Quiet Deir Istiya Under Israeli Army Attack – And Deir Istiya Resists
UPDATE 22 August: In the last few weeks the Israeli army has kidnapped 14 young men from Deir Istiya and injured several more. The main road to the village remains closed, but residents of Deir Istiya are now using an alternative route through the olive groves.
Since the Israeli occupation army closed off the main entrance to Deir Istiya on 22 July, people of the village have successfully opened it twice. They would use their bare hands or shovels in fear that a bulldozer might be confiscated by the army were the villagers to use it; they would only open a passage large enough for one car, in order not to attract the unwanted attention of Israeli military and settler vehicles constantly passing by. There are also concrete blocks underneath the rubble that require special machinery to be moved.
However, despite Deir Istiya’s efforts, the Israeli army would come back the next day or two days later and put up their barricades again, restricting the Palestinians’ freedom of movement that is guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The village would essentially remain almost closed off; such actions constitute collective punishment, which is prohibited under international law.
As the army closed the road, they also kidnapped two young men from Deir Istiya and were looking for a third one who was not at his house during the kidnap attempt.
Several weeks prior to this, illegal Israeli settler-colonists opened fire at two young boys of Deir Istiya as they were walking home for the Iftar (Muslim break of fast during the holy month of Ramadan). The boys managed to escape deadly fire but were deeply traumatized.
In response to such provocations, the shabab (local youth) of Deir Istiya started confronting the Israeli occupation army that was making numerous raids in their village. Clashes have erupted for several night in the past week.
Pictured below are the findings after one such night in Deir Istiya; they include live ammunition, steel rubber-coated bullets, and tear gas canisters.
Photo credit: Deir Istiya facebook page.
Israelis are a bunch of bloodthirsty terrorists who respect no law, rule, religion, dignity or humanity! The war against Palestine and Gaza is a war against humanity not religion! I don’t even call it a war, it’s a genocide! It’s time for deaf ears to hear the truth! It’s time for blind eyes to see the real criminal and victim! It’s time for silent people to speak up and support Palestine! Whoever support what so called “Israel” right now pretend that Palestinians want to kill Jews and Hamas is an Islamic movement which if full of hatred and grudge against other religions! That’s bulshit! Palestinians are not against Jews or Judaism, we are against whoever support the existence of the illegal Zionist entity so called “Israel”. In fact, there are a lot of Jews who support Palestinians and condemn the Israeli massacres in Gaza. What Hamas is doing right now has nothing to do with religion, it’s resisting against the war crimes to defend the Palestinian dignity. The same Gaza we are talking about right now was bombed in 2009, no one paid attention to that! Do you know why?! Because Hamas didn’t fight back and nothing was threatening the security of ” Israel”!! It’s the simplest right for Palestinians to defend themselves, don’t you think so?! I am so glad that few homemade rockets, fireworks and rocks threatened the security of what so called “Israel”!! Media is drawing an unfair comparison between unequal sides, occupier and occupied! Media is corrupted and manipulated by Israelis and whoever controls the media controls reality! Let’s say that Hamas is a bunch of criminals and Israelis want to get rid of them. Have you heard about the death of at least ONE member from Hamas since the war started?! Murdered people in Gaza and Palestine are children, old men/women and civilians! WAKE UP PEOPLE, it’s a genocide against humanity and human rights!
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The people of the world are taking it to the streets for Palestine in their thousands; yet their governments are still complicit in the genocide of Palestine. And the mainstream media is soaking up zionist propaganda and presenting it as the truth. This is what we have to fight against. As well as all the companies that are involved with the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
May those who perished in Gaza in this latest attack rest in peace. And may all those of us who are still here fight for freedom, justice, and human rights.
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Amin, of course we blame the governments not the people. We appreciate all the supporters of Palestine around the world…
Thank you..
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