- 18 jan 2011
House demolition orders spark clashes in Silwan
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)-- The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) on Wednesday served demolition notices to a number of Palestinian homes in Silwan in occupied Jerusalem sparking clashes with locals.
Israeli policemen escorted IOA-controlled municipality employees who imposed fines on a number of citizens for building with permit then served demolition notices.
The committee for the defense of Silwan land said that the inspection teams stormed three suburbs in Silwan, south of the Aqsa Mosque, as police installed roadblocks and searched inhabitants.
It said that the act provoked inhabitants prompting them to attack the police and occupation forces with stones and confrontations ensued … in one incident fistfights broke out in Bir Ayub suburb between civilians and the police forces.
http://fwd4.me/0kTp
Clashes Between Residents and Police Erupt in Silwan
JERUSALEM, (WAFA) – Clashes broke out in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan Wednesday after Israeli police provoked Palestinian residents, reported Wadi Hilweh Information Center.
It said Israeli troops put up random roadblocks and issued tickets to Palestinian drivers across the neighborhood without any reason, said residents.
Palestinian youth responded to what Silwan residents described as an act of provocation by the police by attacking their patrols in the area, said the center.
At the same time, employees of the Israeli municipality of Jerusalem accompanied by police handed 10 demolition notices to Palestinian residents in Silwan on allegation the houses were not licensed.
http://english.wafa.ps/index.php?action=detail&id=18725 1 feb 2012, 17:28 , Respect -
Maria 19 jan 2012
Police conduct patrols using civilian cars, pursuing Palestinians and issuing traffic tickets
Rented civilian car used by the Israeli police
Israeli Authorities began using a new technique to pursue Palestinians in order to issue expensive traffic tickets. Police have begun to rent civilian cars to pursue Palestinian drivers in Silwan. One Silwan resident stated that, “they forgot to write ‘only for harassing Palestinians,’ on their civilian car.”
A police man stops Abbas Hajaj in front of his house
Today, Thursday, 19 January 2012, a police patrol in a civilian car pursued a Palestinian driver and issued an expensive traffic ticket to him. By coincidence the photographer of Silwanic was in the area and began photographing the incident.
dangerous holes
The Israeli police officers tried to prevent him from taking photographs and asked to see his ID under the pretext that photographing police officers is illegal according to Israeli law.The streets of Silwan suffer from the lack of proper infrastructure.
Cars have to navigate the many cracks in the road caused by excavation and the construction of underground tunnels. In addition, the streets are neglected by the Jerusalem Municipality and many of the streets are partially blocked with concrete barriers used to support the excavation.
dangerous holes
Although scheduled for removal, these barriers remain in place as the company contracted to install and remove them is bankrupt. The Jerusalem Municipality has not taken any action to close the dangerous holes that excavation and construction activities opened in the streets, or install traffic signs to warn drivers and pedestrians of the lack of pavement on the sides of streets.
The only signs that currently exist in Silwan provide information about excavation and tourist activities run by the settlement association ELAD, which is forcing Palestinian residents of Silwan out of their homes and off their land.
old, damaged streets
The Palestinians in Silwan are using very old, damaged streets. Since the settlers have come to Silwan, investment in the neighbourhood has increased in order to develop tourism in the interest of settlers (City of David settlement).
These investments don’t bring any benefits to the Palestinian residents of Silwan; on the contrary, the City of David activities destroyed a wide area of land belonging to Palestinians.
tunnel construction
Since the excavations and tunnel construction began, some streets in Silwan have partially collapsed and the foundations of houses and mosques have been badly damaged- at times rendering the structures unusable.
Most empty land in the area has been placed under to the control of ELAD and restrictions on Palestinians are increasing daily.
dangerous holes
One long-time Silwan resident says, “They (police) issued a ticket to my son because he was driving in a zigzag way, so how can he drive straight if the streets are full of dangerous holes everywhere?”
Another youth stated that, “All the cities in the world are developing according to the residents’ needs but Jerusalem develops according to the settlers’ agenda and the discrimination and segregation policies.
http://silwanic.net/?p=24219
Three youth released into house arrest
A Magistrate Court judge decided to release three youth,
Abd Ateyah Qwaider,
Abd Al Lateef Qaqoor, and
Fuad Rwaidi
who were arrested from inside a grocery shop 6 days ago accused of intending to throw Molotov cocktails at a military jeep. The Israeli General Prosecutor failed to prove the charges as the police claim of finding the Molotov cocktail near the grocery store was insufficient evidence for a conviction.
Despite the lack of evidence, the judge did not dismiss the charges but rather placed the youth under house arrest.
http://silwanic.net/?p=24096
European union slams Israel's violations against J'lem and its natives
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)-- The European union on Wednesday strongly denounced Israel's Judaization practices against the occupied city of Jerusalem and its Muslim and Christian natives.
The condemnation came in a report issued by heads of the European diplomatic missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah cities.
The report said Israel's practices are aimed to seize Jerusalem and perpetuate the Jewish identity in it, and such thing would torpedo the two-state solution.
The report added that the Israeli policy, since 2001, has been working on expelling the natives out of the holy city and Judaizing its identity and status at the expense of Muslims and Christians, and this policy threatens the religious diversity of Jerusalem and encourages extremism.
The report, which the political and security committee of the European union intends to discuss soon, included many Israeli violations against the natives of Jerusalem.
Among those violations, the Israeli ministry of interior's refusal to officially register about 10,000 Jerusalemite children at the pretext that one of the parents is not from Jerusalem. Such Israeli behavior deprives these children of their rights to education, and medical and social services.
