UPDATE: Israeli settlers entered into At Tuwani village escorted by army, South Hebron Hills area

settembre 19, 2014 at 8:25 am
(Italian follows)

September 19, 2014

At Tuwani – On September 17, at 5:30 a.m. three cars with fourteen Israeli settlers came into the Palestinian village of At Tuwani, escorted by two army jeep.

The settlers entered in the archeological site located between several Palestinian homes, in the middle of the village, one of them was armed. At Tuwani inhabitants started to gather at the closest Palestinian home and the owner of the house demanded to the Israeli army explanations about the happening. After the villagers nonviolent pressure on the Israelis both settlers and soldiers, they left the village at 6:15 a.m. This is just the last of several ongoing provocations carried out by the Israeli army and settlers to which the South Hebron Hills palestinian communities keep reacting in a nonviolent way.

In 2011, in At Tuwani were conducted excavations by Israeli archaeologists escorted by the army. Several archeologist that came to visit the village affirmed that the evidences are dating from the Byzantine period. Yet in December 2011 during an archeology meeting placed in the Israeli settlement of Suseya (in the South Hebron Hills area) was declared that the ruins are part of an ancient synagogue. In the meeting was also explained how to reach the site. The finding of ancient jewish ruins in the ’80s was the formal pretext to forcibly evict the Palestinian population of Susiya village.

Operation Dove has maintained an international presence in At-Tuwani and the South Hebron Hills since 2004.

Pictures of the incident: http://goo.gl/mJicAx

[Note: According to the Fourth Geneva Convention, the Hague Regulations, the International Court of Justice, and several United Nations resolutions, all Israeli settlements and outposts in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal. Most settlement outposts, including Havat Ma’on (Hill 833), are considered illegal also under Israeli law.]

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Coloni israeliani entrano nel villaggio di At Tuwani scortati dall’esercito, nelle colline a sud di Hebron

17 giugno 2014

At Tuwani – Il 17 Settembre, alle ore 5:30, tre macchine con quattordici coloni Israeliani sono arrivate nel villaggio Palestinese di At Tuwani, scortate da due jeep dell’esercito.

I coloni sono entrati nel sito archeologico situato tra le case di alcuni palestinesi, nel centro del villaggio, uno di questi era armato. Gli abitanti di At Tuwani si sono riuniti presso la casa palestinese più vicina e il proprietario della casa ha chiesto spiegazioni all’esercito Israeliano riguardo a quello che stava accadendo. Dopo la pressione nonviolenta esercitata dagli abitanti del villaggio sull’esercito e sui coloni, questi se ne sono andati alle 6:15. Questa è l’ennesima delle continue provocazioni compiute dall’esercito e dai coloni israeliani, alla quale le comunità Palestinesi delle colline a sud di Hebron continuano a reagire in maniera nonviolenta.

Nel 2011 ad At Tuwani sono stati condotti scavi da parte di archeologi israeliani scortati dall’esercito. Molti degli archeologi che hanno visitato il villaggio affermano che i ritrovamenti risalgono all’epoca Bizantina. Eppure nel Dicembre 2011, durante una conferenza sull’archeologia avvenuta nell’insediamento Israeliano di Suseya (nell’area delle colline a sud di Hebron), è stato dichiarato che le rovine sono appartenenti ad una antica sinagoga. Nella conferenza è stato anche indicato come raggiungere il sito archeologico. Il ritrovamento di antiche rovine ebraiche negli anno ’80 è stato il pretesto formale per l’evacuazione forzata della popolazione palestinese dal villaggio di Susiya.

Operazione Colomba mantiene una presenza costante nel villaggio di At-Tuwani e nell’area delle colline a sud di Hebron dal 2004.

Foto dell’incidente: http://goo.gl/mJicAx

[Note: secondo la IV Convenzione di Ginevra, la II Convenzione dell’Aja, la Corte Internazionale di Giustizia e numerose risoluzioni ONU, tutti gli insediamenti israeliani nei Territori Palestinesi Occupati sono illegali. Gli avamposti sono considerati illegali anche secondo la legge israeliana.]

UPDATE: Six sheep killed on the bypass road 317, South Hebron Hills

settembre 18, 2014 at 9:24 am

On September 16, a car ran over totally 8 sheep belonging to two Palestinian shepherds from Qawawis village. Six sheep died and two were injured.

The incident occurred along the Bypass road 317, which connect eight Israeli settlements and outpost. The two Palestinian shepherds complained to the Israeli police, that came on the place in order to take evidence.

