Current situation
In October there has been an escalation of violence. As a matter of fact, the collaboration between the Israeli army and the Israeli settlers maintains and intensifies the apartheid system perpetrated by the State of Israel against the Palestinian population.
In particular, Israeli settlers used violence during the celebrations of three Jewish holidays in the first half of the month: the settlers, escorted by the Israeli army, invaded both the Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem and the Ibrahim one in Al Khalil dozens of times. Not only have these repeated incursions barred Palestinians from accessing their places of worship, but they also resulted in a significant number of arbitrary arrests and detentions. In addition to this, throughout the month there were dozens of attacks by settlers on the Palestinian civilian population in the cities of Al Khalil, Nablus, Huwara and Jerusalem: shootings into crowds, attacks on schools, roads blocked and damages to private Palestinian cars and shops.
In October, the olive harvest began throughout Palestine, a symbol of Palestinian resistance. This activity brought together Palestinian, Israeli and international activists who wanted to support Palestinian families, scared that the Israeli settlers and occupation forces could attack them while they were harvesting their own land - which unfortunately occurred.
An Israeli activist was stabbed by some settlers in Salfit on 15th October. The same settlers then stole all of a family's crop in Tulkarm City on 18th October.
Violence did not stop here. In fact, there have been reports of incidents caused by settlers armed by the Israeli soldiers who taught them about the use of tear gas and stun grenades on the Palestinian civilian population.
The Israeli occupation forces attacked many Palestinian cities throughout the month, keeping them under siege and preventing access to relief workers. In Jenin, the army also shot and killed a Palestinian doctor. Adding to the attacks, there were raids followed by arbitrary detentions and demolitions across the West Bank.
Even schools were not spared: Palestinian children were often detained by the Israeli army on their way back from school, especially in Al Khalil and in Jerusalem (Shufat Refugee Camp).
Sharing, Work and news about Volunteers
The violence that characterized the month of October did not spare the Masafer Yatta area, where the Israeli occupation forces went on demolishing houses and tents. Furthermore, the entire village of Khallet Atahaba, within Firing Zone 918, has been put under demolition orders, so the inhabitants are expecting the arrival of bulldozers any time now. In the village of Wadi Jesh more than 30 settlers from the Susiya settlement destroyed 3 tents and terrorized all the inhabitants with the complicity of the army, which protected them.
In October, the olive harvest began in the South Hebron Hills too. Palestinian, international and Israeli activists, together with the volunteers of Operazione Colomba, gathered in the Humra Valley, village of At-Tuwani, in order to support the harvest of olives from the trees below the illegal outpost of Havat Ma'on. The Israeli occupation forces responded violently by firing tear gas and sound bombs at activists and volunteers.
The volunteers also travelled several times to the Northern areas, near Nablus and Ramallah, supporting the Faz3a campaign for the harvesting of olives. The trips also involved the Jordan Valley, as volunteers accompanied the shepherds in areas where there are daily attacks by the settlers.
OPERAZIONE COLOMBA
