On January 7th, 2011, Mohammad Awad, age 14, was released after being held for more than a month and a half in an Israeli prison. Mohammad was arrested on November 20th, 2010, during one of the weekly Saturday unarmed demonstrations in Beit Ommar.

The Israeli military wrongfully charged Mohammad with throwing stones. However, numerous eye-witnesses, including international and Israeli solidarity activists, claim that Mohammad was not throwing stones but merely participating in an unarmed demonstration in his own village against the neighboring Israeli settlement of Karmei Tsur. Five solidarity activists, all adults, were also arrested along with Mohammad but were released late in the evening of November 20th.

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On Saturday, December 18th, 2010, a larger than usual number of Israeli and international activists joined Beit Ommar villagers in their demonstration against the continuing encroachment of Karmei Tsur settlers on land belonging to local farmers. Approximately 60 people took part in the high-spirited demonstration, which was accompanied by a group of Israeli drummers. Demonstrators also waved the flags of the various countries that have recognized Palestine’s right to self-determination in the last few weeks.

As the demonstration was starting, a group of ten Israeli soldiers occupied the house of a local family at the southern edge of the village. The terrified family of … Continue reading

This Saturday a small but committed group of Palestinian, Israeli, and international activists braved terrible weather and held the weekly demonstration in Beit Ommar. Participants carried several international flags of countries who have recently stated they would support the unilateral declaration of an independent Palestinian state, as Palestinian leaders have suggested doing after Israel refused a short construction freeze inside the West Bank, bringing negotiations to a stand-still.
The demonstrators walked along Route 60, the main route between Jerusalem and Hebron, which passes by Beit Ommar. Though the demonstration remained peaceful and on the side of the road, the Israeli military, who have been increasing their repression … Continue reading

Early Thursday morning, at approximately 2:00am, Israeli forces from the Gush Etzion military base came to the homes of brothers and National Committee members Yousef and Mousa Abu Maria. Both are also co-founders of the Palestine Solidarity Project.
Mousa, whose wife and baby girl–both Israeli citizens–were visiting family, was forced outside while his home was searched. 3 computers belonging to the Palestine Solidarity Project were taken. Yousef, father of 10 year-old Reem, 4 year-old Obay, and 1 month-old Della’, was also taken from his home in the middle of the night.
Both were held outside in freezing temperatures in Gush Etzion military base for over 5 hours; neither were allowed to put on proper shoes or clothing and repeated … Continue reading

Beit Ommar, Southern West Bank, 1:30pm: One 14-year-old Palestinian boy named Mohammad Awad, two internationals volunteering with P.S.P., and three Israeli solidarity activists were arrested by Israeli Forces during a peaceful demonstration against Karmei Tsur, an illegal Israeli settlement built on Beit Ommar land.

Beit Ommar and the adjacent Saffa valley have recently witnessed a tide of suppression by Israeli soldiers. Thursday, November 18th, thirteen Palestinian, Israeli, and international activists were arrested accompanying farmers to their land in the Saffa valley, near the illegal Bat Ayn settlement. In the past month, soldiers have raided the village during the night and made arrests three times a week: 35 people were arrested … Continue reading

13 Israeli, international and Palestinian activists were arrested at 10 am this morning while accompanying farmers to their land in the Saffa region of Beit Ommar. A group of nearly 30 activists accompanied Sheik Mohammad Aady to his land near the Bat Ayn settlement, which is marked for annexation by the Israeli military. After working on the land for half an hour, soldiers emerged from the Bat Ayn settlement and surrounding hills and detained the group.

A number of sound bombs were shot at those working on the land before the arrests. Amongst those arrested was Biet Ommar National Committee member and cameraman Mohammed Ayyad. As of … Continue reading

5 international activists were arrested this morning while accompanying farmers to their land in the Saffa region of Beit Ommar. For the third time this week a group of about 10 Palestinian and international activists accompanied Sheik Muhammad Aady to his land near the Bat Ayn settlement. The army has been preventing the farmers in Saffa from accessing the land, which is marked for annexation.

The volunteers worked for nearly an hour clearing the land before they were stopped by a group of soldiers. The soldiers informed the group that they were all under arrest, took the IDs of several of the activists, and escorted … Continue reading

6 international solidarity activists were arrested this afternoon while accompanying farmers to their land in Saffa, near the illegal Bat Ayn settlement. A group of 8 international activists along with 3 Palestinian members of the Palestine Solidarity Project accompanied the Aady family to their land on the hillside opposite Bat Ayn, on the outskirts of the Palestinian village of Beit Ommar. The land is marked for annexation by the settlement, and is frequently subject to settler violence.

After three hours of work the group was preparing to leave when they were stopped by 4 soldiers. The soldiers informed the group that they were not allowed to leave the area, … Continue reading

On Saturday, October 23rd, around 50 Palestinian villagers from Beit Ommar, supported by eight Israeli and international solidarity activists, rallied against the nearby settlement of Karmei Tsur despite the entire village being declared a closed military zone by Israeli Forces. Additionally, earlier in the morning at 3:30am, two members of the National Committee, which plans the demonstration every week, had their homes raided by Israeli soldiers who warned them that they would be arrested if they continued to protest against the occupation. During the demonstration, a Palestinian youth was arrested by undercover Israeli Forces and a driver for a press agency was also detained.

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At 2:30am on the morning of October 21st, 12 jeeps of soldiers invaded the village of Beit Ommar. The soldiers went to three Palestinian homes in the area and arrested four Palestinian residents. The following men were arrested by Israeli Forces:

Malik Ibrahim Sabre Awad, age 21
Rami Rahme Ahmed Bahar, age 28
Mahmoud Ibrahim Khader Sabarna, age 18
Ahmad Ibrahim Sabarna, age 16

All of the arrested were taken to Ezion settlement prison. Israeli Forces periodically raid Beit Ommar in the night to arrest villagers, particularly youth. On the evening of October 11th, Eyad Jamil Al Alami, a member of the Palestine Solidarity Project and the National Committee in Beit Ommar, was arrested from his family’s home and was recently … Continue reading