The report recommended preparing a blacklist of Jewish settlers who committed violations against the Palestinians, so they can be held accountable and prevented from entering any European country.
It also called for preventing any European official from holding meetings with Israeli officials in Jerusalem, boycotting all products made in settlements and bringing in new legislation prohibiting the transfer of funds from European organizations for settlement projects and the signing of any business deals supporting settlement activities.
http://fwd4.me/0kTr 2 feb 2012, 13:27 , Respect -
Maria 20 jan 2012
Ten new demolition orders issued in Ein Aluzeh
A large contingent of Israeli forces accompanied employees of the Jerusalem Municipality while they delivered new demolition orders to house owners in Silwan. Ten demolition warnings were given in Ein Aluzeh
http://silwanic.net/?p=24122
Israeli Police charged Majd , 16, with attempting to throw stones at Israeli soldiers
Majd Sharha 16 (R)
Majd Sharha 16 years old was arrested at 20:00 on Friday, 20 January at the checkpoint ( the entrance of the Dung Gate) outside the walls of the Jerusalem Old City , to the north of Silwan.
Eyewitnesses stated that the soldiers started beating Majd and his friend, and took him into an isolated area intending to beat him. A female soldier reportedly said to a male soldier, “Prove your manliness to me by arresting that Arab.” Nearby Palestinians prevented the boy from being isolated by approaching the soldiers and demanding the release of Majd.
An attempt was made to try to physically release Majd which resulted in some pushing between the soldiers and the Palestinians who were there.
One of the soldiers said that a photograph had been confiscated in which someone was making a victory sign, which is forbidden.
One of the soldiers told Majd to go and the other pushed him. Israeli police then appeared and arrested Majd who was then taken to the police station in the Wailing Wall. There he was asked to sign a statement that he hadn’t been assaulted by the Israeli soldiers, but he refused. He was then taken to Hebron gate where false charges were filed against him.
One of the Israeli soldiers said. “This is Israeli law and those who don’t like it must go to Syria ”.
Ahmad Siyam was also taken by the police but was left on the streets.
http://silwanic.net/?p=24226
Silwan youth arrested at dawn
Israeli forces stormed the neighborhood of Ein Allouzeh in Silwan at dawn and siezed Yousef Ahmad Al Abbasi, 17, at his home. He was arrested and he is still in detention.
http://silwanic.net/?p=24128
Mobile checkpoints and traffic tickets cause confrontations
On Wednesday, Israeli forces constructed multiple mobile checkpoints throughout Silwan, particularly targeting the Wadi Qadoom junction and the northern entrance of Wadi Hilweh.
Israeli Forces issued traffic tickets, described by the Palestinian residents as arbitrary and discriminative as they were only issued to Palestinians. Confrontations broke out when one of the Israeli police officers issued an unfair ticket to a resident of Beer Ayoob.
As a result, some youth attacked the police jeep breaking the windshield. According to residents, there were no injuries.
http://silwanic.net/?p=24120
6 feb 2012, 14:08 , Respect -
Maria 21 jan 2012
Director of Jerusalem community center arrested
JERUSALEM (Ma’an) -- Israeli forces detained the director and several employees of Wadi Hilweh information center in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan on Friday.
Jawad Siam, director of the center, and two employees, Ahmad Siam and Mahmoud Qaraeen, were arrested by Israeli forces while working in Jerusalem.
The reason for their arrest is unknown
Jawad Siam is a local community leader in the flash-point neighborhood of Silwan and has been regularly detained and questioned by Israeli forces in the past.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=453994 6 feb 2012, 14:08 , Respect -
Maria 22 jan 2012
Extending the detention of many kids from Silwan and presenting a charge list
Ibrahim Qaraeen17
Sunday 22 January, the Israeli persecution presented a charge list to the Israel magistrate court against
Ibrahim Qaraeen17,
Anas Qaraeen 16,
Amar Qaraeen 18,
Muhammad Qaraeen and
yousif al Abbasi.
The charge list included throwing Molotov cocktail against the settler’s houses during the last year 2011, and forming a cell. Their detention was extended until the time of the court two sessions which were set to be held on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. The kids were arrested one and a half month ago
http://silwanic.net/?p=24308 6 feb 2012, 14:08 , Respect -
Maria 23 jan 2012
Israeli judge to visit military checkpoint in Silwan
Israeli forces stationed on a roof of a Palestinian house in Baten elHawa
A group of Israeli judges organized a visit to an Israeli Military Checkpoint at 10:00 am Sunday to assess whether its presence is necessary.
The judges will be accompanied by the lawyer Muhammad Mahmoud who has taken on the case on behalf of local residents who would like the checkpoint removed due to the obstacles it presents.
The checkpoint has been positioned on the roof of a Palestinian home for more than a year. The checkpoint is manned for 24 hours and has proven to escalate confrontations and has caused the arrest of a large number of young people.
http://silwanic.net/?p=24271
Despite renovations to neighborhood infrastructure, the problem of electricity worsens
Construction on Martyr Samer Sirhan Street was incomplete and there will be new excavations on the street in the coming weeks
Despite all of the claims that the Jerusalem Municipality has made improvements to the infrastructure in Wadi Hilweh to improve the standard of living in the neighborhood, the facts on the ground indicate the contrary.
The streets are in very poor condition and excavation work has increased, as have traffic jams. The telephone lines need to be replaced and the internet service is deteriorating. Most frustrating to Palestinian residents of the neighborhood is the electricity crises, the worst in the last 15 years.
