(Photography from Palestine Solidarity Project. Video of Nabi Saleh from Activestills Collective, Video of Sheikh Jarrah from Yisrael Putermam)

This Friday, January 22, demonstrations were again held against land confiscation, the Annexation Barrier, and the expulsion of Palestinians from East Jerusalem for the settlement of right-wing Jewish settlers.

In Al-Ma’asara, Bethlehem District, approximately 70 Palestinians, Internationals and Israelis marched from the center of town towards the barrier set up by the Israeli military. Tensions were high as a larger-than-usual presence of Israeli soldiers and border police lined the route of the march on the roofs of buildings. The demonstration included the imposed Palestinian government’s minister of agriculture who participated in a symbolic tree-planting near the entrance of the village. … Continue reading

In the pre-dawn hours of Thursday, January 21, more than 50 Israeli soldiers invaded Beit Ommar, entering several homes and ransacking them. In the home of Muhsen Awwad, soldiers broke the window in the front door and tore open furniture. His 35 year-old son Mohammed Awwad was then arrested. Soldiers also took 800 shekels from the home before leaving. Three other men were also arrested during the raid which lasted for over 5 hours. The others arrested were Allam Bregeith, Jamal Ibrahim Ikhlayl, and Mohammed Soleiby. All four men were taken to Gush Etzion settlement prison. Beginning at 6 am, and lasting for over 2 hours, at a time when many residents were … Continue reading

At approximately 2am Monday, December 21, 10 Israeli military jeeps entered the center of Beit Ommar. For the second time in 3 weeks, Mohammed Abu Ayyesh, brother of murdered teen Mehdi Abu Ayyesh, was arrested. Mohammed, who was originally arrested on December 3, was released last week. His brother, Tha’er, who was arrested on December 11, is still in Israeli custody. Last night, the home of Sa’id Abu Ayyesh was raided for the third time this month as Israeli soldiers tore apart the home and again arrested Mohammed, 24. His male and female family members were beaten as they tried … Continue reading

The recent Army arrests of five young men in Beit Ommar have re-infected festering wounds among the families of the village. For the Abu Ayyesh family the arrests of two sons Mohammed, 24, and Thaer, 19, come on top of the October death of their brother Mehdi, 17. In March 2009, Mahdi was shot in the head from less than 20 metres while shopping for a falafel sandwich during an Israeli army incursion. The army is reported to have delayed calling for medical help and then set up a checkpoint to further prevent the ambulance from reaching critically injured Mehdi. 27 pieces of metal were discovered in Mehdi’s head and he died without regaining consciousness in October, 2009. … Continue reading

At approximately 2am Wednesday, December 3, 25 Israeli military jeeps, carrying over 100 soldiers, entered the village of Beit Ommar in the Hebron District. They then set up three checkpoints inside the village, one on the north-west side of town near the city council building, and two in the center of the village. The soldiers split into 3 groups and began invading homes and destroying property. They broke into the homes of Ahmed Abu Maria, a PSP volunteer, Ahsan Abu Ayyesh, Sa’id Abu Ayyesh, the father of Mehdi Abu Ayyesh who … Continue reading

From Ma’an News Agency

At least six demonstrators were arrested in the northern West Bank after they breached a section of Israel’s wall on Saturday, Palestinian and Israeli sources said.

The protesters said they intended to march to lands that were left isolated behind the wall in Deir Al-Ghusun, northeast of Tulkarem, and managed to break open one of the barrier’s gates before Israeli soldiers invaded the village.

One demonstrator was lightly injured after being struck with a rubber-coated bullet in the leg, onlookers said.

“Today’s demonstration was the opening salvo for a public campaign by the Deir Al-Ghusun municipality and the affected farmers,” said Anarchists Against the Wall, an Israeli group, in a statement. “As the demonstration was coming to an end, … Continue reading

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) strongly condemns the willful killing of a 15-year-old Palestinian child by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF). The attack occurred Monday, 31 August 2009, near the entrance of al-Jalazoun refugee camp, north of Ramallah.

According to investigations conduced by PCHR, at approximately 21:30 on Monday, 31 August 2009, IOF troops stationed at a military observation tower inside “Beit Eil” settlement, north of Ramallah, opened fire at five Palestinian children who were near al-Jalazon UNRWA School, located near the southeastern entrance of al-Jalazoun refugee camp. One of the children, 15-year-old Mohammed Riad Nayef ‘Elayan, was wounded by three bullets to the chest. An ambulance from Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Ramallah attempted to reach the … Continue reading

At approximately 2:30 am Monday morning, several units of Israeli forces entered Beit Ommar. They barged into more than a dozen homes, ransacking them, and eventually arresting 7 youth. The young men, ages 17 to 21, were from the Abu Maria, Awad, and Ikhlayl families. Israeli forces have once again begun a series of raids of the village, home to 17,000 people, both during the day and in the night. For the past three days, Israeli soldiers have set up flying checkpoints in the Tariq Al-Ayn section of Beit Ommar, near the Palestine Solidarity Project home and center, detaining drivers, stopping and searching random residents, and otherwise harassing local men. The reasons for the … Continue reading

On Friday, July 10, more than 200 people from the village of Ni’lin and their Israeli and international supporters marched towards the Annexation Barrier, which cuts through the agricultural land of Ni’lin. This week, participants managed to reach the fence itself, and quickly began dismantling it, 5 years after the International Court of Justice declared it illegal under international law. Tear gas was fired at the group but the dismantling continued for some minutes.
Suddenly, from the group of youth throwing stones, 10 undercover Israeli military personnel, dressed as stone-throwers, began arresting people. Two residents … Continue reading

Yunis Al Alami, a 20 year old resident of Beit Ommar, was arrested by the Israeli army at 2 AM this morning in a military house raid. 3 jeeps carrying approximately 12 soldiers arrived at his home in the middle of the night, arresting him without warrant, charges or explanation. No one knows where he was taken, or when he will be released.

Yunis is a student at Hebron University, and life-long resident of Beit Ommar. He was arrested in front of his parents and siblings, including three children. His 22 year old brother, Ahmed Al Alami, was arrested a year ago under similar circumstances, and is still being held without charges in Administrative Detention.

The arrest is just one … Continue reading