20th August – Residents of Beit Ommar, supported by Israeli and international activists, gathered for a peaceful demonstration in solidarity with Gaza, following the recent Israeli airstrikes there which killed 14 people, including 13 year old Mahmoud Abu Samara.

As the demonstration attempted to march through Beit Ommar fields towards the illegal settlement of Karmei Tsur, the Israeli military responded with extreme violence. Live ammunition was fired at protestors, and concussion grenades were thrown, setting fire to the surrounding grass.

Soldiers arrested a total of five demonstrators, including Yousef Abu Maria, a member … Continue reading

13th August: Around 40 demonstrators – comprising residents of the village of Beit Ommar, and Israeli and international activists – gathered for a demonstration against the illegal Karmei Tsur settlement.

The demonstrators, carrying flags and banners commemorating the anniversary of the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, were met by a large and heavily armed military presence. As the protestors marched through Beit Ommar fields, the soldiers reacted violently, pushing several protestors to the ground, and others down steep rocky drops.

After a short speech, the protestors decided to … Continue reading

At around 10pm on the night of the 11th August, the Israeli army once more invaded the town of Beit Ommar. Around eight jeeps and more than twelve soldiers entered the town and advanced along the main road, closing off the entrance to the village behind them, preventing residents returning to their homes.

The soldiers proceeded to fire dozens of rounds of teargas into highly residential areas, accompanied by concussion grenades and flares. Several families inside their homes suffered the effects of teargas inhalation and required medical treatment, some being taken by ambulance to hospital in … Continue reading

Late in the night of August 6th, Israeli soldiers launched a pre-dawn raid into the village of Beit Ommar.

At approximately 11:30 p.m., the Israeli military closed off Beit Ommar. Firing bullets and launching stun grenades and tear gas, 45 soldiers approached the town park near the entrance of the village. They were targeting a party celebrating the release of a prisoner that was held there. The gate to the park was closed in response to the military incursion, so the soldiers fired stun grenades and tear gas.

Though there was damage to the park and the party was disrupted, they did not succeed in gaining … Continue reading

The lack of access to clean water represents a major problem in the West Bank, particularly for rural farming villages such as Beit Ommar. The problem has escalated since 2005, as Israel steals more and more Palestinian water, allocating less each year to the Palestinian Authorities to distribute.

For example, the settlements surrounding Beit Ommar have unlimited access, all week, to water for their many swimming pools. Simultaneously, the Israeli authorities stopped the water supply to the Palestinian village of Beit Ommar for four days each week. As a result, residents of Beit Ommar have to travel many kilometres by foot, donkey, or motor vehicle, to buy back the water … Continue reading

Two young Palestinian men are in Israeli custody today after the military raided homes this morning in Beit Ommar and Saffa.

At around 2 in the morning, five Israeli military jeeps entered the town of Beit Ommar. Upon entering the town, they fired tear gas and concussion grenades, waking residents and startling them. The jeeps stopped at the home of Fers Abu Maria. Soliders invaded the house, waking the family and forcing everyone into the street. Yelling at the family and questioning them for half an hour, they finally arrested 16 year old Mahmoud Hathym Solieby. The soldiers then moved to Saffa, where they invaded another home and arrested 16 … Continue reading

30 July 2011: The popular committee of Beit Ommar called for a demonstration against terrorism in solidarity with the people of Norway. Palestinians – accompanied by international and Israeli activists – marched to the illegal Karmei Tsur settlement, which has confiscated land from several surrounding Palestinian villages.

The demonstrators, carrying balloons, were met by Israeli soldiers wielding automatic weapons. Several Palestinians gave speeches denouncing the terrorist attacks in Norway and the constant exposure to terrorism that Palestinians are faced with living under occupation.

… Continue reading

On the 29th of July, 2011 a large group of settlers was observed passing through the land of Beit Ommar and Surif. The group, which consisted of 40 settlers, 2 of whom were armed, and 4 soldiers, walked through farmland in Beit Ommar and crossed through the town of Surif.

They were observed by a group of residents from the towns as well as two internationals. Members of the group harassed residents as they passed through Surif, and briefly sat down near the entrance of a Palestinian house. They were seen carrying maps and taking pictures of the land and Palestinian homes.

… Continue reading

Demonstrators were assaulted in Beit Ommar today, as Israeli military forces attacked the village’s demonstration against the recent rapid expansion of building work in the illegal Karmei Tsur settlement.

Fifty demonstrators, consisting of local Palestinians, Israelis, and international solidarity activists marched from the village and attempted to protest at the nearby settlement fence. The protest was met by dozens of Israeli soldiers who prevented the Palestinians from marching across their own land. The soldiers proceeded to push numerous demonstrators to the ground. One Israeli had his ID taken by the soldiers and was later arrested, while another Israeli activist was detained. The soldiers then declared the area a Closed Military Zone, … Continue reading

A PSP activist who was arrested during a demonstration organized by the July 8th Welcome to Palestine initiative was released on bail Tuesday, after spending a week in immigrant detention refusing to be deported. While his deportation case may be re-opened, for now Chuck has been released on a $1,300 bond.