Since joining the ISM, it seems that everything I have written has been about the protests and the tear gas - although, to be fair, that is really what life is like at the International Solidarity Movement. Today, though, is my last day: in the morning I head to Jerusalem to meet up with my mum, who I will be taking on a whistle-stop tour of the occupied territories before going to relax by the ocean in Sinai. As my last post working as an activist, I’m going to take the easy way out and just post a copy of my report for the ISM on the demonstration to open al-Shuhada Street last Friday. It was much the same as the others, although this time the internationals that got detained were my friends, the girl who was arrested I live with, and my camera – a special tough version I take for these occasions – got hit with a tear gas grenade. Don’t worry though; both it and I lived to tell the tale... Here’s what I wrote:
Many injured and several detained at al-Shuhada Street demonstration
Hundreds gathered in Hebron on Friday to march against the continued closure of al-Shuhada Street. The non-violent protestors were met with tear gas, sound grenades and rubber bullets from the Israeli army. Witnesses also said that the army fired tear gas canisters directly at protestors, which is illegal under international law. Organizers say 20 people were taken to hospital – around half for physical injuries, the rest to be treated for tear gas inhalation – and one Israeli, two Palestinians and three internationals were detained. Military sources say that only one arrest was made.
One of the city’s major streets, al-Shuhada (Martyrs) Street was forced to close following the Baruch Goldstein massacre of 1994, in which a Jewish extremist murdered 29 Muslims at prayer in the Ibrahim mosque and wounded a further 125. Friday’s march was held on the anniversary of the massacre as protestors demanded that the street be reopened.
Protestors chanted slogans including “Hebron is Palestine!” and “Down with the occupation!” and waved Palestinian flags. The soldiers and border police occupied the centre of Hebron, blocking movement throughout the city and confining many in the city’s old town.
As the protestors were displaced widely throughout the city, estimates of the numbers vary widely. The Israeli military claim that there were only 300 present, however the Temporary International Presence in Hebron – an international civilian observer mission mandated by the Israeli and Palestinian Authority to report on events in Hebron – estimate that 1,500 people took part in the demonstrations.
The demonstrations began from several locations throughout the city following midday prayers, and the clashes with the Israeli army continued for several hours. Palestinian Authority soldiers were also present in stopping the demonstrations.
Hebron is home to around 600 Jewish settlers, living in settlements which are regarded as illegal under international law. In 2003, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled that the settlers should be evicted from the area and that al-Shuhada Street should be reopened, but no action has been taken against the settlers and the street remains closed.
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When I get the time, I will write some big kind of summation: some pithy, witty, clear and frank scrap of script to tie up all the loose ends I've left in this tattered little blog. The truth is I'm tired, and I need a rest. I have a busy week ahead, revisiting all the finer spots the West Bank has to offer, but perhaps after that, when I'm drunk by the sea, I can inject a little lucidity into the bad crazyness I've seen and written about. Fuck, I'll try and even include pictures.
I'm not even going to try and write about Libya now.
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