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© 2010 International Women's Peace Service
International Women’s Peace Service (IWPS)
Deir Istiya, Salfit
Telephone: 09 251 46 44
Website: http://www.iwps-pal.org
Human Rights Report No. 438
Human Rights Summary: Demolition of 2 temporary houses with bulldozer.
Date of incidents: 4.09.2011, 9.30-11.30
Place: Kafr Ad Dik , Salfit Witnesses: the farmer who owned the land with his cousins, the mayor of Kafr Ad Dik, 6 local citizens, 2 Palestinian tv-stations, 2 volunteers from IWPS
Contact details: IWPS withholds this information as a courtesy to those
involved. However, we will do our best to furnish you with the information you
may require, on request.
Description of Incidents: 2 volunteers from IWPS were invited to witness the destroying of 2 buildings used for agricultural purposes on Kafr Ad Dik land, a little village surrounded by 2 settlements, Ale Zahaf and Pedu’el.. By the time volunteers arrived on the scene the demolitions had just taken place. The village is far from the olive fields and so the structures were recently built for storage of water and olives and also for temporary accommodation during the olive harvest. Several men were working there when the soldiers and bulldozer arrived this morning. One man’s arm was injured when he tried to resist. The farmers are frightened that the remaining 23 farm houses could be destroyed. This is in an area of over 400 dunnams. The farmer informed us that 2 days ago an Israeli government security official from the settlement of Pedu’el told the farmers they were not allowed to use the dirt track that accesses their land. The Israeli authorities frequently target the farmers, claiming ‘security’ reasons. Report written by: Karin
Report edited by: Heather
Date of report: 5.09.2011
The International Women’s Peace Service, Deir Istiya, Salfit, Palestine.
Email: iwps@palnet.com Website: www.iwps-pal.org Operating out of Deir Istiya, International Women’s Peace Service monitors and responds to Human Rights Abuses in the area. Part of our mission is to contact the relevant authorities in the case of any arrests that take place in the Salfit area.
_______________________________________________
International Women’s Peace Service (IWPS)
Deir Istiya, Salfit
Telephone: 09 251 46 44
Website: http://www.iwps-pal.org
Human Rights Report No. 437
Human Rights Summary: Soldiers cut down 500 trees on Deir Istya land
Date of incidents: 19.09.2011
Place: Deir Istya land near Revava settlement
Witnesses: Farmer who rents the land, Regional Co-ordinator of the Popular Committee,
2 IWPS volunteers, Mavor of Deir Istya, 2 Yesh Din members, 2 Palestinian radio stations, 1 Palestinian TV station, 2 IOF soldiers.
Contact details: IWPS withholds this information as a courtesy to those
involved. However, we will do our best to furnish you with the information you
may require, on request.
Description of Incidents:
2 volunteers from IWPS were invited to visit the land of a farmer to witness the destruction of 500 olive trees aged 11 years. The trees were ready to be harvested next month. They had been cut down close to the ground at some time between Saturday and Monday morning when this was discovered. The area of 23 dunumms lies in a remote area between the Palestinian villages of Deir Istiya and Qarawat Bani Hassan and the settlement of Revava. This information was given to IWPS by the farmer and it was later learned that it was IOF soldiers who committed this act.
During 2011 2,000 olives tress have been destroyed on Deir Istiya land.
Report written by:Karin
Report edited by:Gwen
Date of report: 22.09.11
Human Rights Report No. 436
Human Rights Summary: Settler Violence: Huwwara school based Prayer Hall intentionally set alight and extensively damaged by arson attack.
Date of incidents: 03. 05. 2011
Place: Huwwara, West Bank
Contact details: IWPS withholds this information as a courtesy to those
involved. However, we will do our best to furnish you with the information you
may require, on request.
Description of Incidents:
Between 1am and 3am on the 3rd of May 2011, a prayer hall in Huwwara Boys Secondary School was set alight. A window located on the front of the building was smashed and a fire bomb was thrown into the prayer hall causing material damage to the room including extensive smoke damage. According to the school officials this school is located in the hotline and is being targeted by settlers. The school has been attacked two times last year and four times the year before. This attack came during school exams an intense time of study for pupils.
Israeli and Palestinian Liaison officials were informed and came to the school to conduct interviews and take evidence. However the Municipality will once again have to pay for the repair work and school officials and students remain fearful of future attacks.
Report written by: Joan
Report edited by: Marie
Date of report: 3rd May 2011
The International Women’s Peace Service, Deir Istiya, Salfit, Palestine.
