On Saturday January 21, 2012, the Popular Committee in Beit Ommar organized its weekly protest in coordination and cooperation with the Popular Committee of Yatta, the Palestine Women’s Struggle Committee, and supported by Israeli and international solidarity activists. The demonstration was held for the first time in from of the Tunnel checkpoint, along the road connecting the city of Hebron with Jerusalem. Tunnel and connecting road is prohibited for use by Palestinians, and is part of Israel’s wider apartheid infrastructure in the West Bank. About 90 people, a large number of them Palestinian women, arrived at the entrance to the tunnel and began playing football.
[gallery]Additionally, demonstrators chanted against the occupation and waved flags. Among the demands issued by the Popular Committee in Beit Ommar were:
1. Our rights to use this road which is built on a Palestinian … Continue reading
On Tuesday, January 24th, 2012, Israeli occupation forces raided the Palestinian town of Beit Ommar, north of the city of Hebron, and searched several residents’ homes. No arrests were made during the house searches.
According to the media spokesman of the Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlements in Beit Ommar Yousef Abu Maria, the occupation forces stormed the houses of Bahgat Shehda al-Alami and Mohamed Hussein al-Alami, after forcing both families out of their houses. The soldiers conducted inspections to the houses and tampered with its contents.
Abu Maria pointed out that in addition to the almost daily night raids, occupation forces stationed at the military watch tower at the entrance of the town, are enforcing daily provocative … Continue reading
Israeli forces Arrested a 17-year-old youth in Beit Ommar on Friday, January 20, 2012, after a group of Israeli settlers invaded it’s northern neighborhood escorted by the army, sparking clashes with village residents.
The group came from Gush Etzion settlement carrying weapons, and threw stones at Palestinians in the al-Mantara neighborhood.
Israeli forces protected the settlers and fired tear gas and rubber bullets towards Beit Ommar residents. Later, soldiers detained Ahmad Ibrahim Al-Alami at the entrance to Beit Ommar.
An Israeli army spokeswoman said she was looking into the report of the teen’s detention, but said soldiers had earlier fired warning shots after four Palestinians approached the soldiers … Continue reading
On Saturday, January 7th, 2011, several dozen Palestinian villagers from Beit Ommar, supported by Israeli and international solidarity activists, continued their weekly demonstrations on lands close to the illegal Israeli settlement of Karmei Tsur. Karmei Tsur one of three settlements built on land belonging to Beit Ommar residents. This week, the demonstrators got closer than usual to the settlement houses, just a few meters from the fence.
Israeli Forces, heavily armed, became nervous and began shoving the nonviolent activists, pushing several to the ground. Unlike in previous demonstrations, no sound bombs or tear gas was used to disperse the crowd, probably … Continue reading
HEBRON (Ma’an) — A shepherd sustained facial injuries on Thursday, December 29th, 2011, when Israeli soldiers threw sound grenades at him during clashes near Hebron, a local official said.
Israeli forces raided Beit Ommar and briefly detained and attacked several locals, popular committee spokesman Muhammad Awad told Ma’an. Soldiers fired tear gas and sound bombs after residents came to defend their relatives, he added.
Ayed Mahmud Abu Maryeh, 42, was guarding his sheep when soldiers fired sound grenades at him, Awad said. He was taken to Hebron Hospital with minor injuries to his face, Awad said.
An Israeli military spokeswoman had no immediate comment on the incident.
On Dec. 9, a 28-year-old man was killed when soldiers fired a tear gas canister at his … Continue reading
On December 22, after Friday prayers, over 50 Nabi Saleh residents held their weekly demonstration along with Israeli and international solidarity activists. The group peacefully marched though town and towards the Ein al-Qaws (the Bow Spring), which rests on lands belonging to Bashir Tamimi, the head of the Nabi Saleh village council. The spring was used historically as a source of water for the village until being illegally fenced off by Halamish settlers in 2009.
[gallery]While the protesters were demonstrating peacefully hundreds of yards away from the spring the Israeli military fired dozens of tear gas canisters at them. As demonstrators returned to the village, Israeli military forces illegally shot tear gas canisters directly at them from close range. The … Continue reading