Pictures of the incident: http://goo.gl/2kd7nv

Sei pecore uccise sulla Bypass road 317, colline a Sud di Hebron

Il 16 settembre una macchina ha investito 8 pecore appartenenti a due pastori palestinesi del villaggio di Qawawis. Sei pecore sono morte e due sono state ferite.

L’incidente è avvenuto lungo la Bypass road 317, che connette otto colonie e insediamenti israeliani. I due pastori palestinesi hanno fatto denuncia alla polizia israeliana.

Foto dell’incidente: http://goo.gl/2kd7nv

PR: Israeli settlers attacked internationals and a Palestinian shepherd

settembre 16, 2014 at 3:02 pm
PRESS RELEASE

Israeli settlers attacked internationals and a Palestinian shepherd

As a result of the attack one international and the shepherd were detained by Israeli Police

(Italian follows)

September 15, 2014

At Tuwani – On September 14, two Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian shepherd and two international near the Israeli outpost of Mitzpe Yair, South Hebron hills area. During the aggression the settlers stole from the internationals their videocameras and broke one of their phone. Israeli police detained the Palestinian shepherd and one of the internationals for 6 hours. There were no consequences for the settlers.

At about 9:00 a.m. four Palestinian shepherd from the South Hebron hills village of Qawawis were grazing their flocks accompanied by two internationals, on Palestinian owned land nearby the Israeli outpost. Two settlers from Mitzpe Yair crossed a closed area (where the access is forbidden to everyone) in order to attack one palestinian shepherd, starting to chase away his flock. The two internationals present taped the scene.

Afterwards the settlers assaulted the internationals: at first they grabbed by the neck one international and knocked him down, they snatched his camera and broke his phone; subsequently the settlers attacked the other one twisting her arm and seized also her camera. When the settlers run back to the outpost holding the stolen cameras, the Palestinian and the internationals went to Qawawis village.

The Israeli police came to the Palestinian village and asked to the shepherd and to the international that was attacked to follow them to the Israeli Police station in Kiryat Arba settlement, due to one settler claiming that they threw stones against him. The Police officers detained both of them for 6 hours and questioned them about the incident. Israeli police released them at 5:00 p.m. without consequences.

The South Hebron hills area suffered the Israeli settlers’ presence since the 70’s. Eight Israeli settlements and outposts (among which Mitzpe Yair) almost isolate 16 Palestinian villages from the rest of West Bank. The settlers’ violence includes also overt violent attacks on Palestinians and their animals, damages of private properties, limitations to freedom of movement with consequences on their daily life. Since the beginning of 2014 Operation Dove registered the arrests of 15 Palestinians, included minors, because they were on lands near the settlements. During the same period there were no consequences for Israeli settlers involved in the incidents occurred in the area.

In spite of the violence suffered by the Palestinians from the South Hebron Hills area, they are keeping on grazing and farming on their lands resisting in a nonviolent way the Israeli occupation.

Operation Dove has maintained an international presence in At-Tuwani and the South Hebron Hills since 2004.

Pictures of the incident: http://goo.gl/oLGr8A

[Note: According to the Fourth Geneva Convention, the Hague Regulations, the International Court of Justice, and several United Nations resolutions, all Israeli settlements and outposts in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal. Most settlement outposts, including Havat Ma’on (Hill 833), are considered illegal also under Israeli law.]

Pax Christi: Chi difende i Palestinesi? (video)

luglio 27, 2014 at 5:12 am

Dalla Palestina parole che svelano il massacro, la sua origine e i numeri che nascondono i piu’ di 700 morti e 4000 feriti.
Dalla Delegazione di Pax Christi, 25 luglio 2014

Palestinian shepherd detained by Israeli soldiers. Released by a popular struggle action.

luglio 1, 2014 at 9:40 am

Palestinian shepherd detained by Israeli soldiers. Released by a popular struggle action.

On June 27, a Palestinian shepherd from the South Hebron Hills village of Saddith Thala was detained by Israeli soldiers in the charge of throwing stones towards a setter’s car, passing on the Bypass road 317. He was released, because no evidence, by a popular struggle action.

UPDATE: from the 8th June Israeli military trainings close to the Palestinian villages of Jinba and Al Mirkez (Masafer Yatta)

giugno 12, 2014 at 2:09 pm
From 8th June to today, Israeli military training is underway on a Palestinian-owned fields, close to the Palestinian villages of Jinba and Al Mirkez, in Masafer Yatta.