Email: iwps@palnet.com Website: www.iwps-pal.org
Operating out of Deir Istiya, International Women’s Peace Service monitors and responds to Human Rights Abuses in the area. Part of our mission is to contact the relevant authorities in the case of any arrests that take place in the Salfit area.
International Women’s Peace Service (IWPS)
Deir Istiya, Salfit
Telephone: 09 251 46 44
Website: http://www.iwps-pal.org
Human Rights Report No. 435
Human Rights Summary: Serious Injury of International Human Rights Observer by Israeli Occupation Forces
Participation in a peaceful protest leads to the hospitalization of one international activist and the arrest and detention of three other international activists due to the activities of the Israeli Occupying Forces.
Date of incident: 01.05.2011
Place: Izbet-Al-Tabib
Witnesses: IWPS, MPT, ISM, EAPPI and local Palestinians
Contact details: IWPS withholds this information as a courtesy to those
involved. However, we will do our best to furnish you with the information you
may require, on request.
Description of Incidents:
On Saturday 30th of April a number of international activists joined with residents from the village of Izbet- Al- Tabib to protest the building of a fence through the village by the Israeli Occupying Forces . The villagers in conjunction with the activists set up a tent to protest the building of this wall which if completed would mean that the village would loose more olive trees and land to the IOF and would effectively be cut off from Route 55.
Early on Sunday morning a large number of army tanks and a bulldozer entered the village. The area was declared a closed military zone and no one was allowed to enter or leave the road that the tent was on despite pleadings from both Palestinian residents and farmers who wanted to access their land, and internationals who wanted to support the villagers.
By afternoon, three of the international protesters who were standing in front of one of the tanks were violently arrested by the Israeli soldiers who had spent the night in the village tent. In addition, a 60 year old American woman was brutally thrown by a soldier causing her severe injuries including a head wound and two broken wrists.
The presence of the Occupying Soldiers and Police continued in the village all afternoon. By nightfall the Closed Military Zone Order was lifted. The activists remained in the tent all throughout Sunday night. At dawn on the 2nd of May these activists were pulled out of the tent and it was demolished and confiscated along with its furnishings by the soldiers.
Simultaneously the Mayor’s house was raided by up to 30 soldiers. Nine sleeping children were woken up and ordered to leave the house as were their parents and the four internationals who were staying in the house at this time. They were instructed not to talk, not to take photos and were not allowed to use their phones. The house was ransacked and property was destroyed including a computer while its residents and internationals were held outside by 16 soldiers.
At the same time yet another squad of soldiers raided yet another house in the village – and as was also the case in the Mayor’s house, wrecked the house room by room. Kitchen supplies were spilt all over the floor, clothes were taken out and thrown on the ground, and it was reported that a compute was stolen.
For the rest of this day the internationals remained in the village. That evening a children’s candle light vigil was held by where the tend had been however shortly after the vigil began the Israeli Occupying Forces arrived and instructed the villagers to return to their homes within 5 minutes
Report written by: Joan
Report edited by: Marie
Date of report: 5th May 2011
The International Women’s Peace Service, Deir Istiya, Salfit, Palestine.
Email: palhouse@iwps-pal.org Website: www.iwps-pal.org
Operating out of Deir Istiya, International Women’s Peace Service monitors and responds to Human Rights Abuses in the area. Part of our mission is to contact the relevant authorities in the case of any arrests that take place in the Salfit area.
Human Rights Report No. 434
Summary: 2 minors arrested, Qusin, near Nablus
Date of incident: 12.04.11
Time: 5pm
Place: Qusin, Nablus district
Witness/es: Father of sons
Contact details: IWPS withholds this information as a courtesy to those involved – we will do our best to furnish you with all the relevant information you might need to begin action.
Description of Incident:
At 5pm on 12.04.11the Israeli army arrested 2 minors, a boy aged 14 and his 17 year old brother. The boys were taking care of their sheep in their field, near the family home in Qusin village (Nablus district).
When their father saw the army jeep he rushed to the field and spoke with the soldiers. There were four soldiers, who claimed the boys had been throwing stones. The father informed IWPS volunteers that he asked the soldiers when and where this had happened. The soldiers replied “7 minutes ago on the main road”. The father told IWPS volunteers that the main road is 2km from his field, and tried to reason with the soldiers that it was not possible that his sons could have thrown stones 7 minutes ago and be back in the field by the time the army arrived.
The army handcuffed and blindfolded the 2 minors and drove away with them in the jeep.
