighborhood, west of al-‘Issawiyah village, northeast of occupied East Jerusalem. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mahmoud Abdullah Mahmoud (16) and then arrested him.

• Israeli forces carried out (10) incursions in Kafer Romman village, east of Tulkarm; Qalqiliyah, Hejjah and Kafer Thuluth villages, east of the city; Rafat village, west of Salfit; Sarda village, north of Ramallah; Beit Ummer, al-Thaheriyah, Emrish and Abu al-‘Asja villages in Hebron. No arrests were reported.

                                      

Saturday, 21 September 2019:

• At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into al-‘Aroub refugee camp, north of Hebron. They raided and searched 2 houses belonging to Islam Tayseer Banat (14) and Mohammed jamal Abu Sal (15) and then arrested them.

• At approximately 01:30, Israeli forces moved into Beit Kahel village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched several houses and then arrested Omer Mahmoud Abdul Hadi ‘Asafrah (23), Bassam ‘Atiyah al-Zuhour (30), Amir Bassam ‘Atiyah al-Zuhour (20) and Montaser Mahmoud Ismail Ariyoush (22).

• At approximately 03:00, Israeli forces moved into Beit Ummer village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mohammed Ahmed ‘Alami (30) and the arrested him.

• At the same time, Israeli forces moved into al-Fawar refugee camp, south of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Sami Mohammed Janazrah (46) and then arrested him.

• At approximately 09:00, Israeli forces stationed at al-Container checkpoint, north of Bethlehem, arrested Salem Mousa Shadid (20), from Kharsa, south of Hebron, while he was heading to his university in Abu Dese village, east of occupied East Jerusalem.

• At approximately 13:00, Israeli forces moved into Beit Ummer village, north of Hebron and stationed in Safa area. They stopped illegal vehicle, searched it and arrested 3 children, who were inside it and took them to a detention center in “Gush Etzion” settlement, south of Bethlehem. The arrestees were identified as: Suleiman Mohammed Abu Daya (15), Mohammed Bassam Moneer Ekhleil (16), Abdul ‘Aziz Mohammed Shafiq Ekhleil (17), Abudllah Amjad Omer al-Titi (18) and Mohammed Netham Namer Do’mos Ekhleil (18).

• In the afternoon, Israeli forces moved into al-‘Izzariyah village, southeast of occupied East Jerusalem following the funeral procession of Nasim Mokafeh Abu Romi (14) in the village cemetery. They fired rubber bullets and tear gas canisters at houses. As a result, 6 civilians suffered tear gas inhalation and were taken to the Emergency Center in the village to receive treatment. Hundreds of Palestinians, from al-‘Izariyah village, participated in the funeral procession of Abu Romi, who was killed By Israeli forces after he attempted to stab a soldier at Bab al-Silsila Gate in al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City in Mid-August. Abu Romi’s dead body was detained by Israeli authorities until 20 September 2019, when they handed his body to his family.

• At approximately 22:00, Israeli forces stationed at Beit Furik checkpoint, east of Nablus, arrested Emad Nehad Qayem (20), from Ras al-‘Ain neighborhood, south of the city. Israeli forces claimed that they found a knife with Qayem. It should be noted that Palestinian civilians in the West Bank seriously think before buying kitchen sharp tools and carrying them to their houses fearing from being arrested on this ground.

• Israeli forces carried out (5) incursions in ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqiliyah; Kafel Hares, Haras, Deir Estia, and Bruqin villages in Salfit. No arrests were reported.

Sunday, 22 September 2019

• At approximately 01:30, Israeli forces moved into Beit Kahel village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses after which they arrested Mahmoud Salem al-Zuhour (22), Mohammed Tayseer ‘Asafrah (30), Mo’ath Ahmed Mahmoud ‘Asafrah (28), Yusuf Ahmed Mahmoud ‘Asafrah (26) and Zahran Mahmoud ‘Asafrah (36).

• At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into Hazma village, northeast of occupied East Jerusalem. They raided and searched a house belonging to ‘Ali al-‘Afow al-‘Omlah (25) and then arrested him.

• At approximately 3:00, Israeli forces moved into Beit Oula village, west of Hebron. They raided Raed Abdul-‘Afou al-‘Omla’s (25) house, searched it and arrested al-‘Omla.

