Sbeih Mountain Archives - Israel-Palestine Timeline

December 10, 2021: Jamil Abu Ayyash, 31, was killed by Israeli soldiers during the weekly protest against the illegal Israeli colonies in Beita town, southeast of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.

The head of the Emergency and Ambulance Department at the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS), Ahmad Jibril, told the Palestinian News & Information Agency (WAFA) that the army opened live fire at non-violent protesters on Sbeih Mountain, killing Jamil Abu Ayyash, and causing at least sixty-eight cases of inhalation injuries from tear gas.

He added that the slain young man was shot with a live round in the head with a live round, and was transferred by ambulance to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead due to his critical wounds shortly after arrival.

Palestinian youths have been protesting for months in rejection of Israel’s expansion of its illegal colonies, especially when Israeli colonizers occupied the top of the mountain and installed the illegal “Avitar” colonialist outpost.

Earlier in the day, soldiers accompanied bulldozers that razed a power network and roads leading to the protest site, in addition to uprooting olive trees on Palestinian-owned lands.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affair and Ex-Patriates issued a statement denouncing the killing of Abu Ayyash and called The Human Rights Council’s International Commission of Inquiry to Investigate Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, to investigate his death and all Israeli crimes and violations.

It said that the Israeli army’s use of live ammunition against unarmed protesters is a war crime, and a crime against humanity, and is yet another proof that Israel does not seek peace and is ongoing with its hostile policies against the Palestinian people and any treaty or resolution that would result in real and comprehensive peace based on international legitimacy resolutions.

It also called on the International Criminal Court to open an immediate inquiry into the escalating Israeli crimes and violations against the Palestinian people, their property, and their holy sites.

The Ministry urged the International Community to provide the urgently needed protection to the Palestinian people and to end its idleness by prosecuting those who commit these crimes against unarmed civilians and their property.

It is worth mentioning that the funeral ceremony of the slain young man was held in his town, with the participation of hundreds of Palestinians, including social figures.

Jamil is the ninth Palestinian to be killed in Beita since the protests against the annexation of Sbeih Mountain started after the colonizers occupied it in May of this year, 2021.

Jamil was from Beita town, southeast of Nablus, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank. Source: IMEMC

May 14, 2021: Dr. Issa Barham, 40, was killed by Israeli soldiers who fired live rounds at Palestinian protesters in Sbeih Mountain in Beita town, southeast of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.

Dr. Issa was among nine Palestinians who were killed by Israeli army fire, in several parts of the occupied West Bank that day, the Palestinian Health Ministry has confirmed, and added that more than five hundred Palestinians have been injured.

The soldiers invaded the northern West Bank city of Nablus, in addition to Sbeih Mountain, and the villages of Salem and Asira al-Qibliya, east of Nablus, and Orif village, south of the city, killed four Palestinians and injured dozens during ensuing protests.

Media sources said the soldiers killed Dr. Issa, a District Attorney, and a prosecutor with the Cybercrime Division with the Palestinian Public Prosecution Department.

In addition, medical sources said the soldiers shot, and seriously a young man, identified as Malek Hamdan, 22, with live rounds to the chest before he succumbed to his wounds in a hospital in Nablus.

Malek, from Salem village near Nablus, was injured along with dozens of Palestinians during protests that took place after the soldiers invaded the village and attacked protesters.

In addition, Israeli colonialist settlers from Yitzhar illegal colony, infiltrated into the eastern area of Nablus, leading to protests, before the soldiers invaded it and shot two young men with live rounds in the abdomen and legs; one of them suffered a severe injury.

The soldiers also killed Husam Asayra, 20, with a live round to the chest, during protests that took place after the soldiers invaded Asira al-Qibliya village, near Nablus, and attacked protesters.

In Orif village, the soldiers killed a young man, identified as Nidal Sayel Safadi, 30, after shooting him with a live round, after several army jeeps invaded the village, and attacked protesters.

In Ramallah, in central West Bank, the soldiers killed Mohammad Rawhi Hammad, 30, after he reportedly attempted to ram soldiers with his car. The Palestinian is from Silwad town, northeast of Ramallah.

The soldiers also killed Yousef Mahdi Nawasra, 27, from Fahma village, southwest of the northern West Bank city of Jenin, during protests near the Dothan Israeli military roadblock.

In Salfit, in central West Bank, the soldiers invaded Marda village, north of the city, and killed a young man, identified as Sharif Khaled Salman, 37, during protests that took place when the soldiers invaded the village, in addition to killing Awad Ahmad Harb, 27, in Iskaka village, east of Salfit.

Sharif had not been participating in protests but was standing outside his home when he was shot by invading Israeli forces. His mother told reporters with Ma’an News Agency, “I cannot believe that Sharif was killed. Just hours ago, he woke me up from sleep to have coffee together. He left behind a pregnant wife and three daughters.”

As tears streamed down her face, she told reporters, “I asked him to drink coffee with me, to drink it together, and to close the door for fear that his children and his sister’s children might go out to the street, because the army was out in the street, and our home is located near the main street of the village. I fell asleep while I waited for him to drink his coffee. I was awakened by the sound of gunfire and screaming. I did not know that the bullets were fired at Sharif, to end his life. The occupation deprived me of my son for no reason, just as it has deprived so many mothers.”

In Jericho, in northeastern West Bank, the soldiers killed Mohammad Adel Abu Shqeir, 20, from the al-Qasab neighborhood, during protests that took place at the entrance of the city.

Dr. Issa was from Beita town, southeast of Nablus, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank. Source: IMEMC