At 1am and 3am the father received phone calls from Ariel Police in Ariel settlement, who said if he paid 1200NIS his sons would be freed. The father arrived at Ariel settlement at 5am, paid 1200NIS to the police, but said he received no paperwork or receipt for his payment. He left Ariel with both his sons and returned to the family home.
At approximately 12.30pm on 13.04.11 the father received another phone call from Ariel police saying his sons would have a court case, and that he would be informed of the date. He informed IWPS volunteers that the police told him he would have to pay a 10,000NIS fine at court.
Background notes: According to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted on 20 November 1989 and entered into force on 2 September1990 (to which Israel is a signatory), and to relevant Israeli law, a child is defined as every human being under the age of 18 years. This is reiterated in the UN Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty, adopted by General Assembly Resolution 45/113 of 14 December 1990. However, Palestinian children from the age of 16 years are considered adults under Israeli military regulations governing the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Report written by: Ali
Edited by: Marie
Date report written on: 14.04.11
Human Rights Report No. 433
Summary: Settlers attack Burin village
Date of incidents: March 12, 2011
Place: Burin, West Bank, Palestine
Witnesses: IWPS volunteers, Villagers of Burin
Contact details: IWPS withholds this information as a courtesy to those involved. However, we will do our best to furnish you with the information you may require, on request
Description of Incidents: Around 1am Saturday 12 March a family was murdered in Itamar settlement.
Two volunteers went to the village of Burin around 2pm after hearing that settlers were attacking villagers. We went to the Tanweer office and were taken to an isolated house at the foot of a hill. The house had been stoned earlier by approximately 40 male settlers who also tried to snatch an 8 year old boy. We waited on the land for around 30 minutes, watching the settlers walk across the top of the hill.
We were then taken to a group of houses approximately one kilometer from Burin’s centre. These few houses were therefore extremely isolated and face frequent settler attacks. In the morning the house furthest up the hill had been attacked by very young boys. We went to the roof of Isam’s house and were told there would be more attacks during the night.
We decided to stay the night and three more IWPS volunteers joined us. We were awoken at 10:40pm because settlers were in the area. We could see people moving down the hill toward the village from the illegal outpost of Yitzhar. Close to midnight, there were about 40 settlers walking up the road toward the home we were in and the village. Settlers threw rocks at the house we were in; as well they were screaming. The people in the house appeared frightened. One woman wept profusely in fear. Some of the settlers moved on toward the next house and we heard women screaming, as though they were being physically assaulted but no injuries were reported. The Israeli military came and “corralled” the settlers, keeping them from physically harming villagers. Settlers and military left the area at about 1:30am.
The following morning we observed the damage the settlers had done to 2 businesses. Windows were broken out of a trailer and a tractor. Across the street a nursery was suffered major damage. Tens of tree saplings were broken in half, others uprooted and hundreds of clay pottery pieces were smashed up.
We also met with a nearby isolated house, closer to the main road. A woman lives alone here with her five daughters and is frequently targeted. On this occasion, settlers had stoned the house, broken the olive trees and damaged the water tanks on the roof.
Report written by: Marie
Report edited by: Lena
Date of report: March 14, 2011
Human Rights Report No. 432
(previously HR report 428)Summary: Family accosted for 3 hours and son arrested
Date of incidents: Tuesday March 16, 2011
Place: Deir Istiya
Witnesses: The family of the arrested
Contact details: IWPS withholds this information as a courtesy to those involved. However, we will do our best to furnish you with the information you may require, on request.
Description of Incidents: At approximately 1:40am 20 soldiers surrounded and entered the family home of 26 y/o Jihad Tofiq Muhommed Khaled. Soldiers were in the home for more than 3 hours and took legal documents including Red Cross papers, property ownership papers, and the SIM cards of all the mobile phones in the house.
When arresting Jihad, they stripped him naked to the waist, handcuffed and blindfolded him. His mother attempted to cover him up as it was very cold but the soldiers would not allow it. The soldiers punched him in the face and bashed his head against a wall in the presence of his family. They accused him of the killings that took place last week in the illegal settlement of Itamar.
IWPS members responded to a call received from the father several hours after the IDF had taken Jihad away. After gathering information and making phone call to DCO for Salfit, it was determined he is being held at Huwarra Detention Center.
Report written by: Marie
Report edited by: Barbara
Date of report: March 16, 2011
Human Rights Report No. 431
(previously HR report 426)Summary: Settler attack
Date of incidents: March 12, 2011
Place: Burin, West Bank, Palestine
Witnesses: IWPS volunteers, Villagers of Burin
Contact details: IWPS withholds this information as a courtesy to those involved. However, we will do our best to furnish you with the information you may require, on request.
