This week in Palestine Thursday 28/08 - Wednesday 03/09 The West Bank Following six days of unrest by local women, men and children demanding their right to movement, education and an end to collective punishment and the occupation, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) installed a new military checkpoint container at Shuhada street in Hebron last Thursday. Despite this, the IOF continues to severely restrict movement from areas H1 and H2, detaining protestors - including children - at the checkpoint for long periods of time and maintaining the closure of the checkpoint container. This can only be understood as a punitive measure aimed at deterring other cases of torching checkpoints, sending a clear message that, If you do that again, we will make your lives even more unbearable than they are now. The grassroots non-partisan Palestinian organisation Human Rights Defenders recorded Palestinians trying to negotiate their way through the checkpoint with Israeli soldiers in Hebrew (https://youtube/watch?v=TcE8uBZ_y7o). When the young men realise that the soldier is not going to let them through to go to work, but detain them instead, one of them says: Tell him to arrest all of us instead, let us sleep and eat, it would be better! Also last Thursday in Hebron, a local Palestinian shopkeeper whose shop is situated just below the settlement of Beit Hadassa suffered a loss of more than 1260NIS, when settlers living above his shop poured bleach from their balconies over trousers displayed in the street in front of his shop. The produce of four other traders has also been damaged and significant losses were suffered. This is not the first time that settlers have destroyed Palestinian commercial goods say the shopkeepers, who see settlers criminal damage of Palestinian goods as part of an on-going campaign to force Palestinian traders out of the area. Subsequently on Monday, settlers chopped down Palestinian grape plantations in the southern West Bank town of Beit Ummar. In 2013, there were 399 recorded incidents of settler violence against Palestinians and their property in the occupied West Bank, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.Over 90 percent of investigations into settler violence by Israeli police fail to lead to an indictment. More than 500,000 Israeli settlers live in settlements across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, in contravention of international law. On Friday of last week the independent Palestinian activist, Sohaib Zehdah, had his arrest extended after calling for the boycott of Israeli goods and the for the disobedience of the Golan Heights Unit captain of Druze origin, Ghassan Alayan, who was wounded in the battle of Shujaiya in Gaza. The Occupations Magistrate Court in Petah Tikva ordered the extension of the arrest of Sohaib Zehdah, 31, until 04/09/2014. Zahdeh, works for the Palestinian telecommunications company Jawwal, was seized by the Israeli Occupation Forces from the military occupation checkpoint last Thursday whilst he was travelling from Hebron to Ramallah for work purposes. The Occupation charged him with an unusual and unprecedented accusation: Incitement against the occupation via social media sites - in particular on his own Face Book page during the war on Gaza-, for leading campaigns for the boycott of Israeli goods, and for calling on Israelis to boycott conscription and recruitment into the ranks of the occupying Israeli army. Spokesperson for Human Rights Defenders, Adam Saleh*, reported that Sohaib Zehdah is a fan of sport, especially cycling, and has participated in international cycling championships. He is also a co-founder of the Cyclists Club, an activist in the independent popular resistance, and a resident of Hebron who does not belong to any particular organization or group. Zadehs court hearing was held today, Wednesday 3 September, at Ofer military prison in Beitunia and he will be released on bail for a significant sum of money tomorrow, Thursday 4 September. On Saturday 30 September, Israeli police arrested Eyad salheb, 32, married with 4 sons and Nizar, 13, following clashes with a big group of settlers who attacked them and other Palestinians including Tarek Salhab, 14, and Awni Abu Shamsseih, 15, when they were walking in the Tel Rumida area of Hebron near a military checkpoint. The police arrived shortly afterwards and led them to the Israeli police station near Kiryat Arba settlement. No settlers were arrested. Then on Sunday the illegal confiscation of Palestinian land made international news. The Israeli occupation authorities announced the takeover of 988 acres (3,799 dunams) of land in the Occupied West Bank belonging to five Palestinian villages in the Bethlehem area. The move clears the way for the construction of a new settlement named Gvaot. It is reportedly the largest of such land expropriation in 30 years. This move came after the Netanyahu cancelled settlement expansion in East Jerusalem, apparently bowing to pressure from Washington. However the effects of such pressure appear as short-lived with the Israeli Knesset perceiving it as empty threats with no real weight. Peace Now commented on the move: By declaring another 4,000 dunams as state land, the Israeli government stabs (Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas) and the moderate Palestinian forces in the back, proving again that violence delivers Israeli concessions while non-violence results in settlement expansion. The past week has been a busy one for Israeli demolition workers who destroyed a number of Palestinian structures, including several family homes, a dairy factory and farm and Bedouin living structures, making around 20 Palestinians homeless. Activists see the demolition of a dairy farm and factory - and the arrest of the independent activist, Sohaib Zahdeh - as the Israeli response to the renewed Palestinian boycott of Israeli goods; by destroying Palestinian farms and factories Israel is crushing any attempt at Palestinian self-determination and economic independence. By destroying the alternative, Israel aims to force Palestinians to buy Israeli dairy products. The Israeli narrative has it that the factory, which runs a regular programme of donating dairy products to orphans in the West Bank, has links with Hamas. Last month we reported on the 12 year-old Palestinian boy who was shot by an Israeli soldier who witnesses say was spraying live bullets randomly in the city of Hebron. At the time, the child was in a critical state. On 12 August the boy, who had been playing football outside his home in Fawwar refugee camp when he was shot, succumbed to his wounds. Thank you to those of you who signed the statement in support of the Palestinian legislator, politician and feminist activist, Khalida Jarar, calling for the revocation of the Israeli expulsion order against her. Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Support Network has now collected over 2,000 signatures from organizations and individuals around the world who demand that Israel’s banishment order for Jarrar be overturned. Action of the week: There is just 1 day left to make it clear to the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) that convening with Israels INSS (Institute of Security Studies) does not indicate neutrality, but an unequivocal affinity with the oppressor, and is wholly unacceptable. For information and to sign the petition, see: change.org/p/mr-de-maio-jacques-cancel-the-joint-conference-with-the-inss-in-september-2014?share_id=TPygVwSYwv&utm_campaign=share_button_action_box&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition Events: For three days between 22 and 25 February 2015 activists and organizations from around the world will join together in solidarity with the Palestinian residents of Hebron [al-Khaleel] through local/global protests demanding the opening of Shuhada Street for Palestinians and an end to the occupation on international Open Shuhada (apartheid) Street 3-Day Action. Start planning your event now and get in touch with Youth Against Settlements via media.yas@gmail for resources and support. See the website, youthagainstsettlements.org, for more information on the campaign. Sources: middleeasteye.net/news/israel-cancels-settlement-plans-due-international-pressure-1015162706 maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=724723 maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=724813 maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=719498
Posted on: Thu, 04 Sep 2014 18:36:56 +0000
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