Bil'in
Over 30 internationals and 10 Israelis joined the local Palestinian demonstration against the wall in Bil'in this Ramadan Friday, possibly the hottest day of the year. The demonstrators marched to the wall, chanting slogans against the occupation and for the release of the village's prisoners. They also carried reproductions of a photo of soldiers taking a souvenir picture with the body of a dead Palestinian. Since this week exposed Israeli soldiers' affection to taking pictures with blindfolded and cuffed Palestinians, the demonstration was led by several cuffed and blindfolded protesters. When they reached the soldiers, they sat at their feet giving them the photo-op they can later post on Facebook. After a while spent chanting and singing, the soldiers threatened protesters with arrests, and a few moments later the usual stones-gas-arrests routine started. One of the blindfolded and cuffed protesters was grabbed and arrested, this time for real, and so was the artist David Reev, who documented her arrest. The demonstrators regrouped peacefully to negotiate their friends' release, and promised to leave as soon as they were set free. But the army insisted, until eventually the shabab decided to release the frustration they've been building up with stones, which were answered by a flood of gas, forcing everyone to retreat. The abducted demonstrators were released the same evening.
Ma'asara
Palestinians from Al Ma’sara were joined on Friday by internationals and Israelis in solidarity with their cause. The weekly demonstration against the Apartheid Wall and illegal settlements reacted to the pictures of Palestinian prisoners humiliated by Israeli soldiers in ‘souvenir photos’ posted on Facebook – and so several protesters wore handcuffs and blindfolds while others carried enlarged photographs of the abuse.
Al Ma'sara protestors held copies of photos showing captured, injured or killed Palestinians - posted on Facebook by Israeli soldiers
The protesters proceeded to the road that Israel illegally constructed on Palestinian land to connect the Jewish-only settlements of Gush Etzion but they were intercepted by the Israeli army. Sound bombs were thrown at the unarmed and nonviolent protesters who were denied the right to access their land once again. However, organizers stated that despite the soldiers’ violence they would continue their peaceful fight for freedom and justice which is their right.
Ni'ilin
On Friday about 25 Palestinians were joined by a small group of internationals for the village of Ni’lin’s weekly protest against the Apartheid Wall. Five international and two Israeli protesters joined the demonstration which started after Friday prayers. The group marched to the wall which cuts off Palestinians from their farmland, annexing it to Israeli settlements like Modi’in Illit.
Perhaps due to the intense heat and it being the second Friday of Ramadan, the demonstration this week was fairly quiet. Despite huge aggression for the Israeli army in the past, they refrained for once from even using teargas or sound bombs against the unarmed protest so the situation remained peaceful. After the demonstration the internationals present were given a tour of the village and its small museum commemorating important events in the history of Ni’lin’s struggle.
Nabi Saleh
Around 50 people took part in this Friday’s demonstration against the illegally built Halamish settlement encroaching on land belonging to the village of An Nabi Saleh, this Friday, and this number included approximately 15 Israeli and international human rights activists.
As usual the protest began after noon prayer, and continued until around four o’clock, despite the fact that the majority of the participants are currently fasting for Ramadan. The march down to the entrance of the village was once again met with a blockade, and after several attempts to gain access to the village’s main road, the protesters retreated back up the street to the center of the village.
Soldiers later began throwing sound bombs and shooting tear gas projectiles directly at Palestinian children. The children stones at the soldiers’ armored jeeps. One of the children was hit in the leg by a ricocheting tear gas canister, but was not seriously injured.
Subsequent attempts to reason with the soldiers resulted in two international activists being detained in Halamish military base for several hours. Other attempted arrests were stopped by fellow activists. A lot of teargas was fired at the houses nearby and a lot of people including children suffered from teargas inhalation, but the protesters declared the lack of serious injuries and spirited protest a success.
Walaje
In this week's demonstration, some 100 people, including villagers, internationals and Israelis, marched to the separation wall and nearby settlement to the beat of a band of drummers. This week the village has decided to have a partially children-led march, with a decision to avoid direct confrontation and keep a safe distance from the army.
Hebron
This week the organizers of the Hebron protest decided to hold marches through the market, rather than demos during the Ramadan period and due to recent events where the army had arrested organizers and protesters and closed shops as punishment for the simple fact that demos are being held nearby. By doing so, the army is hoping to turn the shop owners against the demos. The participants walked through the allies and handed appreciation certificates to the shop owners, supporting and encouraging them to keep their shops open and not to be intimidated by the army. The soldiers, who moments before the march accompanied the settlers' march through the market, were seen in the adjacent allies, but did not confront the participants. Some garbage was thrown by the settlers on the marchers' heads.