Description of Incidents: Around 1am Saturday 12 March a family was murdered in Itamar settlement.
Two volunteers went to the village of Burin around 2pm after hearing that settlers were attacking villagers. We went to the Tanweer office and were taken to an isolated house at the foot of a hill. The house had been stoned earlier by approximately 40 male settlers who also tried to snatch an 8 year old boy. We waited on the land for around 30 minutes, watching the settlers walk across the top of the hill.
We were then taken to a group of houses approximately one kilometer from Burin’s centre. These few houses were therefore extremely isolated and face frequent settler attacks. In the morning the house furthest up the hill had been attacked by very young boys. We went to the roof of Isam’s house and were told there would be more attacks during the night.
We decided to stay the night and three more IWPS volunteers joined us. We were awoken at 10:40pm because settlers were in the area. We could see people moving down the hill toward the village from the illegal outpost of Yitzhar. Close to midnight, there were about 40 settlers walking up the road toward the home we were in and the village. Settlers threw rocks at the house we were in; as well they were screaming. The people in the house appeared frightened. One woman wept profusely in fear. Some of the settlers moved on toward the next house and we heard women screaming, as though they were being physically assaulted but no injuries were reported. The Israeli military came and “corralled” the settlers, keeping them from physically harming villagers. Settlers and military left the area at about 1:30am.
The following morning we observed the damage the settlers had done to 2 businesses. Windows were broken out of a trailer and a tractor. Across the street a nursery was suffered major damage. Tens of tree saplings were broken in half, others uprooted and hundreds of clay pottery pieces were smashed up.
We also met with a nearby isolated house, closer to the main road. A woman lives alone here with her five daughters and is frequently targeted. On this occasion, settlers had stoned the house, broken the olive trees and damaged the water tanks on the roof.
Report written by: Marie
Report edited by: Lena
Date of report: March 14, 2011
Human Rights Report No. 430
(previously HR report 432)Summary: Palestinian villagers seriously injured after settler’s attack
Date of incidents: Monday, 07 March 2011
Place: Qusra
Witnesses: seven ISM people, villagers
Contact details: IWPS withholds this information as a courtesy to those involved. However, we will do our best to furnish you with the information you may require, on request.
Description of Incidents:
In the afternoon of the 7th of March 2011, Qusra villagers were attacked on their land by settlers from the surrounding illegal outpost who shortly were accompanied by the Israeli army. Villagers were shot by live ammunition and rubber coated steel bullets, beaten by settlers and inhaled tear gas. Eleven Palestinian men were taken to Rafidia hospital in Nablus and three of them were taken to the intensive care unit. One man has his lower leg amputated because he was shot in his knee and the leg was beaten by stones. Another man was shot into his back and the live bullet went through his kidney before it exited. The third man was beaten so heavily that his back broke.
A mother and her son were working on their land outside the village of Qusra when they were attacked by settlers from the illegal outpost. They called the municipality and soon after that the imam called out from the loudspeaker on the mosque for help. About 15 villagers went to the field. Thereupon about 50 Israeli settlers as well as the Israeli army arrived. In the beginning Palestinians and Israeli were throwing stones at each other but then settlers started to fire live ammunition to the villagers while the Israeli soldiers did nothing to stop the settler violence.
Background
Qusra with its 4,000 inhabitants is situated about 20 km south of Nablus, near the illegal Israeli settlement Migdalim. The village of Qusra has been a target of settler violence many times in recent months.
Report written by: Christina
Report edited by: Meg
Date of report: 08 March 2011
Human Rights Report No. 429
(previously HR report 431)Summary: Women’s demonstration to Qalandia Checkpoint
Date of incidents: Saturday, 05 March 2011
Place: Ramallah
Witnesses: IWPS, ISM, Israeli Activists
Contact details: IWPS withholds this information as a courtesy to those involved. However, we will do our best to furnish you with the information you may require, on request.
Description of Incidents:
The Israeli Army reacted not in accordance with international law to a Palestinian women’s demonstration with approximately 650 attendees (estimates of the organizer) at Qalandia Checkpoint. After a short march the women and children gathered at the gate of Qalandia Checkpoint peacefully chanting slogans and waving Palestinian flags. One boy climbed the fence and fixed flags at the top of the fence and another boy threw a stone to the soldiers and border police. Immediately the Israeli Army started to illegally throw sound grenades and teargas canisters directly at the protestors.
