This month, PSP will begin it’s olive harvest in the Betlehem and Hebron regions. We will focus on the village of Al-Jab’a who will attempt to plow land close to the settlement of Beit ‘Ain, the residents of which have terrorized the people of Al-Jab’a for years (please see previous reports from Jab’a). This land has not been plowed for over 7 years and belongs to five families. The last time the farmers attempted to plow this land, the settlers attacked them and set fire to their tractors. Therefore, PSP is COLLECTING MONEY to rent two tractors to work this land. International and Israeli activists will join with the PSP committee and the people of … Continue reading

Friday, Nov. 3–PSP activists joined with Israeli peace group Ta’ayush to challenge the theft of olives and olive trees by Israeli settlers and the Israeli occupation forces. Activists planned to march to the Al-Khadr checkpoint where they would dump Palestinian olives, olive tree branches and olive oil onto Route 60, a street the Israeli government intends to make Israeli-only for settlers. Like the grape harvest demonstration less than one month ago, activists were immediately met with brutality from the Israeli army and Israeli police.

Settlers left their cars in the streets to confront the activists. During the confrontation, one settler punched a member of Ta’ayush in the face. The soldiers and police approached … Continue reading

October 23, 2006, members of the Palestine Solidarity Project joined with Israeli peace groups Ta’ayush and Anarchists Againt The Wall to challenge the validity of the illegally created road blocks that have been forced upon many Palestinian villages, severly limiting their freedom of movement and access to essentials such as schools, hospitals, and economic centers.

They began their work in the village of Al-Jab’a where they have tried several times to remove a roadblock blocking the path from Surif to Al-Jab’a (please see previous report for more information on this situation). As they waited for more demonstrators to join them, an Israeli military hummer pulled up and was parked in front of the roadblock. … Continue reading

This afternoon, Palestinian, international and Israeli activists carried out two non-violent demonstrations focused on two illegal roadblocks in the Betlehem region. Roadblocks in al-Jab’a and Beit Ommar were chosen, and the barrier in Beit Ommar was successfully opened. Large forces of occupation soldiers amassed at both demonstrations, and brutally beat many present.

Following Friday prayers in the village of al-Jaba, thirty five internationals and Israelis, and more than forty Palestinians, marched from the village mosque to the earth mound roadblock. The internationals represented the Palestine Solidarity Project (PSP), the International Women’s Peace Service (IWPS), the Christian Peace Makers Team (CPT), while the Israelis were from Ta’ayush, and Anarchists Against the Wall. This … Continue reading

Today, in the village of Al-Jab’a, Palestinian, Israeli and international activists successfully removed a large section of an illegal earth mound roadblock. The demonstrators were able to achieve their objective, creating a passage wide enough to allow for a service taxi. During the demonstration, occupation military arrived and assaulted Palestinian, international and Israeli activists.

Nearly 100 Palestinian, Israeli and international activists joined together at the junction between the villages of Al-Jab’a and Surif to remove the earth mound roadblock that prevents cars from passing between the villages. The roadblock prevents school children in Al-Jab’a from reaching Surif. It also prevents farmers in Surif and Al’Jab’a from reaching their land via tractor, while … Continue reading

September 21, 2006, in the village of Al-Jab’a, Palestinian and international activists with the Palestine Solidarity Project partially removed an earth mound roadblock that separates the Palestinian village of Al-Jab’a from the Palestinian village of Surif.

In 2002, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) created the illegal roadblock to prevent the villagers of Surif and the villagers of Al’Jab’a to commute back and forth by car. The roadblock consists of dirt, large stones, at least five massive boulders, and more than nine 2-5 ton concrete slabs and blocks. Presently, Palestinians seeking to reach their village from the neighboring village are forced to approach the barrier by car, unload their goods and crops over the roadblock, and repack … Continue reading

On September 15, 2006, Palestinian and international activists, at request of local residents, removed and destroyed large sections of a razor wire barrier erected on Palestinian land in the Hebron region. The fence, which is designed to isolate and bisect a village, was repeatedly cut, metal stakes removed, and the razor wire ripped to be rendered unusable. The activists worked in teams, sabotaging the fence in many strategic areas. By the end of the action, the activists had destroyed large tracts of the barrier, and created more than six entry and exit points in the fence, allowing the residents of this village to move more freely. Each entry/exit point created spanned more than seven … Continue reading