On March 17th, 2012, about 30 Palestinian, Israeli and international activists marched towards the fence surrounding the Karmei Tsur settlement near Beit Ommar, as part of the Beit Ommar Popular Committee’s weekly peaceful demonstration. Karmei Tsur settlement was built on land stolen from Palestinian farmers. Many of the residents of Beit Ommar can no longer access their land due to the fence and the settlement, which is illegal under the 4th Geneva Convention. We, the demonstrators, were met by more than sixty armed Israeli soldiers, who pushed us on rocky terrain to force us back.

The march was also in solidarity with Hana Shalabi, on the 31st day of her … Continue reading

On Saturday, February 25th, 2012, Palestinian villagers from Beit Ommar, supported by international and Israeli solidarity activists, rallied against the Israeli occupation during the community’s weekly unarmed demonstration. As usual, the demonstrators headed towards the illegal Israeli settlement of Karmei Tzur, which is built on Beit Ommar village farmland. Demonstrators could not get anywhere close to the settlement fence; instead they were met with scores of soldiers preventing them from going any farther by pushing them back. The activists chanted and called upon the soldiers to act more humanely. Farmers in Beit Ommar want to access the land that the new fence separates them from; this is why these demonstrations take place. The increasing amount of land … Continue reading

On Tuesday February 21, 2012, Israeli Forces raided the Palestinian village of Beit Ommar and raided several homes, arresting three youth between the ages of 14 and 17. According to the Popular Committee in Beit Ommar, the occupation forces arrested three people; Mohammad Ahmed Khalil Abu Hashem (14 years old) Mohab Samir Mehanna (16 years old), and Mohammed Jamil Saadi (17 years old). The boys were taken to the illegal Israeli settlement of Karmei Tsur which is built on land belonging to Beit Ommar residents. When one of the detainees was being taken from his home, his father Ahmad Abu Hashem, was beaten by soldiers as he tried to convince them to let his son Mohammad put on … Continue reading

On Saturday, February 11, 2012 the popular committee of Beit Ommar and Palestine Solidarity Project held their weekly demonstration against the occupation and settlements. Residents of Beit Ommar, accompanied by Israeli and international solidarity activists, marched to an area of Beit Ommar’s agricultural land near the illegal Israeli settlement Karmei Tsur. The demonstration, which carried pictures of Palestinian political prisoner Khader Adnan and included owners of land which had recently been confiscated by the settlement, was met with dozens of Israeli soldiers who immediately began to attack the demonstration. Two Palestinians, Saqqar Abu Maria and Beit Ommar popular committee spokesman Yousef Abu Maria were both arrested, … Continue reading

On Tuesday, February 7, 2012, Israeli settlers from Karmei Tsur, escorted by Israeli Forces, constructed two mobile homes (caravans) on two dunums (2000 square meters) of land owned by Palestinian residents of Beit Ommar. The farmland is legally owned by Mohamed Motlak Za’aqik and is located within the so-called security fence surrounding the settlement of Karmei Tsur to the south of the village. This fence was constructed in 2006, and annexed more than hundreds of dunums of Beit Omar farmland. Since then, the farmers are prevented from entering the area and cultivating their land for almost six years, causing all of the plum and grapes trees to dry up. Karmei Tsur was illegally established in 1984 on … Continue reading

On Saturday, February 4th, 2012, Palestinian villagers in Beit Ommar conducted their weekly demonstration against the settlement appropriation of their lands. The activists organized this week’s actions to plant dozens of olive trees near the Israeli settlement of Karmei Tsur. This week, the demonstrators were joined by a group of Palestinian and international runners conducting a marathon across the West Bank from Hebron to Jenin organized by Fair Trade groups and US-based community development group On the Ground.

The project aims to raise awareness and support for small farming communities and Fair Trade practices across the West Bank. They planted 500 olive saplings … Continue reading

On Friday, February 3, 2012, a large group of around 150 Israeli settlers entered the Palestinian village of Beit Ommar in the southern West Bank. The presence of settlers on Palestinian land is prohibited under International Law. The group was escorted by Israeli soldiers and border police, and moved through several neighborhoods of the village during the middle of the day.

The settlers wandered through Beit Za’tah and Alkarn neighborhoods before moving onto Wadi Esheikh area close to the illegal settlement of Karmei Tsur to the south of the village. During this provocative tour, the settlers blocked Route 60, the main road connecting Hebron … Continue reading

On Saturday, January 7th, 2011, several dozen Palestinian villagers from Beit Ommar, supported by Israeli and international solidarity activists, continued their weekly demonstrations on lands close to the illegal Israeli settlement of Karmei Tsur. Karmei Tsur one of three settlements built on land belonging to Beit Ommar residents. This week, the demonstrators got closer than usual to the settlement houses, just a few meters from the fence.

Israeli Forces, heavily armed, became nervous and began shoving the nonviolent activists, pushing several to the ground. Unlike in previous demonstrations, no sound bombs or tear gas was used to disperse the crowd, probably … Continue reading

On December 23rd, 2011, residents of the Palestinian village of Beit Ommar, accompanied by Israeli and international solidarity activists. held a peaceful demonstration against the illegal settlement of Karmei Tsur, and the stealing of privately owned agricultural land.

Demonstrators approached the settlement fence and were able to remove a post and some barbed wire before many police arrived and forced them back. The demonstrators remained peaceful, even when the police shoved some of them roughly to the ground. After several speeches were given explaining the illegality of the settlement and the grievances of the Palestinians, the demonstrators ended the protest peacefully. There were no arrests.

The … Continue reading

On Saturday, December 11, 2011 around 40 Palestinian villagers in Beit Ommar held their weekly demonstration land close to the Israeli settlement of Karmei Tsur. The villagers were joined by a group of Hebron University female students and they were also supported by Israeli and international solidarity activists.

This week’s demonstration decried the murder of Mustafa Tamimi, a 28-year-old Palestinian activist from the village of Nabi Saleh, who was shot in the face from close range with a tear gas canister fired by Israeli Forces during an unarmed demonstration two days before. Mustafa died of his wounds early … Continue reading