One Palestinian woman was hit by parts of the exploding sound grenade and one international woman was injured when a sound grenade exploded on her upper arm. She suffered burns to her arm, temporary hearing loss and her hair was singed.
Three Palestinian women were seriously affected by inhaling tear gas, one of them lost consciousness, vomited and collapsed. She was brought to the Ramallah Hospital where she was treated for dehydration and respiratory problems. After the treatment she felt better and was allowed to leave the hospital. She is an activist from Hebron and 40 years old.
Background
The Federation of Women’s Action Committee and the Democratic Front for Liberation of Palestine organized on the occasion of the international women’s Day on March 8th a demonstration to Qalandia Checkpoint. The objectives of the demonstration were the end of the occupation, Jerusalem as Palestinian capitol, unification of Palestine and equal rights for women in the Palestinian law. They mobilized women from all over the West Bank to the demonstration: 1 bus from Nablus, 2 from Hebron, 2 from Tulkarem, 1,5 from Salfit and Qalqilyah, 1 from Bethlehem, 3 from Jenin, 2 from Jerusalem, 1 from Tabus and a Minibus from the villages in the Northwest of Jerusalem. Al Jazzera Arabia and some Palestinian TV stations attended the demonstration and reported in the news.
Report written by: Christina
Report edited by: Katherine
Date of report: 06 March 2011
Human Rights Report No. 428
(previously HR report 429)Summary: Open Shuhada Street Demonstration
Date of incidents: Saturday 26 February 2011
Place: Hebron
Witnesses: IWPS volunteers, EAPPI, ISM, Israeli activists, Palestinian activists
Contact details: IWPS withholds this information as a courtesy to those involved. However, we will do our best to furnish you with the information you may require, on request.
Description of Incidents:
On Saturday 26 February 2011, the anniversary of the 1994 Baruch Goldstein massacre, the IWPS team attended the Open Shuhada Street Demonstration in Hebron.
There were approximately 1000 demonstrators, including Israeli activists, Internationals and Palestinians. Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative, also attended.
The non-violent protestors were met with tear gas, sound grenades, and rubber bullets from the Israeli army. The army illegally fired tear gas canisters directly at the protestors. Following the protest, organisers reported that 30 people were taken to hospital – around half for bullet wounds and many to be treated for tear gas inhalation. One Israeli activist was hit in the face with a soldier’s rifle butt and one Palestinian suffered three rubber bullets to his leg.
One Israeli, two Palestinians, and three internationals were detained. A Palestinian reporter from Al Jazeera was arrested and charged with stone throwing.
The demonstrations began from several locations throughout the city following midday prayers, and met in Shuhada Street. The clashes with the Israeli army continued for several hours, and the Palestinian Authority police were also present, supporting the soldiers in quashing the protest and preventing more Palestinians from joining.
Background: Shuhada Street, one of Hebron’s main streets, was forced to close following the Baruch Goldstein massacre of 1994, in which a Jewish extremist murdered 29 Muslims at prayer in the Ibrahim mosque and wounded a further 125.
Hebron is home to around 600 Jewish settlers living in illegal settlements. In 2003, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled that the settlers be evicted from the area and that al-Shuhada Street should be reopened. However no action has been taken against the settlers and the street remains closed.
Report written by:Lena and Mary
Report edited by: Gill
Date of report: Tuesday 01 March 2011
International Women’s Peace Service (IWPS)
Deir Istiya, Salfit
Telephone: 09 251 46 44
Website: http://www.iwps-pal.org
Human Rights Report No. 427b
Human Rights Summary: Destruction of farmland
Date of incidents: Thursday 24th February 24, 2011
Place: DI
Witnesses: Local farmers, mayor, IWPS volunteers, EAPPI
Contact details: IWPS withholds this information as a courtesy to those
involved. However, we will do our best to furnish you with the information you
may require, on request.
Description of Incidents:
At around 8:00 am on the morning of Thursday the 24th of February the land of a farmer from DI was destroyed by Israeli soldiers and settlement security from the nearby illegal settlement Revava. The farmer said that about 70 soldiers and settler security kept him and his wife off the field as they destroyed about 15 donoms of the 25 donoms of land that according to the farmer’s son has been in their extended family for more than 200 years. The land officially belongs to a relative of the family who lives in Jordan, and the family has the papers to prove this – the land has been used by this particular family for the past 14 years.
The farmer’s son arrived at his destroyed field from his work in Ramallah just as the army and settlement security were leaving. We were told that the tractor, driven by settlement security, had destroyed about 100 new olive trees that the family was going to plant either that day (Thursday 24th February) or the next day (Friday 25th February). The family had prepared to rehabilitate the land which had been clear for some time. As well, buckets filled with water and stone walls appeared to have been destroyed by the tractor.
