This week – July 3-9, 2022 – in the Occupied Territories
A colonist gang escorted by the Israeli army set fire around
the community of Ras A-Tin (Palestinian Jordan Valley), then destroyed tents
and shacks – several terrified families
prepared to leave immediately, but, supported by activists, they remain on
site; Bullets hit a Palestinian home in Khalat A-Dab’a during the army’s
maneuvers in Masafer Yatta; Soldiers shackled, beat up and kidnapped a sick
Palestinian near a clinic in the South Hebron Hills; Right-wing thug Rami Ben
Yehuda violently attacked a Sheikh Jarrah inhabitant on crutches, causing him
severe injury; A gang of colonists, soldiers and police went on a shooting
rampage in the Silwan neighborhood of East Jerusalem, where they invaded dozens
of houses, vandalizing property and injuring numerous residents and children;
Colonists accompanied by a military force invaded the village of Muraja’at in
the Palestinian Jordan Valley, conducted home searches, shackled and beat up an
eldery man and confiscated a tractor; During the month of June, 464
Palestinians were arrested, 70 of them minors; since the beginning of the
current year, 3873 Palestinians had been arrested.
South Hebron Hills
On Sunday, July 3, at noon, residents of the Masafer Yatta
area were notified that the occupation army was renewing its maneuvers there
that very day, and until Wednesday. That evening, a light weapons firing
maneuver was held close to the houses of Majaz village. The next day,
helicopter landings and takeoffs were practiced near that village, and on Tuesday
maneuvers were held in tended fields near the village Mirkaz, including
live fire and tank shells. The residents of Mufaqara reported a fire
that broke out as a result of gunfire near the access road to ‘Avigail’
colonist outpost. On Wednesday, bullets hit a home in Khalat A-Dab’a. The
army spokesperson denied any connection with the maneuvers. However, on
Thursday, in front of diplomats in a delegation headed by the Ambassador of the
European Union visiting the area that day, a heavy-machinegun 0.5 bullet was extracted
from the wall of the house. On Saturday, soldiers blocked an internal road
in Masafer Yatta and prevented a family from Touba village from visiting
their married daughter in a neighboring village during the Muslim holiday. The
soldiers tried forcefully to confiscate their legally-owned vehicle and
shackled its owner. That day, July 9, soldiers shackled and beat up an ill
youngster near a clinic in the village of Safai Foqa, and then abandoned him
outside the village of Majaz.
In Umm Qusa, two ‘cessation of work’ orders were issued on
Sunday, and the next day, July 4, the occupation forces demolished a large
dwelling house leaving 15 people, most of them children, homeless. They also
demolished a house under construction near Umm Daraj and a water cistern
in Za’atut.
On Tuesday, the army finally acted upon the court ruling and
demolished colonist structures around the Rujum area near Susya.
Immediately following, they destroyed Palestinian-tended fields including
terraces, fences, crops, trees and an irrigation system around Khalat Al
Furun.
In Hurubat A-Nabithe army prevented on Wednesday the passage
of residents and activists to Bir Al Eid and detained them for about an
hour and a half without cause. That same afternoon, the soldiers blocked
villagers from Bir Al Eid on their way home, detained one of them and
took him to an army base. When activists arrived, the soldiers reconsidered their
instructions, released the detained man and enabled the family to make its way
home.
A colonist from ‘Mitzpe Yair’ invaded Palestinian fields near Simra
on Tuesday with his flock. On Thursday, July 7, colonists took over the
memorial commemorating Haj Sliman (who had been run over by a police vehicle in
Umm Al Kheir), harassing and cursing Palestinian passersby.
On Thursday, soldiers went on a car chase after a family car from Tawane
in order to confiscate it, but when a crowd from the village gathered they gave
up and drove off. On Friday, July 8, soldiers blocked the road from Tawane
to Yatta – unauthorized, and contrary to army orders.
To join Ta'ayush in The South Hebron Hills this Saturday call 055-2770168
Please make an effort to register no later than Thursday evening. Please bring an ID/passport, a hat, water and food for the day. It is advised to take into consideration cultural differences in the choice of clothing.