The junction of Wadi Hilweh and al Ein Street after renovations were completed
Two days ago the electricity went out for more than 18 hours continuously. Considering the cold winter temperatures, the frequent electricity cuts are especially difficult for children and elderly residents. At times, when electricity is cut unexpectedly, electrical equipment is damaged or destroyed.
One resident of Silwan said, “We knew from the beginning that all this work didn’t aim to improve the living situation here, but the real aim was to empower the settlers’ tourism project, and to allow for new excavations as in the Wadi Hilweh street which will also happen in the Martyr Samir Sirhan Street in the coming weeks.
We don’t believe the Israeli Authorities because they have declared that they were constructing a school for girls, then suddenly the building turned out to be the base for the Israeli Interior Ministry, and this is happening daily so we won’t believe them at all.
http://silwanic.net/?p=24269
Israeli forces arrest a youth in Wadi Hilweh
Israeli Forces arrested Midhaat Shwaki while he was outside his house on Wadi Hilweh Street in Silwan. Midhaat was detained for hours in a military jeep while his brother tried unsuccessfully to obtain an explanation for the arrest from the arresting officers.
http://silwanic.net/?p=24267
A youth arrested in Al Abbasyah at dawn
At dawn on Monday, Israeli forces arrested Yahya Sirhan, 19, in the neighborhood of Al Abbasyah. His detention was extended until Tuesday morning when there will be a hearing. One of the detainee’s relatives said that all of the charges involved throwing Molotov cocktails at the Israeli troops.
http://silwanic.net/?p=24273 6 feb 2012, 14:08 , Respect -
Maria 24 jan 2012
List of accusation against the director of the Wadi Hilweh Information Center expanded
The Israeli General Prosecutor succeeded in expanding the list of accusations against Jawad Siyam the director of the Wadi Hilweh Information Center- Silwan .
In an extraordinary event, the Israeli police requested that charges be filed against Siyam through the Israeli General Prosecutor adding a number of new accusations to the list filed against him in 2011.
Magistrate Court Judge Shloomi accepted the police request. The accusations were filed with 9 police officers and a settler acting as witnesses. MQ, an Arab resident of Jerusalem, claimed that Siyam chased and severly assaulted him in Wadi Al Joz during the time that Siyam was under house arrest.
MQ was taken to hospital at that time. MQ also claimed that Siyam physically assaulted him in another incident accompanied by 20 youth under the pretext of Siyam’s intention to help mobilize the ownership of Palestinians properties to the settlers (Elad)
MQ also claimed that Jawad Siyam had a significant relationship with the Palestinian Authorities. Later MQ again claimed that Siyam chased him, blocked the road with his car and threatened to kidnap MQ’s son if he didn’t obey Siyam’s demands .
Settlers tried to help M.Q with the conviction of Siyam by following Siyam and installing surveillance cameras that monitor his house on a 24 hour basis. Israeli Forces arrived at his house to arrest him while he was attending a session in the court facing another charge.
The judge released him and he was re-arrested within less than 24 hours.Siyam’s house has been stormed many times with no clear purpose other than looking for anything that might convict him. Siyam has been arrested many times and was under house arrest for part of 2011.
Upon his release from house arrest and he was again arrested on unsubstantiated claims such as throwing stones from al Aqsa Mosque, and destroying cars’ windows. He was also banned from entering the old city of Jerusalem.
Siyam’s wife and brother and many of his colleagues have also been exposed to prosecution. Siyam’s lawyer, Leya Tsimel, considered the list of accusations ridiculous and a clear case of political prosecution due to his anti- demolition and settlement activism in Silwan.
Silwanic website has documentation proving the fabrication of the case against Siyam . Israeli forces have also pressured Siyam to close the Information Center and issued demolition orders against the Information Center 48 hours after its opening.
Legal activists promised that if Siyam is convicted they will publish files exposing unacceptable practices in the attempted prosecution of Siyam.
Siyam said to Silwanic , “I don’t fear them, they are messing up and they are also trying to convict me while they don’t have any real evidence, and they are collecting whom can keep on making legal complains about me”
http://silwanic.net/?p=24280 6 feb 2012, 14:09 , Respect -
Maria 25 jan 2012
Group of Judges in Silwan to reconsider the Military point
Some of the Israeli judges made a Field visit to one of the Military points that is settling in the neighborhood of Batn Al Hawah in Silwan to check the military point that is situated over one of the residents own roof which is densely inhabited by Palestinians .
The roof has been taken over by the Israeli forces since more than a year under the pretext of the security of the settlers.
The residents of the neighborhood consider this act as the beginning to take over more Palestinians’ properties justifying this by unlawful security reasons that don’t have any credibility.
One Female Palestinian says” If the security is the only reason for their presence and we as Palestinians the ones who create the danger as they claim , why do they come to live between us, these are just lies.
In the past they said that the discriminative segregation wall has a security importance, but reality proves that the motivations for it was to confiscate lands by the settlers and take over the Palestinian properties under the pretext of illusions.
She adds” the occupation try to legitimize taking over the roofs according to the mandate emergency law, so Israel Authority uses now four laws , the Othmani, the British, the Jordanian in addition to their own law.
These laws are practiced and used according to its interests and in particularly when it comes to the Palestinians properties and pulling out the citizenship from the Palestinians.
Muhammad Mahmoud the authorized lawyer by the citizens said to Silwanic” The judges found out contradictions between the statements of the Israeli soldiers about the military point and what they saw in reality.