When the army and settler police arrived in the morning, the farmer called the DI mayor. Upon arrival the mayor asked the army commander ‘Why are you here?’ The commander didn’t answer. But the commander had told the farmer earlier that his family’s land is actually Israeli state land. When asked to prove this, the commander could not – he did not have any papers from the government or high court to prove this, nor did he have the appropriate papers to prove that the area was in fact a ‘closed military zone’, which is what the soldiers were declaring it. Declaring it a ‘closed military zone’ meant that no-one was allowed inside the area, and if they went in they were automatically subject to arrest – pretending that it was officially a ‘closed military zone’ ensured that others did not see what the soldiers were doing.
The family had been under threat of having their land destroyed since late last year. At this time the family was notified by settlement security from Revava that their land is Israeli state land. This notification was given to the family in the form of a ‘45-day notice’. This notice, handed to them in Hebrew, ordered them to leave their land within 45 days or face forceful eviction. The family refused to sign it and took the matter to court. As far as the family knows, a verdict is yet to be reached. Nevertheless, the soldiers and settlement security have taken action without concern for legal procedure.
Following the ‘45-day notice’, settler security one day came to the land, and took the bulldozers and detained one of the farmer’s sons at Revava. In order to be released and have the bulldozers return, the family had to pay 6000 shekels. The settlement authorities told the family to take all of their things from the land before the 45-day-notice had expired, otherwise the land would be bulldozed by the soldiers and they would be sent the cheque for this cost to Israel – the cost of bulldozing their own land.
According to the farmer’s son, ‘they just want our money’ – that is why, he believes, they have been causing the family these problems. That the illegal settlement, Revava, is also nearby is assumed to be the underlying reason for this land-grab.
The family was left with much despair, a destroyed field and were told by the soldiers that they will need to take this matter up with the DCO. Despite this, they vowed to replant, and continue the rehabilitation and ownership of their land.
Report written by: Mary
Report edited by: Lena
Date of report: Thursday 24th February, 2011
The International Women’s Peace Service, Deir Istiya, Salfit, Palestine.
Email: palhouse@iwps-pal.org Website: www.iwps-pal.org
Operating out of Deir Istiya, International Women’s Peace Service monitors and responds to Human Rights Abuses in the area. Part of our mission is to contact the relevant authorities in the case of any arrests that take place in the Salfit area.
Human Rights Report No. 427
(previously HR report 430)Summary: Incidents in Deir Istiya
Date of incidents: 19.02.11, 27.02.11
Place: Wada Qana and DI village
Witnesses: IWPS volunteers, mayor & village residents
Contact details: IWPS withholds this information as a courtesy to those involved. However, we will do our best to furnish you with the information you may require, on request.
Description of Incidents:
There have been several incidents of settler/army harassment in the last 2 weeks.
- Wada Qana is a valley near Deir Istiya village of which 36,000 donums of land was privately owned by DI villagers. 1/3 of this area has been confiscated by the settlements of Nofim and Yaquir. On the 16th Feb two IWPS volunteers accompanied the Mayor to investigate reports of sewage dumping and Israeli road building. The latter, as the area has been designated by the Israelis as a Natural Reserve, would not have been allowed if Palestinians had altered the mud track surface.
During the visit we met one shepherd who had been prevented grazing his flock of goats by the army and by Qarne Shomron settlement security personnel. They took his ID card and photographed it and the farmer himself on a mobile phone. The intention was to intimidate him, we were told. This was one of many examples of the farmers being prevented from reaching their land. Another farmer had had his new olive trees uprooted the previous night and a Star of David had been placed on the field with rocks. Throughout the visit there were many settlers hiking and picnicking in the area, one was carrying a machine gun. We saw a destroyed water channel which the mayor told us had been destroyed on November 24th 2010.
- The third series of incidents happened on 27th February when 3 jeeps and 13 army personnel raided the village. This account was relayed to IWPS by the mayor on 1st March but army presence had been witnessed by IWPS volunteers on the 27th. The soldiers interrogated road workers, asked for their ID, what the situation was like in the town and who was supporting the municipality. Soldiers also entered olive fields and interfered with the famrers. An IWPS volunteers saw cars being stopped at road blocks near Kifil Hares.
- The mayor also related that on 26th February, in Wadi Qana, 20 young olive trees belonging to a DI farmer aged 64 were uprooted.