Hundreds of soldiers have occupied the land in front of the nearby Israeli military base with tents and military equipment and were scattered in groups around the villages to carry out the exercises.

During the training the Palestinian population suffered heavy restrictions on freedom of movement, the fields were damaged by military activities and shepherds were chased away with their flocks. Some of these reported that they were beaten by the soldiers.

During the night, the exercises were continued with the use of explosives and soldiers have gone even within the village, frightening the people further.

The villages of Jinba and Al Mirkez are within the Firing Zone 918 and, pending the decision of the Israeli High Court of Justice, are still under the threat of expulsion by the Israeli army.

Israeli military training is still in progress.

Dall’8 giugno fino ad oggi, un’esercitazione militare dell’esercito israeliano è in corso sulle terre palestinesi dei villaggi di Jinba e Al Mirkez, nell’area delle colline a sud di Hebron.

Centinaia di soldati hanno occupato con tende ed equipaggiamenti militari le terre di fronte alla vicina base militare israeliana e si sono sparpagliati a gruppi attorno ai villaggi palestinesi per svolgere le esercitazioni.

Durante il training la popolazione palestinese ha subito pesanti limitazioni alla libertà di movimento, i campi sono stati danneggiati dalle attività militari e molti pastori sono stati scacciati con le proprie greggi. Alcuni hanno riferito di essere stati aggrediti fisicamente dai soldati.

Durante la notte le esercitazioni sono continuate con l’utilizzo di esplosivi e i soldati si sono spinti anche all’interno del villaggio, spaventandone ulteriormente gli abitanti.

I villaggi di Jinba e Al Mirkez si trovano all’interno della Firing Zone 918 e, in attesa del pronunciamento dell’Alta Corte di Giustizia israeliana, sono tutt’ora sotto la minaccia di espulsione da parte dell’esercito israeliano.

L’esercitazione militare è tuttora in corso.

Peace through the eye of a needle

giugno 6, 2014 at 2:29 pm

The At Tuwani village Women’s Cooperative together with Israeli women gave life to Two Neighbors: an against-the-odds business partnership that defies politics in favor of beauty, common sense, and shared economic benefit. The new project is leaded by a team made by Israeli women, Palestinian women and American men and women who founded the Center for Emerging Futures that holds gatherings for Israelis and Palestinians on the border between Israel and the West Bank. 

 

After spending time at a Global Village Square meeting organized by the Center for Emerging Futures, women from both sides of the conflict decided they would like to work together producing beautiful items which showcased their talents and heritage. They wanted to do this together, showing that Israelis and Palestinian women, who were tired of waiting for the politicians to declare peace, could work together now to improve their economic condition and demonstrate peaceful relations on a grass roots level.

http://twoneighbors.com

Two Neighbors – Due vicini di casa
La Cooperativa delle Donne del villaggio di At Tuwani ha dato vita insieme ad alcune donne israeliane al progetto Two Neighbors: un partenariato contro il business il cui obiettivo è il solo profitto, che sfida la politica a favore della bellezza, il senso comune e il beneficio economico condiviso. Il nuovo progetto è guidato da un team composto da donne israeliane e donne palestinesi, insieme a uomini e donne americani già fondatori del Center for Emerging Futures che da anni organizza incontri per israeliani e palestinesi al confine tra Israele e la Cisgiordania.
Dopo aver trascorso del tempo in incontri organizzati dal Center for Emerging Futures, donne provenienti da entrambe le parti del conflitto hanno deciso di lavorare insieme, facendo oggetti belli che mostrassero il loro talento e il loro patrimonio storico-culturale. Volevano farlo insieme, dimostrando che donne israeliane e palestinesi, stanche di aspettare che siano i politici a dichiarare la pace, possono lavorare insieme per migliorare le proprie condizioni economiche e mettere le radici di relazioni pacifiche.

UPDATE: An other settler’s harrasment towards the Palestinian children from Tuba and Maghayr Al Abeed

giugno 3, 2014 at 4:49 pm

On June 2, at about 10 am, the Palestinian children from the villages of Tuba and Maghayir Al Abeed, that after school were waiting at the meeting point the military escort, were reached by a group of Israelis from the nearby settlement of Ma ‘on.

The group was composed of the Ma’on security coordinator, armed with rifle and handgun, two settlers, a journalist and a camera operator who began filming, in an invasive manner, the Palestinian children and International volunteers, without give them any explanation.