• At approximately 07:30, Israeli forces backed by 6 military construction vehicles moved about 100 meters into eastern al-Buraij in the central Gaza Strip. They leveled, combed, and repaired the barbed wire in lands adjacent to the border fence. The vehicles then headed to the south east of al-Maghazi. At approximately 15:00, the vehicles redeployed along the border fence.

• At approximately 23:00, Israeli forces stationed at Beit Hanoun “Erez” crossing in northern Gaza Strip, arrested Bassam Mahmoud Yusuf Ghurab (41), from ‘Amer Housing Project in northern Gaza Strip, who owns Donya al-Kahraba’a Company. According to the statement of Ghurab’s brother, Ahmed (33), at approximately 08:00 on Sunday morning, Ghurab went to the Israeli Intelligence Service after he applied for a travel permit to the West Bank and his family then lost contact with him. At approximately 23:00 on the same day, Ahmed received a phone call from the Israeli Intelligence Services informing him that his brother is arrested in Ashkelon Prison for security reasons. Ghurab appeared for the scheduled interview with the Israeli Intelligence Services a week ago but he was dismissed and returned to the Gaza Strip.

• At the same time, Israeli forces established a temporary checkpoint near Jeet village, northeast of Qalqiliyah. They checked Palestinian civilians’ ID cards, searched their vehicles and then arrested Yusuf Ghaleb Hannoun (23), from ‘Anabtah village, east of Tulkarm.

 

• Israeli forces carried out (3) incursions in Nuba and Taffuh villages in Hebron; Rojeeb village, east of Nablus. No arrests were reported.

Monday, 23 September 2019:

• At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into al-Issawiyah village, northwest of old East Jerusalem. They raided and searched several houses, and then arrested (24) civilians, including (7) children, and took them to al-Maskobiya investigation center. (The names of the arrestees are available at PCHR)

• At approximately 01:30, Israeli forces moved into Bala’a village, northwest of Tulkarm. They raided and searched several houses and then arrested (3) civilians namely; Ali Younis Abu Younis (46); Mahmoud Mohammed ‘Amair (46) and Amjad Wael Abu al-Naser (31).

• At the same time, Israeli forces moved to Bait ‘Anan, northwest of old East Jerusalem. They raided and searched a house belonging to Wissam Elias Rabea’ (22), and then arrested him.

• At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into ‘Azoun village, east of Qalqiliya. They raided and searched 2 houses belonging to ‘Odai Hamza Inaya (27) and Kazem Mofeed Redwan (28) and then arrested them.

• At the same time, Israeli forces moved into Habla village, south of Qalqiliya. They raided and searched a house belonging to ‘Ali Ahmed al-Jada’ (32) and then arrested him.

• At the same time, Israeli forces moved into Abu Dese village, east of the occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City. They raided and searched a house belonging to Isma’el Ali Halabeya (29) and then arrested him.

• At approximately 02:15, Israeli forces moved into Hebron. They raided and searched 2 houses belonging to Nizar Mohammed Ra’fat Sider (26) and Rami Mohammed al-Owaiwi (26) and then arrested them.

• At the same time, Israeli forces moved into Kafer Thuluth village, east of Qalqiliya. They raided and searched several houses and then arrested (3) civilians namely: Abdul Sattar Khader Mara’ba (25); Msallam Mohammed ‘Owda (29) and Mo’nes Fareed Marab’a (20).

• At approximately 02:15, Israeli forces moved into Qarawat Bani Hassan village, northwest of Salfit. They raided and searched 2 houses belonging to Hazem Zaher Mara’i (16) and Abdul Rahman Abdul ‘Aziz Mara’i (22) and then arrested them.

• At approximately 02:20, Israeli forces moved into Birzeit village, north of Ramallah. They raided and searched a house belonging to Sana’ Abed Mghamis Abu ‘Awwad (55) and then arrested her.

• At the same time, Israeli forces moved into Barham village, north of Ramallah. They raided and searched a house belonging to Basel Saleh Falyan (22), a student at Birzeit University, and then arrested him.