Palestinian Jordan Valley
On the night between Wednesday and Thursday (July 7), a gang of
Jewish terrorists attacked the Ras A-Tin community in the northern Palestinian Jordan Valley. They
surrounded people’s homes, ignited a fire that consumed the flocks’ feed for
the summer, and destroyed tents and shacks. The community had already known a
cruel attack by colonists last month, during which the vandals fractured a
woman’s skull. The occupation forces arrested 3 of the victims, and none of the
assailants, as usual. Two terror-stricken families intended to leave their homes on the
morrow, but after intervention by activists and organizations who promised
their support and submitted an urgent appeal to the Minister of Homeland
Security, they decided to stay.
All week, activists accompanied shepherds from the communities of Hamra,
Farisiya, Samara (where they also stayed overnight), and Khalat Makhoul in
the northern Valley. On Friday, July 8, a colonist riding his horse came to Farisiya,
threatened a family and tried to trample its children. On Saturday, the notoriously
violent colonist near Hamra flew a drone again to chase away Palestinian
shepherds and their flocks. In Bardala, the occupation forces
confiscated fruit and vegetables from Palestinian farmers on Thursday (July 7).
Around Auja in the southern Valley, shepherds were
accompanied by activists all week. On Sunday, July 3, a colonist who owns a nearby
outpost- farm and is in command of the army in the area attempted to limit
Palestinian grazing. On Wednesday, July 6, a gang of colonists escorted by
soldiers and police raided the houses of Muraja’at village, where searches were
conducted in dozens of family homes. Two residents – one of them 65 years old –
were dragged to the mosque and beaten up, and a tractor was confiscated. On
Thursday activists documented the construction of a road leading to the new
violent outpost near ‘Mevo’ot Yericho’.
To join activity in the Jordan Valley, please contact Arik:
050-5607034
Jerusalem
On Tuesday, July 5, colonists accompanied by private security
guards, policemen and soldiers, attacked Palestinian inhabitants of the Batan
Al-Hawa neighborhood in Silwan. They fired live ammunition,
rubber-coated bullets, teargas and stun grenades indiscriminately, invaded
homes and vandalized much property. Dozens of inhabitants, among them many
children, were wounded by rubber-coated bullets and teargas. Undercover forces
raided the neighborhood on the morrow as well. A 15-year-old boy was arrested,
a 12-year-old boy was summoned for questioning.
On the eve of the Al-Adha holiday, the Muslim holiday of sacrifice
that was celebrated on Saturday, the occupation forces put up barriers at the
entrance to the Al Aqsa Mosque and prevented youngsters from going in
for the holiday prayers.
During the Friday protest vigil at Sheikh Jarrah, right-wing
thugs cursed activists, fought among themselves, and attacked Palestinian cars
passing by, all in full view of policemen and the ‘Shalem’ Police Chief Ronen
Hazut, who stood aside without doing anything to stop their brutal activity.
The main thug, Rami Ben Yehuda, violently attacked a local resident on
crutches, and pushed him to the ground; the attacked person was hospitalized.
None of the assailants were arrested.
On Saturday, a young colonist attacked a Palestinian near the Damascus
Gate – the occupation forces arrested the attacked Palestinian, not the
assailant.
The weekly protest in Sheikh Jarrah takes place every Friday. We will meet at the Sheikh Jarrah Garden, Nablus Road and Dahlmann St. at 4 p.m
Demolitions in
Jerusalem
A-Za’im: 2 structures on Monday
Sawahra: one structure on Monday
Jabal Mukabar: one structure on Wednesday
Nabi Samauil: 4 structures as well as numerous trees uprooted on
Thursday
Demolitions
throughout the West bank
Kufr Dik (Salfit
district): 3 structures on Thursday
Duma (West Bank Hill Range, Nablus district): 2 structures on Tuesday
A-Sawiya (Nablus district): one structure on Tuesday
Summing up:
During the first half of the year 2022, the
occupation forces arrested 3,873 Palestinians. During the previous month alone,
June, 464 Palestinians were arrested, among them 70 children and 18 women. On
June 30, 2022, there were 4,650 Palestinians incarcerated in Israel.
Compared to last year, during the first
half of 2022 an increase of 60% was noted in Palestinian casualties.
The Palestinian Journalist Union reports
447 violations of international law against Palestinian journalists by the
occupation forces since the beginning of the year.