When questioned by internationals, the reporter said to belong to Channel 10, an Israeli television channel, and to be there to do a reportage about the use of video cameras. He later declared to be unaware of recent events and that they do not understand the discomfort of the children, who were trying to hide their faces from the intrusiveness of the video camera.A few minutes later came the military escort and the children came back to home, followed by the group for the first part of the path.
The incident took place in a week by the arrest of four girls for a supposed theft of cherries. The settlers who testified against them were among those present today.

Il 2 giugno, alle ore 10, i bambini di Tuba e Maghayr Al Abeed che, finita la scuola, aspettavano al villaggio di At-Tuwani l’arrivo della scorta militare sono stati raggiunti da un gruppo di israeliani provenienti dall’antistante colonia di Ma’on.

Il gruppo era composto dal capo della sicurezza della colonia, armato con fucile e pistola, due coloni, un giornalista e un cameraman che ha cominciato a filmare in maniera indiscreta i bambini palestinesi e gli internazionali, senza presentarsi o adducendo motivazione alcuna.

Interrogato dai presenti, il giornalista ha detto di appartenere all’emittente televisiva israeliana Canale10 e di essere lì per produrre un servizio sull’uso delle videocamere.

Ha poi dichiarato di essere all’oscuro dei recenti eventi accaduti e di non comprendere il disagio dei bambini, che cercavano di nascondere i lori volti all’invadenza della telecamera.

Pochi minuti dopo è arrivata la camionetta dei militari e i bambini sono partiti verso casa, con il gruppo al seguito per la prima parte del percorso.

L’accaduto si è svolto ad una settimana dall’arresto di quattro bambine per un presunto furto di ciliegie. I coloni che hanno testimoniato contro di loro erano tra i presenti quest’oggi.

VIDEO: Palestinian girls detained becuase of cherries

maggio 29, 2014 at 6:09 am

PRESS RELEASE: Four Palestinian 12-14 years old girls detained by the Israeli Police

maggio 28, 2014 at 6:07 pm
Settlers accused them of theft of cherries
(Italian follows)

May 28, 2014

At Tuwani – On May 27, four Palestinian 12-14 years old girls from the South Hebron hills area villages of Tuba and Maghayir Al Abeed have been arrested by the Israeli police on the charge of theft of cherries in a field in which Israeli settlers from Ma’on settlement are growing several cherry trees.
This grove is situated close to the place in which the children usually wait an Israeli military escort in order to come back to home. The escort was established in 2004 by the Children’s Rights Committee of the Knesset because of the ongoing attacks to the Palestinian children (coming from the nearby villages of Tuba and Maghayir Al Abeed to the school of At Tuwani) from Havat Ma’on and Ma’on settlers.
At 11.00 am, while the children were walking accompanied by the Israeli army in order to come back to home, a car with few settlers inside stopped in the middle of the street, avoiding the possibility for the children to continue the path. Israeli settlers stated that some children had stolen cherries from the grove.
So, the Israeli soldiers forced the children to sit down on the road under a hot sun without any access to water, preventing them to come back home.
The Palestinian children asked to the Israeli soldiers some explanations about the accuse that the settlers were moving against them and they also wanted to see videos and photos supporting the accuse, but the Israeli army didn’t give any information. Some minutes later, also the Ma’on security coordinator arrived where the children were stopped, accusing them of theft, even if he wasn’t present at the moment of the fact.

At 11:50 am the Israeli Police arrived. The police officer asked to one settler to recognize the children that he saw in the cherry trees fields. The settlers identified four young girls. The girls have been forced to go up in the police car.
The other students were accompanied along the path by the Israeli army.
The 4 young girls were detained in the police car for one hour. Then the girls were taken to the Israeli Police station of Kiryat Arba and brought for interrogation, without their parents being present.

According to the +972 magazinethe layer who is representing the minors spoke with police on the phone and she was told that two girls were released once their parents were contacted (one is 12 years old, the other seems to have speech disabilities). The two others were being held for questioning and released after it. According to  Haggai Matar, “it would be illegal for the police to question them without the presence of their parents”.

At 4:00 pm the Israeli police sent them to Palestinian police in Hebron, that didn’t want to release them until when one from their family identified them. So, at around 7:00 pm,  the girls were released.
Operation Dove has maintained an international presence in At-Tuwani and the South Hebron Hills since 2004.