• At approximately 02:30, Israeli forces moved into Jenin refugee camp, west of Jenin. They raided and searched several houses and then arrested (5) civilians namely: Tamer ‘Azmi Nasharti (28); Mohammed Karam Nassar (45); Tha’er ‘Awni al-Swaity (24) his brother ‘Iqab (18); and Tareq Zeyad Abu Tabeekh (23).

• At approximately 03:00, Israeli forces moved into al-Duheishah refugee camp, south of Bethlehem. They raided and searched several houses and then arrested (3) civilians namely: Bilal Omar Dawoud (26); Morad Mo’ayad al-Khour (23); and Jamal Osama al-Issa (24).

• At approximately 03:30, Israeli forces moved into Ramallah, and stationed at al-Masayef and al-Masyoun neighborhoods. They raided and searched several houses and then arrested (3) civilians; who were former prisoners at the Israeli prisons, namely: ‘Etiraf Bajes al-Rimawi (45); Wissam Rabea’ (23); and Nassar Jaradat (25).

• At approximately 04:00, Israeli forces moved into ‘Ain al-Lawza in Silwan village, south of occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City. They raided and searched several houses and then arrested (3) civilians namely: Ala’a Tawfiq Abu Tayeh (21); Majdi Wa’el Abu Tayeh (21); and Ishaq Khalid Abu Tayeh (22).

• At approximately 20:00, a large Israeli military force moved into Deir Nitham village, northwest of Ramallah. Dozens of Palestinian protestors gathered on the village streets and threw stones and empty bottles at Israeli soldiers, who responded with live and rubber bullets and teargas canisters against them in addition to firing teargas canisters at houses. As a result, a number of civilians suffered teargas inhalation and they received treatment on the spot. Israeli forces raided and searched several houses and questioned (3) civilians on the spot for about 3hours and they were identified as: Mahmoud Khair al-Tamimi; Mohammed Jawad al-Tamimi; and Youssef Mohammed al-Tamimi. Since 16 September 2019, Israeli forces close the 3entrances of Deir Nitham village, search, abuse, and attack all passersby.

• Israeli forces carried out (5) incursions into the following areas with no reported arrests: Beit Reema, Deir Ghasana and al-Nabi Saleh villages, northwest of Ramallah; al-Zahereya and Abu al-Asja villages in Hebron. No arrests were reported.

Tuesday, 24 September 2019:

 

• At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into Dura village, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mohammed Ahmed Sharawna (23) and then arrested him.

• At approximately 01:30, Israeli forces moved into Beit Kahel village, northwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Fathi Jehad ‘Asafra (28) and then arrested him.

• Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into Halhoul, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Sa’oud Ahmed Zama’ra (27) and then arrested him.

• At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into Hebron. They raided and searched the head office of Union of Palestinian Labor Committee, after breaking the main door using a special tool. Furthermore, they threw all the contents on the ground. Before they leave, they confiscated a printer and a personal computer, and fixed a notification in Jewish Language in Hebron saying: “Do not open this room”.

• Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into Bethlehem, and stationed in Wadi al-Ma’ali neighborhood in the center of the city. They raided and searched several houses and then arrested Omar Ayyad al-Harimi (21) and Mohammed Hadya (22).

• At approximately 02:15, Israeli forces moved into Shaqba village, northwest of Ramallah. They raided and searched a house belonging to Harith Salem Shalash (21) and then arrested him.

• At approximately 02:30, Israeli forces moved into Yatta, south of Hebron. They raided and searched several houses and arrested (6) civilians namely: Mohammed Jebril al-Najjar; Faisal Mohammed Jebril al-Najjar; Mahmoud Abdul Rahman al-Najjar; Rami Ali al-Najjar; Ahmed Mohammed al-Najjar and Ghaleb Mohammed Ali Qara’esh.

• At the same time, Israeli forces moved into Qablan village, southeast of Nablus. They raided and searched several houses and then arrested ‘Odai Najeh Aqra’a (25).

• At approximately 03:00, Israeli forces moved into al-Duheishah refugee camp, south of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to Ahmed Mazen Raqban (20) and then arrested him.

• At approximately 03:30, Israeli forces moved into Tarqumiya village, northwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Tamer ‘Aref Qabaja (30) and then arrested him.

• At the same time, Israeli forces stationed at Salem Military Court’s Gate, west of Jenin, arrested Osama Jehad Abu Swais (18), from Jenin, and took him to an unknown destination.

