Photos of the week: Palestinians return to Jordan Valley village

Activestills By Activestills February 6, 2014 | Edit

This week: African immigrants and Palestinian activists occupy protest camps to demand their rights; self-demolition in East Jerusalem; solidarity with hunger striker Samer Issawi; and Israeli authorities block Negev Bedouin agriculture and dump garbage in the West Bank.

African asylum seekers wake up in Levinsky Park, South Tel Aviv, on the second day of sit-in, February 3, 2013. (photo: Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)
African asylum seekers wake up in Levinsky Park, south Tel Aviv, on the second day of sit-in, February 3, 2013. (photo: Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)

 

African asylum seekers wake up in Levinsky Park, South Tel Aviv, on the second day of a sit-in after spending the night on the ground, February 3, 2013. The African community is continuing its struggle for refugee rights, determined to reach a full solution. (photo: Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)
African asylum seekers wake up in Levinsky Park, south Tel Aviv, on the second day of a sit-in after spending the night on the ground, February 3, 2013. The African community is continuing its struggle for refugee rights, determined to reach a full solution. (photo: Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)

 

African asylum seekers wait to board a bus of the Israeli immigration authority before leaving for Holot detention center, Tel Aviv, Israel, February 2 , 2014. The Israeli immigration authority summoned several dozen asylum seekers, ordering them to arrive at Holot detention center. Around 40 complied. According to human rights organizations, over 1,700 African asylum seekers received similar summons scheduled for the coming weeks, informing them that their current visa is cancelled. (photo: Yotam Ronen/Activestills.org)
African asylum seekers wait to board a bus of the Israeli immigration authority before leaving for Holot detention center, Tel Aviv, Israel, February 2 , 2014. The Israeli immigration authority summoned several dozen asylum seekers, ordering them to arrive at Holot detention center. Around 40 complied. According to human rights organizations, over 1,700 African asylum seekers received similar summons scheduled for the coming weeks, informing them that their current visa has been cancelled. (photo: Yotam Ronen/Activestills.org)

 

African asylum seekers wake up in Levinsky Park, South Tel Aviv, on the third day of a sit-in after spending the night on the ground, February 4, 2013. (photo: Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)
African asylum seekers wake up in Levinsky Park, south Tel Aviv, on the third day of a sit-in after spending the night on the ground, February 4, 2013. (photo: Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)

 

African Asylum seekers look at an Actviestills photo exhibition on the asylum seekers' struggle in Israel, in Levinsky park, South Tel Aviv, on the second day of a sit-in after spending the night on the ground, February 3, 2013. The African community is continuing it's struggle for refugee rights, determined to reach a full solution. (photo: Yotam Ronen/Activestills.org)
African Asylum seekers look at an Actviestills photo exhibition on the asylum seekers’ struggle in Israel, in Levinsky Park, south Tel Aviv, on the second day of a sit-in after spending the night on the ground, February 3, 2013. The African community is continuing it’s struggle for refugee rights, determined to reach a full solution. (photo: Yotam Ronen/Activestills.org)

 

The Mezri family made the decision to demolish their own home after they learned they would be forced to pay for the demolition by the Israeli authorities, Jabal Mukaber, East Jerusalem, February 5, 2014. (photo: Tali Mayer/Activestills.org)
The Mezri family made the decision to demolish their own home after they learned they would be forced to pay for the demolition by Israeli authorities, Jabal Mukaber, East Jerusalem, February 5, 2014. (photo: Tali Mayer/Activestills.org)

 

Former hunger striker Samer Issawi is greeted by activists in Jaffa's clock square, February 1, 2014. Samer Issawi was on hunger strike in the Israeli prison for more than 200 days, protesting his prolonged administrative detention. Jaffa activists staged daily protests in the months prior to his release. (photo: Shiraz Grinbaum/Activestills.org)
Former Palestinian hunger striker Samer Issawi is greeted by activists in Jaffa’s Clock Square, February 1, 2014. Samer Issawi was on hunger strike in Israeli prison for more than 200 days, protesting his prolonged administrative detention. Jaffa activists staged daily protests in the months prior to his release. (photo: Shiraz Grinbaum/Activestills.org)

 

Israeli police guard tractors plowing Bedouin wheat fields off-season, Negev, Israel, February 5, 2014. Israeli authorities plow Bedouin fields every year at this time in order to prevent the owners of the land from making agricultural use of it. (photo: Yotam Ronen/Activestills.org)
Israeli police guard tractors plowing Bedouin wheat fields off-season, Negev, Israel, February 5, 2014. Israeli authorities plow Bedouin fields every year at this time in order to prevent the owners of the land from making agricultural use of it. (photo: Yotam Ronen/Activestills.org)