For example the Israeli soldiers say that the kids who throw stones over the settlers and flee away to other roofs, while the judges found out that it is impossible for the kids to jump from one roof to another due to the 2 meters space between them and some of the building are 6 stories high.
One of the residents in the building said ” If we need to fix anything over the roof we have to take their permission for example we asked them to give us the permission to fix the leaking pipes over there two months ago but until know we didn’t get it.”
http://silwanic.net/?p=24311 6 feb 2012, 15:10 , Respect -
Maria 25 jan 2012
Jerusalem Municipality still pursuing Al Bustan residents in Silwan
The playground which the Jerusalem Municipality wants to turn into a parking lot
The pursuit of Palestinians in the Al Bustan neighborhood of Silwan by the Jerusalem Municipality is ongoing. The Jerusalem Municipality is demanding to turn the only open space for children into a parking lot.
This piece of land belongs to Mousa Owaidah whose house was demolished a few years ago. He then donated the land for the use of children living in the neighborhood.
A hearing was held on Monday, 23 January 2012, at which time the Municipality of Jerusalem asked the court to give it the permission to turn the playground into a parking lot.
Sami Ershaid, the lawyer representing the neighborhood, insisted the land be kept as a playground and presented a petition signed by Al Bustan residents protesting the proposed parking lot on the site.
The final verdict was postponed to 18 April 2012.
http://silwanic.net/?p=24315
Undercover units kidnap Toutah, Abu Arafeh, and two of their relatives from inside the Red Cross compound
Israeli undercover units stormed the compound of the Red Cross in the neighborhood of Al Sheikh Jarah and kidnapped the MP Muhammad Toutah and the former Jerusalem Minister Khalid Abu Arafeh.
They have been protesting in the compound against their exile from Jerusalem for more than a year and a half. One eye witness stated that 25 of the undercover units stormed the Red Cross compound while the MP and the former Minister were in the protest tent and arrested them.
Mutasem Toutah, the brother of MP Toutah, and Amr Basam abu Arafeh, a relative of former Minister Abu Arafeh were also arrested.
The group was then taken to the Russian compound in western Jerusalem. An eyewitness stated, “the undercover units stormed the rooms of the MP and the former Minister in the Red Cross Building and confiscated all the computers and mobile phones and some personal stuff.” The undercover units ordered the Red Cross staff not to make any statements to the press or to the families about the abduction.
The undercover units also carried out the abduction of the MP Ahmad Atoun while he was giving a TV interview inside the Red Cross compound.
http://silwanic.net/?p=24318 6 feb 2012, 15:10 , Respect -
Maria 29 jan 2012
Israeli forces encircle Bustan suburb, close charity
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)-- Israeli occupation soldiers besieged the Bustan suburb in Silwan town to the south of the Aqsa mosque in occupied Jerusalem on Sunday.
Local sources said that the Israeli forces also closed down Silwan charity society, the Islamic club, and a kindergarten affiliated with the Silwan charity after claiming they were financed by Hamas.
The sources noted that the soldiers arrested Khalil Al-Abasy, board member of the Silwan charity, after storming the society and gluing its closure order on its outside gate.
Meanwhile, Fakhri Abu Diyab, the head of the Silwan defense committee, said that no reason was declared for the siege, recalling that the Israeli occupation authority was planning to level all buildings in the suburb in favor of Talmudic gardens and other Judaization projects.
http://fwd4.me/0l2L 6 feb 2012, 15:11 , Respect -
Maria 31 jan 2012
The first step in preventing all parking on Wadi Hilweh
The Israeli police campaign to issue traffic tickets to Palestinians on Wadi Hilweh Street in Silwan continues.
Tickets are being issued to cars parked on the sides of the street despite the absence of signs prohibiting parking on the street.
According to one of the Wadi Hilweh Committee members, “while issuing tickets to Palestinians, the Israeli police neglect giving traffic tickets to the settlers’ cars which park at the northern entrance of Silwan, even though they cause traffic jams and block traffic movement.”
Another citizen said, “I can’t make any differentiation between the Segregation Discriminative regimes and the one we have here in Jerusalem.”
http://silwanic.net/?p=24396 6 feb 2012, 15:11 , Respect -
Maria 1 febr 2012
Silwan Residents Get More Demolition Orders
JERUSALEM, (WAFA) – Israeli authorities Wednesday handed several Palestinians in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan notices to demolish their houses under the pretext of building without permit, according to a local activist.
Fakhri Abu Diab, head of the Committee for the Defense of Silwan, said that Israeli police accompanied by staff from the Israeli municipality of West Jerusalem handed several Palestinian homeowners in Bir Ayyoub and al-Bustan areas of Silwan demolition orders to their houses.
He said the Israelis used insults and provoked the residents when handing them the demolition orders..
http://english.wafa.ps/index.php?action=detail&id=18869 6 feb 2012, 15:48 , Respect -
Maria 2 febr 2012
Public Security Minister and the Jerusalem police chief tour Silwan under extreme security precautions
The Israeli Authority closed all of the entrances to Silwan and set up checkpoints while the Public Security Minister, Yitzhak Ahronovitch, and the chief of police in Jerusalem, Niso Shahaq, toured Silwan.
They were received by David Bairy, the chairman of the settlement association ELAD, who apparently proposed the establishment of new police stations, most likely one in the settlement compound “Givatee Parking.”
Silwan residents view the tour as a preliminary step before more formal discussions begin on 13 February.
The police and ELAD enjoy a strong, well established relationship. Recently, the police allowed ELAD to turn an old police building into a residential settlement. In exchange, ELAD agreed to build a new police compound near the Ma’ale Adumim settlement that is also built on land confiscated from residents of East Jerusalem .