• At approximately 07:30, Israeli forces backed by 6 military construction vehicles and bulldozers moved about 100 meters into al-Nimer Gate, east of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. The vehicles leveled the lands and repaired the barbed wire and then redeployed along the border fence.

• Israeli forces carried out (4) incursions in Bani Na’iem and Sourif, Raboud and Boqa’a villages in Hebron. No arrests were reported.

Wednesday, 25 September 2019:

                   

• At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into Nablus. They raided and searched a house belonging to Abdullah Shnaiwer Dekat (29) and then arrested him.

• At approximately 02:20, Israeli forces moved into ‘Ain al-Sultan refugee camp, north of Jericho. They raided and searched a house belonging to Majdi Abdul Qader ‘Ouwedat (26), a former prisoner in the Israeli prisons, and then arrested him.

• At approximately 03:00, Israeli forces moved into Tubas. They raided and searched s house belonging to ‘Aqil Majed Dawoud Daraghmah (26) and then arrested him.

• At the same time, Israeli forces moved into Ethna village, west of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Tareq Mohammed Tamizi (26) and then arrested him.

• At approximately 04:30, Israeli forces moved into al-Sowanah neighborhood, east of occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City. They raided and searched a house belonging to Fadi Arafat al-Hadmi (43), Jerusalem Affairs’ Minister, and then arrested him.

• At approximately 05:00, Israeli forces moved into Silwan village, south of occupied East Jerusalem’s Old city. They raided and searched a house belonging to ‘Adnan ‘Adel Ghaith (46), Jerusalem’s Mayor, and then handed his family a summons in his name to refer to the Israeli Intelligence Service in “al-Maskobiya” Detention Center in West Jerusalem.

• At approximately 07:00, Israeli forces backed by a number of military construction vehicles moved tens of meters into eastern al-Qarara village, east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza Strip. the vehicles leveled lands in the area for few hours and then redeployed along the border fence.

• At approximately 08:40, a group of Israeli undercover units “Mista’arvim” dressed like Palestinian civilian sneaked into Birzeit village, north of Ramallah, using a civilians vehicle with Palestinian registration plate. the vehicle stopped in Ramallah’s Old City and the special unit groups raided a residential building for Birzeit University and then arrested Netham Sami Emtair (21), a student at Birzeit University from Dura in Hebron.

• At approximately 11:30, Israeli forces moved into Ramallah and stationed in Batn al-Hawa neighborhood in the western area of the city. They raided and searched a house belonging to Samer Mena Saleem al-‘Arbid (38), confiscated paper files related to his work and then arrested him. It should be noted that al-‘Arabid served 5 years in the Israeli prisons.

• Israeli forces conducted (4) incursions in Sa’ir and Beit ‘Awa villages in Hebron; Kafer Qalil and Rojeeb villages in Nablus. No arrests were reported.

 

III. Settlement Expansion and settler violence in the West Bank including occupied East Jerusalem

 

1. Demolition and Confiscation of Civilian Property for Settlement Expansion Activities

 

• At approximately 16:00 on Friday, 20 September 2019, Israeli forces moved into Rakhma area within Taqou’a municipality boundaries in southern Bethlehem. The Israeli forces then confiscated a municipality bulldozer while constructing a water pipeline in al-Bariyia area, which belongs to the municipality boundaries. Eyewitnesses said that the Israeli forces ordered the municipality staff to stop the construction works and then confiscated the bulldozer, claiming that the construction is illegal. Taqou’a Municipality condemned the Israeli attack on its staff and construction vehicles, noting that this attack shows the Israeli ambitions for Palestinian property and territories. The municipality added that this attack constitutes a strong support for the settlers and their greed to establish more settlement outposts on Palestinians’ lands and create Jewish majority. The municipality confirmed that it will defend its rights and thwart all Israeli plans.

