Issa Amro / Youth Against Settlements

Hebron: A Microcosm of the Oppression

The Palestinian territory of the West Bank has been subjected to Israeli military occupation since the 1967 Six-Day War. The settlements are illegal under international law, a determination which was strengthened in July 2024, when the top UN court issued an advisory opinion concluding that Israel’s occupation, settlements, and annexation of Palestinian territories are unlawful. The court also noted that Israeli measures were in breach of the international prohibition on racial segregation and apartheid.

The city of Hebron is one of the most contested areas in the West Bank, with about 800 Israeli settlers living under heavy military protection amidst more than 200,000 Palestinian residents. The Israeli military and settlers occupy 20 per cent of the city, known as Area H2, leaving the Palestinian population in constant confrontation with settlers and soldiers. For Palestinians in Hebron, daily life is marked by checkpoints, curfews, restricted movement, and frequent violence, creating a climate of fear and uncertainty.

The city’s core, including the historically significant Shuhada Street, remains closed to Palestinians, contributing to deep economic and social hardships. The Israeli settlers, many of whom are extremists, frequently harass Palestinians, exacerbating tensions. These settlers, backed by the Israeli military, operate with near impunity, often assaulting Palestinian residents and confiscating their property.

The situation has significantly worsened since the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, and Israel’s nearly year-long military offensive in Gaza. In the West Bank, more than 600 Palestinians have been killed and thousands detained as of September 2024, according to the UN. The Israeli military has been constantly increasing closures and limitations on movement.

Amro’s Path to Activism

Born in 1980, Amro spent his early life studying – and on the football pitch – with dreams of becoming an engineering professor. However, several key events, including the 1994 Ibrahimi Mosque massacre, where an Israeli extremist opened fire at a Hebron mosque killing 29 people and injuring 125, opened his eyes to the harsh realities of Israeli settler terror and led him to seek ways to contribute to the Palestinian cause.

The 2003 closure of his university, Palestine Polytechnic University, during the Second Intifada was a turning point for Amro. What started as a desire to continue his studies became a movement, as he led fellow students in a six-month civil disobedience campaign to reopen the university, marking the beginning of his lifelong commitment to activism.

“I managed to reopen the university with other students,” Amro said. “I graduated as an engineer and as an activist: it became part of my character.”

After university, Amro joined the Israeli human rights organisation B’Tselem, which has long been involved in documenting human rights violations in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories.

Founding Youth Against Settlements

In 2007, Amro established YAS, aiming to give Palestinians a stronger voice in the struggle against the occupation. The group’s primary goal is to mobilise Palestinians of all ages, but especially the youth, to resist the Israeli occupation peacefully and to reject the use of violence. YAS quickly became a unifying force for Palestinians from various political backgrounds, promoting unity and peaceful resistance without aligning with any political party.

The group’s work includes documenting injustices and providing legal support to Palestinians. They also organise protests, raise global attention by giving advocacy tours for international delegations, and support local families in Hebron through home repairs and community-building initiatives. As of 2024, YAS was operating with about 25 activists.

Innovative Use of Non-Violent Methods

From the beginning, Amro has been committed to non-violence as the most effective means of resisting the occupation. He studied global non-violent movements, particularly those led by Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. and fellow Right Livelihood Laureate Gene Sharp, and used their methods to shape YAS’s strategy.

One of YAS’s most significant achievements has been the Open Shuhada Street Campaign, which commemorates the 1994 Ibrahimi Mosque massacre and calls for the reopening of the city’s main street, which remains closed to Palestinians. This campaign has gained international attention, with hundreds of actions and protests organised globally each year.

Another innovative programme has been the Camera Distribution Project, which Amro began in 2006 while still working for B’Tselem. Aiming to distribute 20,000 cameras to Palestinian families in Hebron, Amro encouraged them to document the violence they faced from Israeli settlers and soldiers. Initially, many families were hesitant, fearing that using cameras would make them targets. However, as the project gained traction and more incidents of violence were captured on film, it became a powerful tool for exposing the occupation to the world. Today, the culture of documentation has become widespread in Hebron, with residents using smartphones to capture abuses and seek to hold Israeli forces accountable. To this day, Amro trains university students on how and what to film while also urging them to capture their daily lives, including the things they enjoy.

In 2019, YAS launched another initiative, replacing the UN’s Temporary International Presence in Hebron after the international observer group was expelled by Israel. YAS volunteers donned blue vests and escorted Palestinian children to school to protect them from settler attacks, continuing the work of international observers with limited resources but great determination. While opposed by both Israeli forces and the Palestinian Authority, this project gained wide international attention and praise. In addition to his work in Hebron, Amro has helped establish a broader movement for non-violence across Palestine. YAS’s success in Hebron inspired similar initiatives in other cities like Ramallah, Jenin, and Nablus. Amro has also engaged in international advocacy, meeting with diplomats, journalists, and human rights organisations worldwide to raise awareness about the occupation. His efforts have led to increased international solidarity and Hebron being recognised as a symbol of Israeli occupation.

Facing Violence, Eviction and Legal Battles

Despite Amro’s commitment to peaceful resistance, he has faced numerous challenges from both the Israeli military and the Palestinian Authority (PA) while being constantly harassed by Israeli settlers.

Amro has been frequently arrested and tortured by the Israeli military. On October 7, 2023, Amro was detained, beaten, and tortured by Israeli soldiers, even though he has always been an outspoken critic of Hamas and has no affiliation with the group. Later that month, he was forcibly evicted from his house by the Israeli military, only to return after a legal battle.

Amro has also faced numerous legal charges. Palestinians in the West Bank are prosecuted through Israeli military courts, where they have a nearly 100 per cent conviction rate, according to the UN. At the same time, Israelis are tried in civilian courts. Despite the rigged judicial system, Amro has won several legal victories, including, most recently, a defamation case against an Israeli right-wing organisation that falsely accused him of terrorism ties.

He has often been a target of the PA, as well. In 2017, Amro was detained and tortured by the PA for his outspoken stance on the need for reforms and democracy within the Palestinian leadership. They have tried to discredit him by saying that he was a spy for European countries. Amro said that defending the voice of Palestinians – also against the Palestinian leadership, which he calls corrupt – was a principle for him.

Amro has survived multiple physical assaults by settlers. Living next door to them, Amro is subject to daily harassment and insults, conducted under the protection of the Israeli military. Despite these attacks, Amro has continued his work, noting that it’s been the international recognition that has most likely kept him alive.

“It’s a miracle that I still exist,” he said. “It’s a miracle that not killed, not arrested, not giving up.”

A Vision for the Future

In December 2023, Amro’s brother Ahmad, a key figure in YAS, passed away from a heart attack, leaving Amro with a profound sense of responsibility to continue their shared mission. Despite the violence and repression he faces daily, Amro remains optimistic about the future. He continues to advocate for Palestinian unity, a new Palestinian leadership, and peaceful resistance against the Israeli occupation.

Looking forward, Amro is focused on expanding YAS’s work, particularly its community initiatives. The group has already established the Karamati Women’s Center to empower Palestinian women through leadership and education programmes and is planning to open a youth centre. Amro also works on opening a cinema in Hebron to promote cultural expression and resistance through art.

Throughout these initiatives, Amro is working to keep global attention on the Palestinian cause and ensure the existence of Palestinian families in Hebron.

“When the kids come to me in the street, shake my hand, hug me and say good things to me, I feel that I’m doing something right to change their future,” he said.

Amro’s dedication to non-violence, in the face of brutal occupation, has made him a symbol of hope for Palestinians and the global community: Amro’s message of peace and resistance against oppression continues to inspire people striving for justice around the world.