Tra proteste e dolore

WJ #141

“A coloro che sono caduti per la terra degli aranci tristi e a chi non è ancora caduto” 

Ghassan Kanafani

 

Ogni anno il 15 maggio si commemora la Nakba, per ricordare l’estromissione nel 1948 di gran parte degli abitanti della Palestina dai confini dello Stato di Israele. Il 18 maggio del 2018 il Consiglio per i diritti umani delle Nazioni Unite ha adottato una risoluzione con cui si è dato avvio urgente a una commissione di inchiesta che indagasse sulle presunte violazioni del diritto internazionale umanitario durante gli attacchi militari contro le proteste civili iniziate nel marzo 2018, in tutti i territori palestinesi, ma in particolare nella Striscia di Gaza. 

Ci sono motivi fondati, scrive la commissione, per ritenere che le Forze di sicurezza israeliane abbiano “ucciso e ferito gravemente civili che non partecipavano direttamente alle ostilità né rappresentavano una minaccia imminente per la vita”. Bambini, operatori sanitari, giornalisti e persone con disabilità sono state colpite dai militari israeliani: 183 le persone uccise e 6.106 ferite.

Manifestazioni, sit-in, lanci di pietre, incendi, sono all’ordine del giorno. Ma spesso anche manifestazioni pacifiche si trasformano in lutti e dolore. “La Commissione ha rilevato, tuttavia, che l’uso della forza letale in risposta è stato raramente necessario o proporzionato”, scrivono gli esperti dell’Onu, specificando: “Perché la forza letale sia permessa, la vittima deve costituire una minaccia imminente alla vita o all’incolumità fisica. Le Forze speciali israeliane hanno violato le convenzioni internazionali sui diritti umani nella maggior parte dei casi indagati” e il “diritto umanitario internazionale, che consente di colpire i civili solo quando ‘partecipano direttamente alla guerra civile’”.

 

Il reportage

01 – Demonstration, East Gaza Strip,15.9.2023
A Palestinian waves his national flag during a demonstration along the Israeli-built barrier imprisoning the Gaza Strip, east of Gaza City, September 15, 2023. Since 2007, Israel has imposed a strict blockade on land, air, and sea of the Gaza Strip, where around 75% of residents are refugees expelled from their ethnically-cleansed towns in southern Palestine/Israel in favour of Israeli settlers
Photographer: Mohammed Zaanoun
https://www.activestills.org/image/51248/

 

02 – Demonstration, Ofer military prison, West Bank, 15.05.2012
Palestinian youth walk towards Israeli soldiers, during clashes following a protest commemorating the Nakba, outside Ofer military prison, near the West Bank city of Ramallah, May 15, 2012. Palestinian youth walk towards Israeli soldiers, during clashes following a protest commemorating the Nakba, outside Ofer military prison, near the West Bank city of Ramallah, May 15, 2012.
Photographer: Oren Ziv
https://www.activestills.org/image/12083/

 

03 – Protest against the occupation, Nabi Saleh, West Bank, 28.8.2015
Members of the Tamimi family prevent an Israeli soldier from arresting Mohammed Tamimi, 11, during the weekly protest against the occupation in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh, August 28, 2015.
Photographer: Muhannad Saleem
https://www.activestills.org/image/41672/

 

04 – Funeral of Hamdan Abu Amshah, Beit Hanoun, Gaza strip, 31.3.2018
Relatives of the Palestinian Hamdan Abu Amshah who was killed a day earlier during clashes with the Israeli army mourn during his funeral in Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip, March 31, 2018. Abu Amshah was killed during the Land Day demonstration near the Gaza fence in the eastern part of the Gaza Strip. Around 30,000 Palestinians took part in massive protests called “The Great March of Return” which started on Land day, and are announced to continue until Nakba day. 18 demonstrators were killed by the Israeli army and more than 1,000 were injured in the protest. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an independent and transparent investigation into the deaths and injuries along Gaza’s border with Israel.
Photographer: Mohammed Zaanoun
https://www.activestills.org/image/19673/

 

05 – Protest against the occupation, Nabi Saleh, West Bank, 13.1.2012
Demonstrators run, as Israeli army truck sprays foul smelling water
Photographer: Oren Ziv
https://www.activestills.org/image/6042/

 

06 – Protest against the occupation, Kafr Qaddum, West Bank, 3.1.2014
Israeli soldiers arrest a 24 years old Palestinian youth during the weekly protest against the occupation in the West Bank village of Kafr Qaddum, January 3, 2014.
Photographer: Oren Ziv
https://www.activestills.org/image/25222/

 

07 – Funeral of journalist Yasser Murtaja, Gaza city, 7.4.2018
Mourners, together with fellow journalists, carry the body of Palestinian journalist Yasser Murtaja, during his funeral in Gaza City on April 7, 2018. Among those killed at Friday’s protest was Yasser Murtaja, a photographer with the Gaza-based Ain Media agency, who died from his wounds after being fatally shot by Israeli snipers, the local health ministry reported. Murtaja’s company confirmed his death, with witnesses saying he was close to the front of the protests in Southern Gaza when he was hit. ​ 
Photographer: Mohammed Zaanoun
https://www.activestills.org/image/19600/

 