At the end of the 90- minute tour, the convoy continued to the Mount of Olives, the rumored site of another proposed police compound.
http://silwanic.net/?p=24442
Jerusalem Municipality Forces Arab Resident to Demolish Own Shop
JERUSALEM, (WAFA) – The Israeli municipality of West Jerusalem forced a Palestinian shop owner in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan to demolish his own shop or face major financial and punitive consequences, Wadi Hilweh Information Center said Thursday.
It said Akram Abbasi demolished his shop on Wednesday after he received a threat from the municipality that if he does not demolish it himself and remove the rubble, the municipality will do it for him and force him to pay costs.
The municipality said Abbasi did not have a permit to build the shop.
Palestinians say they build without permits because the municipality does not give permits to Arab residents.
http://english.wafa.ps/index.php?action=detail&id=18879
Crowded reception for recently freed Sa’eed Sarhan
Sa’eed Sarhan was freed from Al Ramlah prison at noon on 31 January after the Central Court ruled that the police evidence presented against him was insufficient. Silwan residents expressed joy at his released and a large crowd gathered to welcome him home.
Sa’eed Sarhan spent 9 months in prison. The prosecution tried to convince the court to expel Sa’eed from Silwan, but the judge ruled to release him.
Sa’eed said to Silwanic site, “Today I’m out of the Israeli prisons not because of the justice of the Israeli courts because true justice would have given me no single hour in prison.
This exposes the Israeli practices in the town of Silwan, and the judge who determined my innocence is also an Israeli who acted nine months too late. There are many people who were put in the prison oppressively.”
Muhammad Mahmoud, Sa’eed’s lawyer said, “The Israeli prosecution made extraordinary efforts to falsify the charges against him which made me think that he would spend many years in prison, but thank God that he is now with his family.
http://silwanic.net/?p=24444 12 feb 2012, 11:34 , Respect -
Maria 6 febr 2012
650 students shut out of class for the second day in a row due to cuts in electricity
The administration of the mixed elementary school in Beer Ayoub, Silwan was forced to delay the start of instruction for the second day in a row due to a cut in electricity. The school’s electricity network has been damaged by rainwater that leaked into the building..This recent electricity cut deprives 650 boys and girls from attending their regular classes.
Parents of children attending the school asked the Jerusalem Municipality to repair the leaks two months ago, but the scheduled repairs have been constantly delayed, one parent told Silwanic. Mousa Audeh, a member of the parents committee, said to Silwanic, ‘”How could the Jerusalem Municipality claim that it invests more money in developing education in East Jerusalem and doesn’t fix the electricity problem at one of these schools.”
Silwan suffers from an extreme shortage of classrooms which forces 70% of neighborhood children, both boys and girls, to attend school outside of the neighbhorhood. Partially due to this, 61% of children in Silwan drop out before completing secondary school.
http://silwanic.net/?p=24519
Maada Creative Center receives the German minister of economic and development cooperation
In cooperation with the German development corporation, GIZ, and the German Representative office in Ramallah, Maada Creative Center hosted Derick Neebel, the German minister of economic and development cooperation during his visit to Silwan. The Minister was accompanied by a delegation of 35, made up of reporters, GIZ staff, and the German Representative. Jawad Siyam, the director of Maada Creative Center led the visitors in a tour of Silwan including a detailed explanation of settlements, excavations, and tunnels in Silwan. He also provided an overview of the center’s activities in serving and defending the rights of the community of Silwan, particularly children and women. Siyam also addressed the occasional politically motivated attacks against the center by Israeli Authorities, and the increasingly common and unjustified arrest of children, in addition to the collective punishment policy implemented Israeli Authorities including housing demolition, and eviction.
Hajeet Ofran, an activist against settlement activities, also addressed the Jerusalem Municipality’s negligence in providing services to the residents of Silwan and the attempt to Judaize the neighborhood. The staff of Maada provided examples of the attempts of the Israeli Authority to undermine the Palestinian identity of the neighborhood.
The Minister criticized the settlement policy in Jerusalem indicating his support for a two state solution to which settlement activities are a major obstacle. He also remarked on his role in negotiating for a two state solution and freezing settlement activities, especially in Area “C” of the West Bank and in Jerusalem. Shari Kassahun, a development advisor for GIZ who has been seconded to Maada presented a detailed explanation to the Minister on the psychological support provided by the center to the children of SIlwan and their families who are especially exposed to housing demolition, eviction, arrest and violence. Finally, Sahar Abbasi gave a presentation on women’s projects in the center, and their need for a yard to further develop their activities. At the end of the visit, the center invited the Minister for lunch and Siyam presented the Minister with a handmade mosaic flag of Palestine and Germany.
http://silwanic.net/?p=24521 12 feb 2012, 11:45 , Respect -
Maria 7 febr 2012
Jewish extremists spray racist slogans on mixed school
JERUSALEM (Ma’an) -- Jewish extremists sprayed racist anti-Arab slogans on the walls of a mixed school in Beit Safafa, East Jerusalem on Tuesday.
"Death to Arabs", and "Kahane was right" were sprayed in Hebrew on walls in the school's playground, Israeli radio station Reshet said.
Both Jewish and Palestinian students attend the school, which is located between Beit Safafa and the Jewish neighborhood of Katamon.
Meir Kahane founded the far-right Kach party, which has been banned under Israeli anti-terrorism laws.