• At approximately 11:00 on Tuesday, 24 September 2019, Israeli Municipality bulldozer demolished an under-construction house belonging to ‘Isaa Khalil in al-Tour neighborhood, east of occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City, under the pretext of non-licensing. Khalil’s father said that the Israeli forces accompanied with Israeli Municipality staff moved into al-Tour neighborhood, raided the building of Khalil family and completely surrounded it in order to demolish ‘Isaa’s house, which is located in the 3^rd floor and built of tin plates on an area of 120 square meters. He added that the Israeli Municipality handed his son ‘Isaa a demolition notice to self-demolish his house and gave him until Monday, 23 September 2019. Khalil confirmed that his son started to self-demolish his house, but the municipality staff raided the house and completed the demolition. Khalil added that the Israeli forces attacked the family members while demolishing their houses and severely beat them. As a result, ‘Odai Khalil sustained bruises and wounds and was then taken to a medical center. Furthermore, Khalil two sons, Qusai (21) and ‘Isaa (29) were arrested.

• At approximately 15:00 on Tuesday, 24 September 2019, Israeli forces accompanied with a bulldozer and a vehicle of Israeli Civil Administration moved into the northern entrance to ‘Urta village, east of Nablus. They stationed in al-Mazra’ah area, southeast of the city. The bulldozer demolished the concrete foundations of a 200-sqaure-meter an under-construction house, in addition to a retaining wall. The mentioned house and retaining wall belong to Akram Fawzan Ahmed Darawsha and their costs estimated at NIS 100.000. The demolition was carried out under the pretext of building in Area C without getting a prior permit from the Israeli forces.

• At approximately 09:00 on Wednesday, 25 September 2019, Israeli forces backed by military construction vehicles and accompanied with a bulldozer, 3 excavators and a vehicle of the Israeli Civil Administration moved into al-Hejrah village, east of Dura, southwest of Hebron. The soldiers were deployed in the area while the military construction vehicles demolished the house walls of Sameer Nimer ‘Isaa Nimer Dodain (38), under the pretext of non-licensing. The under-construction house is comprised of 3 story and built on an area of 520 square meters. It should be noted that the Israeli authorities handed Sameer a notice to stop construction works in February 2019 and did not handed him a demolition notice. The house cost is estimated at NIS 800.000.

• Around the same time, Israeli forces backed by military construction vehicles and accompanied with an excavator and a vehicle of the Israeli Civil Administration moved into al-Baq’ah area, east of Hebron. The excavator demolished a 20-sqaure-meter agricultural room belonging to Nader ‘Odah Jaber, under the pretext of non-licensing.

2. Israeli Settler Violence

 

• At approximately 02:30 on Thursday, 19 September 2019, dozens of Israeli settlers, under the Israeli forces’ protection, moved into Halhoul city, north of Hebron. The settlers attempted to raid al-Nabi Yunis Mosque to perform prayers, therefore, Palestinians closed its gates with iron locks to prevent the settlers from entering it. Meanwhile, dozens of Palestinians gathered, threw stones at the Israeli vehicles and closed the main street with iron barriers. The Israeli soldiers responded with sound bombs, tear gas canisters, and rubber bullets. They also chased the stone-throwers between residential houses. The clashes continued until 04:00, during which, many Palestinian young men suffocated due to tear gas inhalation and no arrests among them were reported.

• At approximately 15:00 on Thursday, a group of Israeli settlers, under the Israeli forces’ protection, moved into Beir al-Sabie’ area in the central of Hebron, to perform prayers in Habron and ‘Atanaiel tombs. The Israeli forces closed Bab al-Zawiyia area and Beir al-Sabie’ Street, in addition to ordering the shops’ owners to close their shops. Meanwhile, dozens of Palestinians gathered, threw stones at the Israeli soldiers, who responded with sound bombs, tear gas canisters, and rubber bullets. They also chased the stone-throwers in Bab al-Zawiyia area and on Abu Humus Street. As a result, many civilians suffocated due to tear gas inhalation. The mentioned area was closed until 20:00.

• On Friday, 20 September 2019, a group of Israeli settlers, from “Beit Eill” settlement, attacked Sayil Darwish (40), from Barqah village, east of al-Birah, while present in his plot of land, according to eyewitnesses’ testimony. As a result, he sustained wounds and bruises in his face and head and was then taken to a medical center in Termas’iyia village. Meanwhile, a number of settlers threw stones at the residents’ vehicles and broke the windows of 3 vehicles.

