University Student Documents Attacks


Volume [8]	No. [2]	December 2011
Newsletter Home Page		NORCAL ISM Homepage

University Student Documents Attacks and Resistance Outside Nablus

By Mara Chinelli, October 2011

I spent a month with ISM in Palestine during the summer of 2011. Overall I spent my time with ISM in Hebron, Sheikh Jarrah, Nablus, Burin and Iraq Burin. Being in these places further revealed to me the different ways in which illegal Israeli occupation affects each city and village in the West Bank.

Burin

Over the course of July, there were four instances of attacks on Palestinian olive groves in Burin. Jewish settlers instigated three of them, while Israeli soldiers perpetrated the one that a few of us documented. I visited the village on Saturday July 30th to report on the fire that took place the previous day.

On July 29th, 2011, settlers from an illegal settlement occupying Palestinian land set fire to a valley of olive trees in the village of Burin. They torched approximately twenty dunums (about six or seven hectares) of land owned by five Palestinian families. Witnesses stated that approximately thirty-five settlers came down from the hill attempting to attack the Palestinians who tried to put out the fire. A few of those settlers shot live ammunition at the villagers, but no Palestinians were harmed. Local witnesses also mentioned that twelve Israeli military Jeeps occupied the village throughout the day, stifling movement within Burin. At one point, several young Palestinian men attempted to block the streets in order to prevent the Jeeps from reaching the center of the village. However their efforts to resist were in vain. The Israeli occupying forces set up a flying checkpoint to prevent Burin residents from accessing their burning land.

Fifteen soldiers that occupied the hill above the valley fired tear gas at Palestinians who attempted to both put out the fire and resist settler attacks. Furthermore, Burin witnesses mentioned that settlers made another attempt take over a Palestinian home that sits at the edge of the village. The people of Burin, however, were able to prevent them from going into the house.

Currently the Israeli occupying forces prevent Palestinians from accessing their olive trees at the top of the hill bordering a recent settlement expansion. Palestinians need special permission from the Israeli military to tend to their own land.

Iraq Burin

Every Saturday Palestinians in the village of Iraq Burin protest against an illegal settlement occupying their land across a great hill. After I left, the village ceased demonstrating for the month of Ramadan.

Before the protest began several of us internationals stayed over night with some of the local families, which was a great opportunity to get to know the locals. We decided to go the night before because of the possibility of the IOF setting up a flying checkpoint early in the morning. We spent the day on Saturday with our hosts, and in the early evening attended the demo on the outskirts of the village.

On July 23rd, 2011, we waited around the edge of the village before the demonstration began. The primary local participants wanted to wait until 5 or 6pm to begin the demonstration because the IOF soldiers usually stayed until nightfall. Earlier the same week, Iraq Burin’s Popular Committee had agreed to protest against a law passed by the Israeli Knesset outlawing the boycott of Israeli goods. So one the ISM Palestinian coordinators brought empty boxes of Israeli brands to burn as part of the protest.

When the demo started, about fifteen internationals and Palestinians marched through the valley. Approximately four soldiers stood at the top of the opposite hill diagonal to the protestors. They first fired a couple of tear gas canisters past where the demonstrators stood in the middle of the valley. After that they repeatedly fired tear gas canisters directly at the demonstrators. The demonstrators also set the empty boxes on fire announcing on a megaphone, “This is a message to your government,” and “We are demonstrating peacefully." A couple of Palestinians made it pretty far on the hill across the valley in the trees. From where I was standing I saw two, three, then four Jeeps appear further on the hill to my right away from the demonstrators. About six soldiers were standing below the Jeeps. I could see the reflectors from their facemasks.

There were also soldiers amongst the olive trees behind where I stood on the other side of the valley. Several Palestinians, around ages 11 or 12, ran over towards them but I couldn't see the soldiers. At a certain point I noticed more youth, old men, and women watching the demonstration from the edge of the village. About seventeen protestors remained down in the same part of the valley. The demonstration lasted for a couple of hours. When the demonstrators came back up the hill they reported that a tear gas canister ricocheted and hit one international in the leg; he was fortunately not injured. No one else was hurt. There were no arrests.

Mara Chinelli is an activist and anthropology student at the University of Rochester. She is currently co-facilitator for UR-Students for a Democratic Society.