Report written by: Gill
Report edited by: Meg
Date of report: 07.02.2011
Human Rights Report No. 426
(previously HR report 427)Summary: Israeli military invasion of village of An Nabi Saleh
Date of incidents: 05.02.11
Place: An Nabi Saleh, Ramallah District, Occupied West Bank
Witnesses: IWPS volunteers, village residents
Contact details: IWPS withholds this information as a courtesy to those involved. However, we will do our best to furnish you with the information you may require, on request.
Description of Incidents:
On Friday, 5 February, approximately 20 Internationals and Israeli activists joined the residents of the village of An Nabi Saleh in the Ramallah district for the village’s regular non-violent demonstration against land confiscation and Israel’s occupation policies. The village had been placed under curfew since 7 am, with all roads blocked by the Israeli military.
Prior to the start of the midday demonstration, the Israeli military invade the village and attempted to prevent Israeli solidarity activists from being present in the village, forcing them to leave. Israeli and International activists, including 3 IWPS volunteers, however, we able to enter the village via the village fields joining internationals activists from the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) already in the village.
Within minutes of the non-violent demonstration commencing, the Israeli military open fired on the demonstration with teargas. The Israeli military invasion of the village lasted for approximately 6 hours, with Israeli soldiers firing teargas and rubber bullets at unarmed demonstrators, chasing demonstrators into and through the village fields.
Two International activists were detained and assault by the Israeli military at approximately 2pm, including a volunteer from the International Women’s Peace Service. The volunteer reported that she was pushed violently to the muddy ground by a soldier, who then shouted at her. A male international with her was also assaulted and hand cuffed. Both International activists were detained for more than 3 hours in the permanent military tower located at the entrance of the village. They were released after 3 hours with no charges.
Background
Nabi Saleh is a small village of about 400 inhabitants, which lies West of Ramallah. IWPS have supported the village since the beginning of their non-violent demonstrations in December 2009. The residents of An Nabi Saleh began holding regular Friday demonstrations as a result of creeping confiscation of their lands by the adjacent Jewish-only colony of Halamis, which established in 1967 on village land. Protests began when settlers forcefully took over a natural spring belonging to the village and used by village shepherds. Since December 2009, International human rights activsts and Israeli anti-occupation activists have joined the residents of An Nabi Saleh to oppose both the illegal land confiscation of the village’s land and Israel’s occupation policies.
Since December 2009, 35 village residents have been detained/arrested, 25-30 of the village houses have had their windows broken due to the Israeli military repeatedly firing tear gas directly into the homes of residents. Tear gas has been fired into houses when families with children have been inside. In addition 7 houses are partially burnt and 150 people injured. Approximately, 6 months ago the Israeli military placed the village under curfew, placing road blocks at all village entrances on Fridays in an attempt to prevent the non-violent demonstrations from going ahead. The Israeli military regular Friday invasion of An Nabi Saleh, typically lasts from 10 am to 5pm (or dusk), with Israeli soldiers firing teargas, rubber bullets and live ammunition.
In recent weeks, the Israeli military has stepped up its harassment of the village, conducting regular night raids and arresting village leaders and other village residents, including children. Currently a 14 year old minor, who was arrested on Januray 23rd, is still in prison, no charges having been brought. Lawyers for the minor have reported that the child has been beaten. Another two children, including the 11 year old brother of the 14 year old were also kidnapped by the Israeli military and beaten. Village leaders have also been kidnapped by the military, held for several hours and beaten without any charges laid against them.
Report written by: Gill
Report edited by: Kim
Date of report: 07.02.2011
Human Rights Report No. 425
Human Rights Summary: Demolition of two homes in Azzoun Atma
Date of incidents: 11 January, 2011
Place: Azzoun Atma, Qalqilya District
Witnesses: Owner of house and family
Contact details: IWPS withholds this information as a courtesy to those involved. However, we will do our best to furnish you with the information you may require, on request.
Description of Incidents: On Tuesday, 11 January 2011, the Israeli military demolished two houses in the village of Azzoun Atma, one on the east side of the village and one on the west. According to the owner one of the houses, approximately 100 Israeli soldiers arrived in more than 20 jeeps at approximately 8.30am in the morning. The owner of the first house to be destroyed, along with his pregnant wife and children aged between two and six years, were forced to leave their home by the military and were locked in the home of the husband’s father which is located next door. The military surrounded the father’s house and refused to let the family leave until approximately 11 am. During this time, the military used a Caterpillar bulldozer to raze the house, refusing to allow the family time to remove furniture or personal items.