Baruch Goldstein, an Israeli-American who murdered 29 Palestinians in a 1994 Hebron massacre, was a devotee of Kahane.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=458485
- 3 jan 2012
Two children arrested and released on large bail
Two young residents of Wadi Rababa neighborhood of Silwan were arrested by Israeli forces at 2pm on 29 December, under accusation of stone-throwing.
1- Yazan Muhammad al-Rwadi (11) and
2- Ahmad Muhammad Awad Allah
were taken by Israeli forces for interrogation, where they were held for two hours as investigators attempted to force a confession of stone-throwing. When the children refused, police were ultimately obliged to release them – on a bail of 2,000 NIS.
Wadi Rababa has its share of problems in Silwan. An Israeli settlement lies close to a local primary school, and settlers have made repeated attempts to annex Palestinian land adjoined to the school.
Elad settler group chairman David Beiry recently attempted to abduct a Palestinian child from outside the Wadi Rababa settlement and turn him over to police, falsely claiming that the child had been throwing stones.
Settlers have also submitted a request to the Municipality to establish a restaurant in the annexed property.
http://silwanic.net/?p=23467 16 jan 2012, 01:48 , Respect -
Maria 5 jan 2012
Israeli forces demolish four homes in Jericho
Four Palestinian homes were demolished by Israeli forces in Jericho on January 5.
The homes, which lay in Area C of the West Bank and the Israeli government claimed the right to confiscate under the Absentee Property Law, belonged to four families in the Silwani neighborhood of the city.
A huge number of Israeli forces surrounded the neighborhood at 10am, then cordoned off an area and barred entry to residents. Home owners and journalists were also prevented from entering, with officers citing security reasons.
The four demolitions were carried out with no prior warning given to the residents. One owner, Saleem Siyam, and his family, had 5 minutes to remove their furniture and belongings from their home, while the other three families were given no opportunity.
http://silwanic.net/?p=23629 16 jan 2012, 01:53 , Respect -
Maria 7 jan 2012
Youth arrested in Silwan
Israeli forces arrested a young resident of Silwan on 7 January.
Raoof Abu Nab, 19, was riding his motorbike in the neighborhood when, eyewitnesses state, he was surrounded by Israeli forces and hauled into a military jeep, then taken to the vicinity of City of David settlement in Wadi Hilweh.
His current whereabouts are unknown.
http://silwanic.net/?p=23735 16 jan 2012, 01:58 , Respect -
Maria 10 jan 2012
Israeli to Build Talmudic Garden in East Jerusalem
JERUSALEM, (WAFA) – Israeli bulldozers razed Tuesday a large area of Palestinian-owned land in Issawiya, an East Jerusalem neighborhood, in order to build a so-called Talmudic garden, according to an activist.
Raed Abu Rayali, from the Issawiya follow-up committee, told WAFA that three Israeli bulldozers protected by police worked on leveling the land while owners were prevented from reaching it.
He said the bulldozers set up a two to three meters high soil barricade, separating area homes from the plot where the bulldozers were working between Issawiya and the adjacent neighborhood of Mount of Olives.
http://english.wafa.ps/index.php?action=detail&id=18634 16 jan 2012, 10:25 , Respect -
Maria 15 jan 2012
Two Israeli laborers attempt to assault two children
On Sunday, 15 January 2012 while a work crew was laying concrete slabs to reinforce excavation around Wadi Hilweh Street in Silwan, two workers attempted to assault two children after one of the children spoke out.
The child reportedly said to his friend, “the road isn’t safe and the workers don’t care if any of these concrete walls fall on you so be careful.” Upon hearing this, the workers cursed the children and one of them tried to physically assault one of the children.
Silwan residents in the area prevented the assault. The excavation in Silwan reinforces settlement activities in the neighborhood and construction to support the excavation frequently shuts down Wadi Hilweh Street, a main access road in Silwan.
On Monday, the street was closed suddenly in order to lay the concrete slabs which will be used to connect two tunnels between the land of the Al Qaraeen and Sumrain families, which has been taken from the palestinian families inorder to establish the City Of David Visitors Center settlement .
http://silwanic.net/?p=24091
Detention extended for three youth abducted three days ago
Atyeh Qwaider, the father of Abd Qwaider
Early in the morning of 15 January, the Israeli Magistrate Court extended the detention of three youth for an additional day. The youth were abducted three days ago from Silwan.
The youth, Abd Ateyah Qwaider, 22,
Abd Qaqoor, 19,
Fua’d al Qadi (Rwaidee), 20,
were accused of preparing a Molotov cocktail to be thrown at settlers and Israeli forces. An undercover unit claimed that they found the Molotov cocktail bottles on the pavement of the main road in the neighborhood of Beer Ayoub when they stormed an adjacent grocery shop and abducted all the people inside, including the three youth.
Atyeh Qwaider, the father of Abd Qwaider, said, “their detention was extended under the pretexts of unlawful claims; how can we explain their finding Molotov cocktails in the road, looking in the closest shop, finding some youth and arresting them?”
Also, the younger brother of Abd Atyeh, 18, is now facing house arrest.
The Silwanic site will publish a detailed report about the impact of house arrest on youth and children in Silwan.
http://silwanic.net/?p=23986
The streets and alleys of Silwan expose the discriminatory policy of the Jerusalem Municipality
Residents of Silwan are committed tax payers. Those who don’t pay tax are punished according to Israeli law.
However, Silwan is considered the most neglected village in East Jerusalem , suffering from bad odor and insects in the summer and from the continuous collapse of streets and walls due to the construction of tunnels and excavations claiming to search for ruins in the winter.
