On Friday, Israeli and international activists joined Palestinian demonstrations in the West Bank villages of Um Salmuna, Bil’in, Ni’ilin and Wadi arRasha against the Apartheid Wall and the theft of their lands under “security” pretexts and settlement expansion.
In Um Salmuna, around 200 people took part in the protest march, a number significantly bigger than in previous weeks, mostly due to the many members of the DFLP (Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine) - predominantly women - who joined the demonstration. As opposed to the army’s usual routine, no troops were present at the beginning of the march, which then set off in the direction of the wall. After a small number of soldiers tried unsuccessfully to stop marchers, reinforcements arrived and managed to block the protesters’ path outside the village. Troops attempted to detain several young people, however this was thwarted by the crowd’s solidarity and direct intervention (enabling those in danger to return to the village, as well as resulting in a handful of futile chases). The army then stretched a barbed wire spool across the road as a makeshift barrier, which caused minor skirmishes between protesters trying to dismantle it and soldiers preventing it. The demonstration ended shortly after without further incidents.
Injured demonstrator being evacuated, Bil'in
In Bil’in, Protesters marched from the village’s center calling for national unity and resistance, demanding that Olmert, Livni, Barak and Peres be tried for war crimes, and carrying banners condemning Israel’s recent house demolitions in east Jerusalem, its settlements (specifically a recent plan to build 75 new housing units) and the Wall. As the crowd reached the barrier, An Israeli army unit stationed behind the wall prevented people from marching through the gate, shooting teargas canisters and throwing teargas grenades directly at the demonstration (later on rubber coated steel bullets were also used). Many suffered from teargas inhalation and three people were injured by rubber-coated steel bullets.
"Center for Peace" in Bil'in, burned by settlers. Photo: Haitham al-Khatib
It should also be noted that earlier this week, settlers from East Mitatyahu settlement (built on Bil’in’s land) attacked and burned down the village’s “Center for Peace”, a house built three years ago by Bil’in’s Popular Committee to ensure Palestinian presence on the lands left on the “other side of the Wall”, despite harassment by settlers and soldiers. As of late, Settlers have increased the frequency of their attacks, in an effort to stop the people of Bil’in from maintaining their presence in the house, so that settlers are able to confiscate this land, which was returned to the village one year ago by the Israeli Supreme Court.
Protester hit in the back by sniper fire, Ni'ilin. Photo: Ilia Yefimovich
In Ni’ilin, Israeli troops began firing teargas canisters as residents of the village were gathering by the clinic for the traditional Friday prayers, long before the protest march was scheduled to commence. Prayers were then held at a different part of the village - on the lands near the most recent construction site of the concrete barrier that is set to cut off the village from its lands. Waving flags, holding banners and chanting slogans, demonstrators managed to advance far enough to actually reach the road on which the wall will be constructed. When some began pulling and dismantling the barbed-wire placed alongside the planned route of the wall, Israeli troops attacked the crowd with teargas canisters, concussion grenades and rubber-coated steel bullets. As in numerous incidents before, the army even resorted to sniper fire, targeting people with live ammunition. The village youth responded by throwing stones at troops and the several military jeeps stationed nearby. Soon after, soldiers chased everyone back and attempted to surround the stonethrowers by entering the village, occupying the top of a home and the construction site of the new school (where they severely damaged electricity infrastructure, cinder blocks and cement sacks), and all the while shooting large amounts of teargas inside the village. Overall, four demonstrators were injured by live ammunition (three in their legs, one in his lower back), and 12 others were wounded by rubber-coated steel bullets or teargas projectiles. Of those hit by teargas projectiles, one was a Swedish national, and one a red crescent paramedic, who were both struck in their stomach.
Mark on an olive tree, designating it to be uprooted, Wadi arRasha
Israeli and international activists also joined (for the second time) the people of Wadi arRasha in their protests against the construction of the wall on their lands and the uprooting of their olive trees. However – and most likely due to the planned demonstration – there were no workers, no security guards and no soldiers to be found on Wadi arRasha’s lands this Friday, so activists sat with local people and learned more about their situation and their struggle.
