Last Tuesday both the IWPS team and ISM team were harvesting olives in separate areas when we received a phone call telling us that there had been trouble with settlers from the illegal settlement Yitzhar and Israeli Occupation Forces…
Whatever the orders were, there was no justification for a home invasion of this manner, against the quiet civilians in Deir Istiya. The Israeli military is there to remind Palestinians that they are not safe in their own homes.
Fadi was on his way home to Hares from a job interview in Jericho earlier this week, when he was pulled over by Israeli police for a minor traffic infraction – momentarily crossing the centre line of a highway shared by Palestinians and illegal settlers. While one may reasonably expect a verbal warning or small fine for such a minor violation, that wasn’t the case. Instead, Fadi was arrested and taken to a police station in Ari’el settlement, where he was detained for several hours. In addition, both his vehicle and his drivers permit were impounded, meaning that he has neither the right nor the means for transportation, until his possessions are released in a month’s time.
Today, the last Friday in Ramadan, marked the fifth anniversary of Kufr Qaddom’s demonstrations. The Israeli military were present in the village and firing rubber coated bullets prior to the start of the demonstration. The soldiers continued to use full force against protestors, using high velocity barricade penetrating tear gas grenades, and live ammunition. Two young men were injured with live ammunition. One 15-year-old boy took a .22 Caliber bullet to the stomach. He entered surgery in Nablus at approximately 3 PM to remove the bullet. In addition a 19-year-old was hit in the lower leg. The injury is not serious, but still a cause for concern: the young man in question had been released from jail less than a month ago, after he was arrested for his participation in the weekly protests.
The International Women’s Peace Service stands in solidarity with Bilal Kayed, and over 100 of his fellow prisoners in Israeli military prisons, in their hunger strike against the abusive and illegal practice of administrative detention.
Deir Istiya continues to face restrictions on movement, and access to agricultural roads. Today, villagers reported continued construction on the settler road that surrounds the village, and the introduction of a flying checkpoint at the village entrance.
Qarawah Bani Hassan, Sarta and Biddya, with a combined population of approximately 30,000 people, depend on one 8 inch pipe, designed to deliver 145 cubic meters of water per hour. During the winter months when water tables are higher, the water flows at full capacity, ensuring coverage to the entire network. However for the past two months, the amount has been restricted to between 50 and 70 cubic meters per hour. With such a small amount in the pipes, the pressure is too low for the water to reach many of the houses at the end of the system. Qarawah, which sits at the highest elevation out of the three villages, suffers the most from the low water pressure: no house in the village has received water in over a week. The most remote properties have gone dry for over a month.
“Ramadan Tov” read the posters, held by supporters of the Palestinian internal boycott, about forty of whom had gathered for a demonstration in the West Bank town of Salfit. The poster featured a picture of an Israeli soldier, in full combat gear, holding out a tray filled with household goods: Ein Gedi bottled water, Tnuva yogurt, Tapuzina juice. The use of the word “Tov”, Hebrew for “happy”, underscored the meaning of the posters: if you buy food for Ramadan from Israeli companies, the profits would go back into Israeli society, and tax coffers, and eventually benefit the occupying army.
An IWPS team is back on the ground in Deir Istiya. The jasmine trees are blooming, and the grapes are almost ready to eat! However not all is well. On our first night back, Rizziq abu Nasser, a local poet, activist, and friend of the IWPS laid out the three biggest challenges in Deir Istiya today.
In Hebron (Al-Khalil), the jewish celebration of Passover sees a huge increase of Israeli occupation forces and settlers. Bus loads of illegal settlers make their way to the city from all over the West Bank and the army tries to…
Kufr Dik and Bruqin – an update on the ongoing cycle of water shortages, settler sewage problems, and unprecedented settlement expansion. “This [Netanyahu’s] government has destroyed all hope of peace”, resident of Kufr Dik The water issue The two villages…
Busy Highway 5066 connects parts of the illegal Settlement Bloc of Ariel with Tel Aviv. It also has become a de-facto check point for the farmers of Deir Istyia. Their agricultural land lies on the other side of Hwy 5066,…
Bjork Vilhelmsdottir reporting form Deir Istiya: The Israeli military has taken to the next level threats against the three families living on the outskirts of Deir Istyia village in the Salfit region of the West Bank. At the end of…
ISM & IWPS volunteer Bjork Vilhelmsdottir writes from Balata refugee camp: The Balata refugee camp in Nablus is the largest refugee camp in Palestine. It is home to approximately 75,000 people. Its older residents became refugees after the creation of…
A peaceful demonstration and prayer took place yesterday, Friday 4 December ’15, on a hilltop between the Salfit’s villages Kafr ad-Dik, Bruqin, Sarta and Biddya. These villages are surrounded by the illegal Israeli settlements and industrial areas. As IWPS readers…
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