08 – Vigil commemorating Shireen Abu Akleh, Gaza City, Gaza Strip, 12.05.2022
Palestinians hold a vigil in the memory of Shireen Abu Akleh in Gaza city on May 11, 2022. Shireen Abu Akleh, a prominent Al Jazeera journalist was shot in the head by Israeli colonial forces a day before (Wednesday) while covering a raid by Israeli forces in Jenin. Her death has been seen as a national tragedy and is a part of the continued silencing and harassing of Palestinians who aim to expose the truth.
Photographer: Mohammed Zaanoun
https://www.activestills.org/image/48794/

 

09 –  Funeral, Sebastiya, West Bank, 22.7.2023
Hundreds of Palestinian mourners gather for the funeral of 18-year-old Fawzi Makhalfeh, who was killed the night before by Israeli colonial forces, Sebastiya, West Bank, July 22, 2023. Fawzi Hani Makhalfeh, a university student, was driving with his friend when Israeli forces opened fire with dozens of bullets at their car at about midnight. More than 200 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since the beginning of 2023.
Photographer: Wahaj Bani Moufleh
https://www.activestills.org/image/51135/

 

010 – Solidarity with Mohammed al-Qiq, Al Aqsa mosque, Jerusalem, 29.1.2016
Palestinian demonstrators hold posters of journalist Mohammed al-Qiq, 33, who has been imprisoned by Israel and is on a prolonged hunger strike, during a solidarity protest held following Friday prayers at Al Aqsa mosque, Jerusalem’s old city, January 29, 2016. Al-Qiq is being held under Israel’s controversial administrative detention law, which allows the state to hold suspects for renewable six-month periods without trial. He has been refusing food since November 25, 2015 in protest against the torture and ill treatment that he was subjected to during interrogation, according to Addameer, a Palestinian human rights organisation.
Photographer: Faiz Abu Rmeleh
https://www.activestills.org/image/15922/

 

011 – Protest against Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, Jerusalem’s Old City, 7.12.2017
A Palestinian man argues with a border policeman, during a demonstration in Damascus Gate in Jerusalem’s Old City, against US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, December 7, 2017.
Photographer: Oren Ziv
https://www.activestills.org/image/19041/

 

012 – Protest against the occupation, Nil’in, West Bank, 1.3.2013
Youths hurl slingshots at Israeli forces during a demonstration against the ongoing occupation in the West Bank village of Nil’in, March 1, 2013. Villagers began to organise weekly protests against the Israeli Separation Wall and occupation in 2005. Under military order 101, all protests organized by Palestinians in the West Bank are deemed illegal by the Israeli authorities and are routinely dispersed violently, leading to countless fatalities, injuries and arbitrary arrests.
Photographer: Oren Ziv
https://www.activestills.org/image/11249/

 

013 – Protest against the occupation, Nabi Saleh, West Bank, 8.7.2011
A Palestinian child looks at an Israeli soldier aiming his weapons at protesters during the weekly protest against the occupation and settlements in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh, July 8, 2011.
Photographer: Anne Paq
https://www.activestills.org/image/31980/

 

014 – Protest against the occupation, Kafr Qaddum, West Bank, 25.1.2013
Israeli soldiers arrest a child during the weekly demonstration in Kfer Qaddum, a West bank village located east of Qalqiliya, on January 25, 2013. There have been regular demonstrations in Kfer Qaddum since July, 2011, protesting the blocking of the main road east of the village which used to link it to Nablus. The child was later released. Under military order 101, all protests organised by Palestinians in the West Bank are deemed illegal by the Israeli authorities and are routinely dispersed violently, leading to countless fatalities, injuries and arbitrary arrests.
Photographer: Yotam Ronen
https://www.activestills.org/image/11115/

 

015 – Demonstration against Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, Gaza city, 7.12.2017
Palestinians demonstrate against the US President’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Gaza City, Gaza Strip, December 7, 2017.
Photographer: Ezz Zanoun
https://www.activestills.org/image/19013/

 

016 – Protest, Beita, West bAnk, 29.6.2021
Residents of the West Bank town of Beita hold nightly protests against a new settlement built on their lands, June 29, 2021, “Confusion units” that shine powerful flashlights and lasers to disturb and deter the settlers and “ties units” that burn tires.
Photographer: Oren Ziv
https://www.activestills.org/image/47327/

Scheda autore

ActiveStills

Activestills è un collettivo di fotografi documentaristi palestinesi, israeliani e internazionali che operano in Palestina, Israele e all’estero. È nato nel 2005 ed è una struttura indipendente auto organizzata, basata sulla convinzione che il lavoro collettivo sia al servizio dell’espressione personale di ogni fotografo e che i progetti congiunti creino potenti dichiarazioni condivise. Activestills è pienamente impegnato nella lotta del popolo palestinese, per i loro diritti e libertà, e mira a sensibilizzare su questioni generalmente assenti dal discorso pubblico o presentate in modo fuorviante dai media.


Activestills is a collective of Palestinian, Israeli and international documentary photographers working in Palestine, Israel and abroad. It was born in 2005 and is an independent, self-organised independent structure based on the belief that mutual work serves each photographer’s personal expression, and that joint projects create powerful shared statements. Activestills is fully committed to the struggle of the Palestinian people, and their rights and freedom, and aims to raise awareness on issues that are generally absent from public discourse, or presented in a misleading way by the media.