• At approximately 13:00 on Monday, 23 September 2019, dozens of Israeli buses carrying settlers moved into Sabastiyia village, northwest of Nablus, under the Israeli forces’ protection. They then headed to the archaeological site to perform prayers.

• In evening, a group of Israeli settlers, from “Yatizhar” settlement, south of Nablus, attacked Palestinian civilians’ vehicles with stones while passing through the bypass road adjacent to the settlement. As a result, the windows of 2 taxi cars were broken. A taxi driver said that: “At approximately 18:10 on Momday, 23 September 2019, I was driving my taxi on Ramallah-Jenin road and then entering “Yatizhar” settlement road. Meanwhile, I was surprised with a number of settlers stayed on the top of a mount. The settlers threw stones at my taxi and broke the right window. I increased my speed and did not stop until arrive at the entrance to Jenin.”

• At approximately 22:30 on Monday, Israeli forces moved into Nablus to secure buses carrying Israeli settlers. The settlers headed to Joseph Tomb in Balata village, east of the city, where they performed prayers.

3. Seizure of Palestinian civilians property in favor of settlement associations

On Monday, 23 September 2019, Israeli Magistrates Court issued a decision that orders Samareen family to evacuate their house in Wadi al-Helwa neighborhood in Silwan village, south of occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City, under the pretext of belonging to the Jewish National Fund. Wadi al-Helwa Information Center stated that the court gave the family 90 days to completely evacuate their house, while the latter confirmed that they would appeal the decision before the District Court. It should be noted that the family are fighting from 28 years in the Israeli Courts to protect their house, prove their ownership and refute the settlement association’s claims.

Ahmed Samareen, one of the heirs, said that the Israeli authorities transferred the house ownership to the (Custodian of Absentee Property) in 1983 after the death of his grandfather, Mousa ‘Abdullah Smareen, under the pretext that his sons are living in Jordan and there are no heirs in the oPt. The house are comprised of 4 residential apartments, sheltering 13 members.

1. Closure policy and restrictions on freedom of movement of persons and goods

                          

The Gaza Strip

As the Israeli closure of the Gaza Strip enters its 14th consecutive year, severe restrictions on the freedom of movement of persons and goods enhance the de facto separation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

From time to time, the Israeli authorities close the crossings with the Gaza Strip as a collective punishment policy against Palestinians or due to Israeli holidays. Furthermore, patients and their companions as well as businessmen are arrested while travelling via Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing in the northern Gaza Strip. In this week, the Israeli authorities arrested a businessman while travelling via “Erez” Crossing.

Moreover, Israeli naval forces imposed a blockade on the Gaza Sea, chased fishermen, opened fire at them, and confiscated their fishing equipment. During this week, five shooting incidents against fishermen and their boats were reported.

West Bank

In addition to permanent checkpoints and closed roads, this week witnessed the establishment of more temporary checkpoints that restrict the goods and individuals movement between villages and cities and deny civilians’ access to their work. Israeli forces established 66 temporary checkpoints and arrested 4 civilians.

 

The military checkpoint were as follows:

Hebron:

• On Thursday, 19 September 2019, Israeli forces established 3 checkpoints at the northern entrance to Halhoul village, at the southern entrance to Hebron, and at the northern entrance to Yatta city.

• On Friday, 20 September 2019, 2 similar checkpoints were established at the entrances to Samou’a and Bani Na’iem villages.

• On Saturday, 21 September 2019, Israeli forces established 4 checkpoints at the entrances to al-Shayyoukh, Beit Kahel, Sureef, and Sa’ir villages.

• On Sunday, 22 September 2019, Israeli forces established 3 checkpoints at the entrance to Sa’ir village, at the northern entrance to Halhoul village, and at the southern entrance to Yatta city.

• On Monday, 23 September 2019, 4 similar checkpoints were established at the entrance to al-‘Aroub refugee camp, at the entrances to Samou’a and Beit ‘Awaa villages, and at the southern entrance to Hebron.

• On Tuesday, 24 September 2019, Israeli forces established 4 checkpoints at the entrances to Dura, Beit Ummer, al-Majd, and Dir ‘Asal villages.

• On Wednesday, 25 September 2019, Israeli forces established 4 checkpoints at the entrance to Taramah village, between Beit Kahel and al-Dahiriyia villages, and at the southern entrance to Hebron.