 

Palestinians shout slogans in the in Ein Hijleh protest village, in the Jordan Valley, West Bank January 31, 2014. Over 300 Palestinians participated in the action, as part of Melh Al-Ard (Salt of the Earth) campaign against the Israeli plan to annex the Jordan valley, discussed during the current round of negotiation-talks between the PA and Israel, coordinated by John Kerry. (photo: Keren Manor/Activestills.org)
Palestinians shout slogans in the in Ein Hijleh protest village, in the Jordan Valley, West Bank January 31, 2014. Over 300 Palestinians participated in the action as part of the Melh Al-Ard (Salt of the Earth) campaign against the Israeli plan to annex the Jordan valley, discussed during the current round of negotiation-talks between the PA and Israel, coordinated by John Kerry. (photo: Keren Manor/Activestills.org)

 

Palestinians sit around a fire in the Ein Hijleh protest village in the Jordan Valley, West Bank January 31, 2014. (photo: Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)
Palestinians sit around a fire in the Ein Hijleh protest village in the Jordan Valley, West Bank January 31, 2014. (photo: Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)

 

Due to Israeli army roadblocks that would not allow cars to enter, Palestinians on horseback help deliver food and supplies to the protest village of Ein Hijleh on the fourth day of the encampment, Jordan Valley, West Bank, February 3, 2014. (photo: Ryan Rodrick Beiler/Activestills.org)
Due to Israeli army roadblocks that do not allow cars to enter, Palestinians on horseback help deliver food and supplies to the protest village of Ein Hijleh on the fourth day of the encampment, Jordan Valley, West Bank, February 3, 2014. (photo: Ryan Rodrick Beiler/Activestills.org)

 

Palestinian activists greet the rising sun in Ein Hijleh protest village, in the Jordan Valley, West Bank, February 1, 2014. (photo: Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)
Palestinian activists greet the rising sun in Ein Hijleh protest village, in the Jordan Valley, West Bank, February 1, 2014. (photo: Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)

 

Asylum seekers wave at protesters from inside the repatriation closed center called 127bis, Steenokkerzeel, near the airport of Brussels, Belgium, February 2, 2014. The persons detained in 127 bis are mostly asylum seekers whose requests have been dismissed and others who are still waiting for an answer from the Foreign Office. Built up like a prison, the centre is surrounded by a triple row of wire netting and has isolation cells. The detention conditions have been repeatedly denounced by human rights organizations. (photo: Anne Paq/Activestills.org)
Asylum seekers wave at protesters from inside the repatriation closed center called 127 bis, Steenokkerzeel, near the airport of Brussels, Belgium, February 2, 2014. The persons detained in 127 bis are mostly asylum seekers whose requests have been dismissed and others who are still waiting for an answer from the foreign office. Built like a prison, the center is surrounded by a triple row of wire netting and has isolation cells. The detention conditions have been repeatedly denounced by human rights organizations. (photo: Anne Paq/Activestills.org)

 

Jewish books and magazines are seen in the Israeli dump site in Qusin village, west of Nablus, West Bank, February 4, 2014. The dump site is one kilometer away from the most built-up area of the village and is located in an area rich with groundwater resources. The Israelis started to dump the contents of trucks filled with unknown waste in the dump site in January 2013. Military garbage is frequently seen at the site. (photo: Ahmad Al-Bazz/Activestills.org)
Jewish books and magazines are seen in the Israeli dump site in Qusin village, west of Nablus, West Bank, February 4, 2014. The dump site is one kilometer away from the most built-up area of the village and is located in an area rich with groundwater resources. The Israelis started to dump the contents of trucks filled with unknown waste in the dump site in January 2013. Military garbage is frequently seen at the site. (photo: Ahmad Al-Bazz/Activestills.org)
Activestills

Activestills is a collective of Israeli, Palestinian, and international photographers, united by a conviction that photography is a vehicle for political and social change. We believe in the power of images to shape public attitudes and to raise awareness on issues that are generally absent from public discourse. We view ourselves as part of the struggle against all forms of oppression, racism, and violations of the basic right to freedom. Our images are frequently published by many leading human rights, development, and advocacy agencies, as well as by alternative and leading news media. To stay updated on our latest images, like Activestills on Facebook or visit our Flickr photostream.