Today, once again, the peaceful protest in this village near Bethlehem was met by Israeli soldiers with guns and a razor wire blocking the road. The razor wire at the exit road of Al Ma'sara set up by the Israeli army denies the people their right to access their land.
This week around 80 people marched to show their support for Al Ma'sara and to defend basic human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Locals were joined by Israelis and internationals as well as two members of the Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) and a French group of elected members of town councils in Normandy.
The organizers of the protest, the Al-Ma'sara Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements, held speeches calling for the urgent need for Israel to oblige to international law and decisions on the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Other speeches were held in Arabic, Hebrew and English, in addition to a powerful speech held in French by a member of a mission from Normandy visiting Palestine. The mission aims to promote cooperation between local town councils in France and their Palestinian counterparts.
Men and women, young and old, both villagers and people coming from different parts of the world joined the cheering and chanting for a free Palestine. During the protest, two Palestinian women managed to cross the razor wire military obstacle while others were holding it down. Waving the Palestinian flag they walked down the road that for which they should have the inevitable right to do so. Others were prevented by the Israeli soldiers to cross the razor wire.
Over 35 Israelis and 15 internationals joined several dozens of Palestinians for the weekly demonstration in Bil'in. Following the commemoration of 40 days since the murder of the demonstrator Bassem Abu Rahme by the army, demonstrators wore masks with prints of Bassem's face, chanting slogans against the wall and the occupation. After a couple of minutes of peaceful demonstration at the fence's gate, the army started shooting tear gas, and the shabab returned stones. As scattered gas grenades could not disperse the demonstrators, the army used a canon that shot a large number of grenades at once.
The demonstrators had to retreat, but Rani, who is bound to a wheelchair, could not flee fast enough, and had to be evacuated by an ambulance. Later a journalist was evacuated by an ambulance after being hit directly by a gas grenade. The demonstration was dispersed earlier than usual in order to attend a local soccer tournament dedicated to Bassem's memory..
In the village of Nilin around 150 demonstrators gathered after the friday praying and start marching toward the fence, when the demonstrators arrived at the fence they were attacked by the army with tear gas and rubber coated bullets. As a result of the army violence clashes between the army and stone throwers started. After couple of hours of clashes from both sides of the fence the demonstration ended.
