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.

Additionally, demonstrators chanted against the occupation and waved flags. Among the demands issued … Continue reading

On Monday, January 9th, 2011, a joint action organized by several Palestinian popular committees saw about 60 demonstrators trying to drive from Jericho to Ramallah on an Israeli-only road. The road was built to facilitate Israeli settler movement to and from settlements in the West Bank and Israeli cities despite the fact that these settlements have continued to be upheld as illegal under international law by the United Nations. The activists were protesting Israeli policies which restrict Palestinian movement in the West Bank, and prohibits them from driving on dozens of Israeli-only roads and highways that are built on lands that were stolen from them in the first place.

… Continue reading

On Saturday, December 17, 2011, several dozen Palestinian women and their children from several villages and towns in the West Bank were supported by a group of Israeli women as they visited Jerusalem, defying the arbitrary Israeli laws that make Jerusalem and the rest of Israel forbidden zones for most Palestinians living in the West Bank. Occupied East Jerusalem is held out by many Palestinians as the future capitol of their state, and it is a city of great religious, cultural, and historical significance to Palestinians. This past Saturday was a continuation of Israeli-Palestinian women actions which challenge the apartheid policies of Israeli Authorities, that have been occurring for the past year and a half.

Young Israeli … Continue reading

On November 15th, 2011, six Palestinian activists were arrested for boarding Israeli settlement buses in the West Bank district of Ramallah. The activists, calling themselves the Freedom Riders, drew inspiration from the 1961 Freedom Rides in the United States, in which young black and white civil rights activists challenged the segregated transportation system across southern states.

Settler buses run by the companies Egged and Veolia, connect Israeli settlements which are built on stolen Palestinian land in the West Bank, and deemed illegal under International Law, with cities within Israel proper. Palestinians are not allowed to ride these buses, one of many separate … Continue reading

This week PSP, along with many international volunteers, joined farmers from Surif in the olive harvest.

The olive harvest is a busy season and many hands are required to do the job. Several traditions and rituals are related to the olive harvest, and it is also an important social event. The internationals were glad to help and enjoyed picking the olives in beautiful surroundings, but their presence is not only for fun. International presence and attention can be of great importance because of the continual harassment the farmers face from settlers. Report … Continue reading

October 28th 2011. Loads of teargas was shot into the town of Beit Ommar. Residents of Beit Ommar followed a funeral procession from the mosque in the middle of town to the cemetery close to Route 60 and the Israeli watchtower to burry one of the residents who died of cancer. When the procession arrived at the cemetry, Israeli soldiers surounded it and Israeli jeeps gathered at the entrance of town. The Israeli soldiers closed the main entrance to town and at some point they started to shoot teargas.

After some time … Continue reading

Palestine Solidarity Project has now started to give tours.

The Solidarity tour programme offers an introduction to the different geographical and cultural regions of the West Bank. The tour is providing its participants with in-depth social, political and historical insights on Palestinian life. Read the full program here. (the program is also available in French, Italian, Spanish and Norwegian).

Watch a short introduction from the Beit Ommar area:

Justice?
Human rights?
Freedom?

Come and see for yourself.

Use the important and unique possibilty:
Visit Palestine!

For further questions or information. Do not hesitate to contact us.
center4freedom@gmail.com

Take a look … Continue reading

September 14th October: Israeli soldiers fired tear gas into residential areas of Beit Ommar.
In addition to the tear gas, the army stopped and searched cars entering and leaving the village.

Due to the ongoing Palestinian solidarity and support of the prisoners` hunger strike the army do not want the residents of Beit Ommar to leave their town or to use Route 60.

The main entrance to the town was closed for several hours in the night, and a road block were put up by the entrance to the fruit market. … Continue reading

September 30 th. 2011: PSP joined residents of Yatta on a land demonstration against the Israeli occupation, continuos expropriation of Palestinian land, and house demolitions.

Yatta with surrounding areas have a population of approximately 120 000 inhabitants. Many of the inhabitants live in small villages in remote areas.

The demonstrators walked towards the place where a couple of settler families have established themselves with miliary guard of no less than thirty soldiers.

The procession passed onto the shut down road, and walked up the hill to the place where five houses repeatedly … Continue reading

Saturday 24 September 2011: Late on Friday night the Israeli army once again entered Beit Ommar. Two military jeeps positioned themselves inside the town – one near the route 60 highway, and another across the entrance to the town.

From these positions, Israeli soldiers sporadically fired tear gas into residential areas of the town, with several cannisters landing in gardens and next to homes.

These attacks came without any provocation, or any response from Beit Ommar residents. In addition to the tear gas fired into empty gardens, soldiers also fired several rounds along an entirely deserted main street.

In addition to the tear gas, … Continue reading