Pictures of the incident: http://www.operazionecolomba.it/galleries/palestina-israele/2014/2014-05-28-four-palestinian-12-14-years-old-girls-detained-by-the-israeli-police/
Video of the incident: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAhKqjPo00s

For further information:
Operation Dove, 054 99 25 773

[Note: According to the Fourth Geneva Convention, the Hague Regulations, the International Court of Justice, and several United Nations resolutions, all Israeli settlements and outposts in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal. Most settlement outposts, including Havat Ma’on (Hill 833), are considered illegal also under Israeli law.]

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COMUNICATO STAMPA
Quattro ragazze palestinesi tra i  12 e i 14 anni detenute dalla polizia israeliana.
I coloni le hanno accusate di furto di ciliege.

28 Maggio 2014

At Tuwani – il 27 Maggio, 4 ragazze palestinesi tra i 12 e i 14 anni provenienti dai villaggi di Tuba e Maghayr Al Abeed nelle colline a sud di Hebron sono state arrestate dalla polizia israeliana con l’accusa di aver rubato ciliege in un campo in cui i coloni israeliani della colonia di Ma’on stanno coltivando  ciliegi.

Questo frutteto si trova vicino al luogo in cui i bambini sono soliti aspettare la scorta militare israeliana per tornare a casa dopo la scuola. La scorta è stata introdotta nel 2004 dalla Commissione per i Diritti dei Bambini della Knesset, a causa dei continui attacchi ai bambini palestinesi (provenienti dai vicini villaggi di Tuba e Maghayr Al Abeed diretti alla scuola di At Tuwani) da parte dei coloni di Ma’on e Havat Ma’on.

Alle ore 11, mentre i bambini stavano camminando, accompagnati da soldati israeliani, verso casa, una macchina con alcuni coloni al suo interno si è fermata nel mezzo della strada impedendo ai bambini di proseguire il percorso. I coloni israeliani hanno affermato che alcuni bimbi hanno rubato ciliege dalla coltivazione.
A questo punto, i soldati israeliani hanno preteso che i bambini si sedessero ai bordi della strada sotto un sole rovente e senza alcun accesso ad acqua, impedendo loro di proseguire verso casa.
I bambini palestinesi hanno chiesto ai soldati israeliani spiegazioni in merito all’accusa che i coloni stavano muovendo contro di loro, chiedendo di vedere video e foto in supporto alle accuse, ma i soldati non hanno dato loro nessuna informazione.
Pochi minuti dopo, anche il capo della sicurezza di Ma’on è arrivato sul luogo dove i bambini sono stati fermati, accusandoli di furto, pur non essendo presente al momento dell’accaduto.

Alle 11:50, arrivava la polizia israeliana, che chiedeva a un colono di identificare i bambini che aveva visto tra i ciliegi. I coloni hanno identificato quattro bambine che sono state obbligate a salire sulla camionetta della polizia.Gli altri studenti sono stati ricondotti a casa dell’esercito. Le 4 bambine sono state detenute nella camionetta per un ora prima di essere condotte alla stazione di polizia di Kyriat Arba dove sono state interrogate senza la presenza dei genitori.

Secondo quanto riportato da +972 Magazine, l’avvocato che rappresenta le minori dopo aver parlato al telefono con la polizia ha dichiarato che due ragazze sono state rilasciate non appena i loro genitori sono stati contattati  (una ha dodici anni, l’altra pare abbia disabilità di linguaggio). Le altre due sono state trattenute per essere interrogate e solo in seguito rilasciate. Secondo Haggai Matar, “dovrebbe essere illegale per la polizia interrogarle senza la presenza dei loro genitori”.
Alle 16:00 la polizia israeliana le ha consegnate alla polizia palestinese in Hebron, che non ha voluto rilasciarle fino a quando una persona della loro famiglia non le avesse identificate. Infatti, solo intorno alle 19:00 le ragazze sono state rilasciate.

Operazione Colomba mantiene una presenza costante nel villaggio di At-Tuwani e nell’area delle colline a sud di Hebron dal 2004.

Foto dell’incidente: http://www.operazionecolomba.it/galleries/palestina-israele/2014/2014-05-28-four-palestinian-12-14-years-old-girls-detained-by-the-israeli-police/
Video dell’incidente: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAhKqjPo00s

Per informazioni:
Operazione Colomba, +972 54 99 25 773

[Note: secondo la IV Convenzione di Ginevra, la II Convenzione dell’Aja, la Corte Internazionale di Giustizia e numerose risoluzioni ONU, tutti gli insediamenti israeliani nei Territori Palestinesi Occupati sono illegali. Gli avamposti sono considerati illegali anche secondo la legge israeliana.]