The house was originally built approximately eight years ago, however, the family were only issued demolition order by the Israeli Civil Administration three years ago. The owner of the house told IWPS volunteers that his family had hired an Israeli lawyer, spending more than 25,000 shekels over three years to try and prevent the demolition of the house.
According to the home owner, the soldiers, were accompanied by a settler, who was in military uniform, from one of the nearby settlement. The home owner told IWPS volunteers that the settler in military uniform and the other soldiers seemed to be discussing the demolition of the house in relation to the path of the Israel’s wall.
After razing the first house, the Israeli military then proceeded to the other side of the village and razed a house and several agricultural structures belonging to another villager. The owner of the second house was not present at the time, as he also had another residence in a neighbouring village.
Azzoun Atma is located in Area C of the Occupied West Bank. Under the terms of the Oslo Accords “Area C”, which covers 62 percent of the Occupied West Bank, is under full Israeli control. Area C is home to up to 150,000 Palestinians located in more than 270 villages and communities. According to UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs oPt (UNOCHA oPt) the Israeli Civil Administration have continually refused to allow Palestinians to build in 99 percent of region covered by Area C, only allowing construction in 1 percent of the region
Azzoun Atma is surrounded by two Israeli settlements, Sha’are Tiqva and Oranit. Up until 18 months ago, the village was completely cut off, surrounded by the Israel’s wall and checkpoints. Entry to the village was only allowed by the Israeli military by Palestinians who held resident ID cards and people who had obtained an entry permit from the Israeli Civil Administration.
Report written by: Kim
Report edited by: Gill
Date of report: 13 January, 2011
Human Rights Report No. 424
Human Rights Summary: Closure of access route to farmland
Date of incidents: On 08.01.11 approx
Place: Marda, Salfit district
Witness/es: Local Farmer
Contact details: IWPS withholds this information as a courtesy to those involved. However, we will do our best to furnish you with the information you may require, on request.
Description of Incident:
The village of Marda lies on a hill in the Salfit district of Palestine. Above the village is an Israeli settlement and below the village is the main road to Ramallah. The largest part of the agricultural land farmed by the Marda people lies on the flat land on the opposite side of the road to the village.
Between the village and the road is a fence constructed by the Israeli military in 2000/2001. The fence is three to four metres high and topped by rolls of razor wire, making access to the land difficult and requiring a detour of 400metres each way along a busy, dangerous road. A gap in the fence had been made by locals to enable farmers to access their land. A few days ago several tons of soil and rock was placed across the access gap by the Israeli military.
The blockage creates considerable difficulties particularly when transporting required agricultural materials or when using donkeys. Larger tools and machinery cannot be transported across the blockage
Report written by: Valerie
Report edited by: Kim
Date of report: 16th January 2011
Human Rights Report No. 423
Human Rights Summary: Harassment of farmer, prevention of access to land.
Date of incidents: 10 January 2011
Place: Wadi Qana, Salfit District
Witnesses: farmer
Contact details: IWPS withholds this information as a courtesy to those involved. However, we will do our best to furnish you with the information you may require, on request.
Description of Incidents: The farmer has been prevent from accessing his land since 25 October, 2010. At this time, the farmer had gone to work on his land and to build a well. The farmer was accompanied by the driver of an JCP/digger. While working on his land, he was approached by a settler from the illegal settlement of Barqan who told him he was not allowed to be on the land, claiming it was Israeli state land.
The farmer told IWPS volunteers that the settler gave him a paper that said he was not allowed to go to his land for 45 days. After a short period of time, the Israeli military arrived and confiscated the digger and arrested both the farmer and the driver. They were then taken to Revava, where they were detained for more than 4 hours, while the digger was impounded at Qedumem settlement for 15 days. The owner/driver of the digger was only able to reclaim his machinery after he paid 6000 NIS.
The farmer and the Deir Istyia Municipality have disputed the order preventing the farmer from accessing his land, lodging a claim with the Israeli courts that the land belongs to the farmer and that he has a right to work it. Since the claim was lodged, the Israeli courts have extended the order preventing the farmer from accessing his land.
According to the farmer, the land has been registered as land belonging to his family under land registers established during the Ottoman period, as well as during the British Mandate and the Jordanian rule of the West Bank.
On January 10, after considerable rain in the area, the farmer attempted to go to his land to see if his trees were okay. However, when he was on the land, he was once again approached by the settler from the nearby settlement and threatened with arrest.
Report written by: Kim
Report edited by: Gill
Date of report: 11 January, 2011