Because of this, the streets and alleys turn into pools when it rains. Residents of Silwan know that when it rains, they will need to change their clothes when returning home because they will be soaked by the pools that have formed. Nearby Israeli neighborhoods such as Abu Tour, or other neighborhoods in Western Jerusalem , don’t suffer from the same problems.
On the contrary, in these neighborhoods rain water drains easily, not forming pools as it does in Silwan or other Arab neighborhoods. This is because in Western Jerusalem the Municipality maintains the sewage infrastructure very well, while Silwan and other Arab neighborhoods, which are lower than Israeli neighborhoods, are neglected.
http://silwanic.net/?p=23898
The detention of three abducted children extended yesterday
On January 13, the Israeli Magistrate court extended the detention of three youth from Silwan to allow for further investigation. The three youth were sitting in agrocery shop in Beer Ayoob on a street adjacent to Silwan when Israeli forces and undercover units entered the neighbourhood causing confrontations with local residents. At that time, the three youth were abducted from inside the grocery shop.
http://silwanic.net/?p=23896
Four arrested as Silwan stormed by security forces
A large contingent of Israeli forces stormed Silwan and arrested four youth. The arrested youth were
1- Abd Serhan Al Qaimary, 18,
2- Fuad Al Qadi, 20 ,
3- Abd Qaqoor, 19, and
4- Abd Ateyah, 20.
The arrest operation took place by undercover units which were hiding in the street of Al Bustan. Consequently, Silwan is now experiencing increased tension due to the presence of dozens of Israeli troops.
http://silwanic.net/?p=23893
New demolition notices delivered in Silwan
Israeli Forces delivered demolition notices to many houses in Silwan on Wednesday, 11 January 2012. The exact number of notices remains unknown, but according to eyewitnesses there were 6 at least.
The family of the late Khadeejah Siyam received a demolition order for her simple house which was built seven years ago by her son. Israeli bulldozers demolished the house of Hamoudeh Siyam, the son of the late Ms. Siyam, a year and a half ago.
http://silwanic.net/?p=23891
Muhammad Abd Oudeh faces a 9 month sentence
This morning the district court issued a prison sentence of nine months to Muhammad Abd Oudeh, 34, from the neighborhood of al Bustan in Silwan. He spend 55 days in Israeli jails then under house arrest and exiled from Silwan. Muhammad was accused of incitement, organizing children to throw stones, helping masked demonstrators, and obstructing police work.
The court session was quick as the prosecution forfeited some of the charges in order to ensure that Muhammed would serve a prison sentence. Muhammad has been was arrested many times. He owns a workshop and a store selling building materials in the neighborhood of Beer Ayoub in Silwan, a neighborhood that sees frequent Israeli – Palestinian confrontations and clashes. In 2009, Muhammad was arrested and accused of being related to a foreign terrorist party.
However, as there was no evidence to substantiate this accusation, a judge ordered his release. This accusation was again brought up by the prosecution during his recent trial, indicating that Muhammad Oudeh has been under pursuit for a long time.
Muhammad’s family stated that he was paying the price for his lack of cooperation with Israeli forces when he repeatedly refused to name the children who were throwing stones at that time. He was arrested by the Israeli forces when he returned back from a shopping center, bringing meals for his employees.
Muhammad Oudeh lives in Al Bustan neighborhood and his family is considered one of the most targeted families in Silwan.
http://silwanic.net/?p=23889
Israel Accelerates Work to Judaize the Old City of Jerusalem
JERUSALEM, (WAFA) – Israeli bulldozers Sunday increased its work speed to establish Talmudic gardens between Damascus Gate and Herod’s Gate (Bab el-Amoud and Bab al-Sahira in Arabic, respectively), two of the most famous gates of the Old City of Jerusalem, aiming to judaize the city and change its historical and cultural character, according to WAFA correspondent.
He said that several Israeli bulldozers increased their work pace more than usual, after finishing the first part of work in the area near the Damascus Gate and in Sultan Suleiman street, adjacent to the Old City's walls, which character was completely changed through the establishment of car parking lots, a Talmudic garden near Sulaiman cave (Mgharet Sulaiman) in Sultan Sulaiman Street.
Similar works are under way in Tantur Faron, an area south of Al-Aqsa mosque, which is considered an archaeological area that extends back thousands of years.
The committee for the defense of Silwan uncovered the building of fake Jewish graves in Tantur Faron area in an attempt to seize the land permanently to connect it to nearby settlement outposts.
In addition, similar works are also under way in Wadi al-Rababa, an area in Silwan south of Al-Aqsa Mosque in order to establish Talmudic gardens, near al-Bustan neighborhood in Silwan, aiming to remove the entire neighborhood after demolishing its 88 houses and displacing about 1600 Palestinian residents.
http://english.wafa.ps/index.php?action=detail&id=18683 19 jan 2012, 15:19 , Respect -
Maria 16 jan 2012
Jewish extremists assault a youth from Jerusalem on Jaffa Street, West Jerusalem
At dawn on Sunday, 15 January, Jewish extremists assaulted Majdi Muhammad Abu Gazaleh, 21, using wooden sticks, sharp tools and iron sticks. Abu Gazaleh was at work on Jaffa Street in West Jerusalem when the incident occurred. Abu Gazaleh stated that the assault took place at 4:00 am while he was doing his work in a restaurant in Jaffa Street.
He said, “Some Jewish extremists started pointing at me but I paid them no attention. All of a sudden they surrounded me and they were holding stones, knives, iron hand tools and sticks- there were 7 men wearing kippas, and one woman.
