A week of occupation in photos: April 11 – 17

Militarized Passover

Pictured here: Thousands of Jewish settlers and tourists came to Al Khalil/Hebron last week to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Passover and with them a heavily increased military presence. A Palestinian girl walks to the Al Fayhaa Girls School, located on the right just inside that orange door, while hundreds of Israeli soldiers and police patrol the area in jeeps and tanks.

(April 12, 2017)

“Preventative Measures”

Pictured here: Israeli forces occupied many rooftops this week, often times forcing their way into Palestinian homes to access the vantage point. What one soldier referred to as “preventative measures” is essentially a military lockdown of Hebron/Al-Khalil, where all Palestinians are guilty and subject to arbitrary detainment until proven innocent.

(April 12, 2017)

Urban Military Training

Pictured here: While Palestinian children made their way to school on Wednesday, Israeli soldiers conducted a military training outside Qitoun checkpoint, where they released a sound bomb, rescued a screaming soldier with red paint on her leg, while lining the perimeter of the schools with hundreds of soldiers with their guns raised to shoot.

(April 12, 2017)

Street Closures

Pictured here: Bab iZaweyeh, an area in H1 under Palestinian Authority control, was closed to Palestinians for 5 hours on Wednesday, forcing shop owners to close and traffic to come to a halt – including donkeys – so that settlers could visit the area. An ambulance was also delayed and children coming home from school had their bags searched.

(April 12, 2017)

Invasion of Privacy

Pictured here: Young Palestinian men were especially targeted this week when hundreds of Israeli soldiers patrolled the Old City almost constantly under the pretence of protecting the influx of Jewish settlers. In the middle of the market, men were taken aside and told to stand up against the wall with their hands up, forced to spread their legs and endure an extensive body search. There were reports of Palestinian locals being stopped and searched ten times in one day.

(April 13, 2017)

Looks Can Deceive

Pictured here: What looks like a nice afternoon picnic is, in fact, a heavily militarized zone exclusively for Jewish settlers and tourists to Hebron/Al-Khalil to celebrate Passover. They enjoyed several festivities including a barbeque and a concert at the expense of restricted movement for Palestinians through checkpoint closures and increased arbitrary detainment by the Israeli forces.

(April 12, 2017)

New Friends

Pictured here: Boys in the marketplace ask for a photo while a man is detained in the background. These kids work in the marketplace carrying groceries for shoppers in their shopping carts. Inshallah one day their every move will not be scrutinized and Palestine will be free.

(April 13, 2017)