Bethlehem:

• On Sunday, 22 September 2019, Israeli forces established several temporary checkpoints at the villages’ entrances, west and south of the city. They also tightened security measures at military checkpoint. A number of activists said that the Israeli forces established temporary checkpoints on street No. 60 that connects between Bethlehem and Hebron, causing a traffic jam. Furthermore, the Israeli forces closed the entrance to al-Nashnash area with a military checkpoint, south of al-Khader village. The main entrance to Beit Fajjar village, south of Bethlehem, was also closed, causing a traffic jam in “Gush Etizon” square and on a road connecting between al-‘Aroub refugee camp and Beit Ummar village. The Israeli forces were heavily deployed in ‘Aqabet Hasnah square, at the western entrance to al-Khader village.

Ramallah and al-Bireh:

• On Thursday, 19 September 2019, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the southern entrance to Selwad village, northeast of Ramallah.
• On Friday, 20 September 2019, 3 similar checkpoints were established at the entrances to al-Nabi Salah, ‘Aboud and ‘Ein Sina villages.
• On Saturday, 21 September 2019, 2 similar checkpoints were established at the entrance to Termas’iyia village, northeast of the city.
• On Sunday, 22 September 2019, Israeli forces established 3 checkpoints at the entrances to ‘Atarah and al-Nabi Saleh villages.
• On Tuesday, 24 September 2019, Israeli forces established 3 checkpoints at the entrances to al-Nabi Saleh, Selwad and ‘Aboud villages.

Jericho:

• On Friday, 20 September 2019, Israeli forces established 2 checkpoints at the northern and southern entrances to Jericho.
• On Saturday, 21 September 2019, Israeli forces re-established 2 checkpoints at the northern and southern entrances to Jericho.
• On Sunday, 22 September 2019, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the northern entrance to the city.

Nablus:

• At approximately 18:00 on Thursday, 19 September 2019, Israeli forces established a checkpoint on Nablus- Jenin Road, near al-Mas’oudiyia entrance, northwest of the city.

• At approximately 19:00 on Friday, 20 September 2019, a similar checkpoint was established on Nablus-Ramallah Road, near the intersection of al-Sawiyia village, south of the city.

• At approximately 18:00 on Saturday, 21 September 2019, Israeli forces established 2 checkpoints on Nablus-Northern ‘Asirah village Road, and on Nablus-Jenin Road, near al-Mas’oudiyia entrance, northwest of the city.

• At approximately 07:30 on Sunday, 22 September 2019, Israeli forces established a checkpoint on Nablus-Northern ‘Asirah village, north of Nablus.

• At approximately 14:00 on Sunday, 22 September 2019, Israeli forces stationed at Beit Foreek checkpoint, east of Nablus, obstructed the movement of Palestinian civilians’ vehicles and interrogated them. No arrests among them were reported. The same thing recurred at 14:30 on Tuesday, 24 September 2019.

• Qalqiliyia:

• On Thursday, 19 September 2019, Israeli forces established 4 checkpoints at the eastern entrance to Qalqiliyia, and at the entrances to ‘Azoun, Kafur Qaddoum and ‘Izbit al-Tabeeb villages.

• At approximately 20:30 on Friday, 20 September 2019, a similar checkpoint was established between Jayyous and ‘Izbit al-Tabeeb villages.

• On Sunday, 22 September 2019, Israeli forces established 3 checkpoints between Jayyous and ‘Izbit al-Tabeeb village, between Jayyous and al-Nabi Iyyas villages, and at the entrance to Jeet village, northeast of Qalqiliyia.

• On Monday, 23 September 2019, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance to ‘Izbit al-Tabeeb village, east of the city.

Salfit:

 

• At approximately 16:00 on Saturday, 21 September 2019, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance to Dir Istiyia village, north of Salfit.

• On Monday, 23 September 2019, Israeli forces established 2 checkpoints near the entrance to Kaful Hares village in “ Ariel” settlement square, north of Salfit, and at the entrance to  Dir Ballout village, west of the city.

Tulkarm:

 

• At approximately 13:00 on Monday, 23 September 2019, Israeli forces established a checkpoint between the eastern Baqah village and Nazlit ‘Isaa village, north of Tulkarm.