Abu Gazaleh added “they circled me and one of them said ‘kill him, kill him.’ Then they started beating me with their sticks, but incredibly, I managed to escape from their hands into the restaurant, and when the boss saw what was happening, he called the police.
Three member of the group stayed on the other side of the street.” Abu Gazaleh continued, “The police arrived and made a quick interrogation with me and I pointed to the three people who were standing close to the restaurant as the ones who assaulted me.
The police immediately took down their identity numbers and searched one of them, then asked them to go away.”Abu Gazaleh continued, “We are exposed to daily harassment, provocation and derogatory language from the extremist Jews and what allows these practices to continue is the lack of legal procedures taken against them.”It is noteworthy that a wide range of assaults are taking place on a daily basis against youth who pass through the streets of Western Jerusalem, becoming almost common practice.
Local Human Rights centers have documented many cases of assault against youth from Jerusalem.
These cases included the martyr Husam Al Rwaidi, others who were injured and kept home for many days, and others who had traumas, broken bones and other injuries.Most of the time these incidents are registered against unknown assailants and the cases are mostly closed due to insufficient evidence.
http://silwanic.net/?p=23978
Jerusalem Municipality demolishes a house under construction in Shufat
Under the pretext of illegal building, the Jerusalem Municipality bulldozed a house under construction in Shufat, Jerusalem on Monday, 16 January 2012. This house belongs to Shufat resident Muhammad Ibrahim Abu Khdair. Abu Khdair explained that he started building the family house in December 2011. Municipality staff came many times to photograph and measure construction of the building.
The Municipality Court then issued a demolition order which was signed on 9 January 2012 and demanded that Abu Khdair demolish the construction within a week or face a 150,000 NIS fine. According to Abu Khdair, he did not receive the demolition order directly but rather found the papers on the ground in front of his front door.
Abu Khdair made the decision to demolish his house himself to avoid the fine but was surprised on Monday, 16 January by the heavy machinery of the municipality intending to carry out the demolition order. Abu Khdair stated that he built the 78 square meter house to accommodate his family of four who are currently living in his father’s house.
http://silwanic.net/?p=24086 19 jan 2012, 16:49 , Respect -
Maria 16 jan 2012
Settlers construct buildings and use public land as dumps
The concrete vehicle on the land of the monastery- the settlers use a corner of this land to dump their trash
Whether Settlers have construction permits or not, they continue with new construction as they are not held legally accountable and are not threatened with housing demolition. Moreover, settlers turn the Palestinians’ public buildings into dumps for their trash as is the case in Wadi Hilweh, Silwan.
A group of settlers living in Wadi Hilweh had a permit to repair one of their roofs however; they instead expanded their construction to reach 120 square meters . Settlers also got a permit for a 165 sq. m. addition, including a kitchen and a bathroom, to an existing building in the neighborhood of Wadi Hilweh.
Settler building
At the same time, Palestinian residents of Silwan are completely prohibited from building.A Palestinian who owned a house that has been demolished stated that “the settlers manipulate the laws of occupation conspiring with the Jerusalem Municipality; hence Wadi Hilweh is considered a green area where construction is forbidden.
The Jerusalem Municipality issues construction permits to build additional kitchens and bathrooms on huge areas fit to build castles; on the other hand I am deprived of building one room on a 9 meter area.”
He added, “if I leave a rubbish sack in the street the Municipality employees will come accompanied with Israeli troops and hand me a ticket; isn’t this discrimination by itself?”
http://silwanic.net/?p=23984
Israeli forces storm Wadi Al Rababeh
Omar Sumrain is signing to the water container which was considered an illegal construction by the Israeli National Park Authority.
Early Sunday morning Israeli forces stormed the neighborhood of Wadi Al Rababeh which is located between the neighborhoods of Wadi Hilweh and Abu Tour in Silwan to provide back-up to the employees of the Israeli National Park Authority. One of the Authority’s employees issued a warning to Silwan resident Omar Sumrain, stating that he has to remove a water container.
The written warning states that the water barrel is a construction, although the container is used for irrigation. It is also noteworthy that the Israeli Authorities prevent the local Palestinians from using their lands in Wadi al Rababeh under the pretext that the land is a national park.
http://silwanic.net/?p=23980 21 jan 2012, 09:52 , Respect -
Maria 17 jan 2012
Prosecution of Jawad Siyam, Director of the Wadi Hilweh Information Center
A few days ago, the Magistrate Court unexpectedly summoned the director of the Wadi Hilweh Information Center, Jawad Siyam, to a hearing held on Tuesday, 17 January.
His private lawyer was informed that the charges against him would be compared with the charges filed against him in 2011 and considered accordingly, meaning that he would effectively be re-tried on the same charges.
Siyam was arrested multiple times during the first four months of 2011 which he spent between house arrest and prison. Siyam was cleared of all charges in 2011.
http://silwanic.net/?p=24094
Verdict delayed for Islam Oudeh and Ahmad Al Ghoul
On Thursday, 17 January the Israeli Central Court delayed the verdict on the case against Ahmad Al Ghoul, 22, and Islam Oudeh, 19, to the 13th of February 2012. Al Ghoul and Oudeh were arrested and accused of throwing Molotov cocktails targeting settlers.
http://silwanic.net/?p=24115
Confrontations break out in the neighborhood of Beer Ayoob
In the afternoon of Tuesday, 17 January, confrontations broke out as police carried out arrests in the neighborhood of Beer Ayoob, south of Silwan, after a short period of relative calm.
http://silwanic.net/?p=24089