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June 26, 2009 - Weekly demonstrations against the fence
26/06/2009Some 250 Palestinians, Israelis and Internationals demonstrated today in the West Bank village of Bil'in against the Apartheid Wall and the settlements built on Palestinian land. Prior to the demonstration a press conference took place, where a representative of the village's popular committee, a member of the Palestinian Boycott National Committee and world renowned Canadian journalist and author Naomi Klein spoke of the local struggle, of the village's new court case in Canada against Canadian companies building the new neighborhoods on Bil'in land, on the boycott, and of the inability to detach art and politics.
No serious injuries were noted.
19 June 2009 Weekly Demonstrations
21/06/2009Friday was an unusually quiet day of demonstrations, with no major injuries. We were part of Friday demonstrations against the Wall this week in Bilin, Nil'in, Al Mas'ara and Azun Atme, and also went to Saffa on Saturday. On Sunday overnight, over 125 grapevines and trees in Saffa were cut or burned by settlers from Bat Ayin.
Full reports below.
Nil'in 19.6.09
Farmers and activists attacked by Settlers and the border police at the land of Saffa
15/06/2009This week, again, AATW activists have joined the farmers of Saffa, in attempt to harvest vine leaves. This morning, a group of settlers, accompanied by soldiers, came down at the valley as we arrived there. The settlers started throwing stones at the group and rocks on the trees and threatened to burn the fields the following night. The soldiers politely asked the settlers not to attack, a call impolitely ignored. Soon enough, more soldiers have arrived to the group of farmers and activists – presenting it with another illegal "closed military zone" warrant. No explanations helped, and the group was forced out of the fields and back to the village. On our way back, the soldiers, commanded by a high ranking military officer, the entire region commanding officer, decided to hold one of the Palestinian farmers. Many of the activists tried to prevent his arrest – most of them were violently forced away. As only six of the activists remained near around the farmer, ordered the commander to push away the rest of the group – including all photographers. Then, the soldiers violently grasped the farmer and questioned him for throwing a stone. They eventually let him go, but arrested three of the remaining activists accusing them with "police assault". Again, as almost always, none of the attacking settlers were held or questioned by the soldiers.
In spite of protester murder the weekly demonstrations still go on.
15/06/2009Last Friday, once again, demonstrators gathered in the village of Bil'in for the weekly protest against the wall and the settlements. Some 80 Palestinians were joined by roughly the same number of Israelis and internationals, including the Code Pink delegation from the USA, who have completed a week of activity in Israel-Palestine against the occupation and againt the siege on Gaza. The delegation reached the villaged earlier that day and met with the leaders of the popular committee, who told the delegetaion of the history of the struggle, and breifed them on how to deal with the forseen army violence in the demonstration.
Akil Sadek Srur murdered by Israeli border police sniper during the Friday demonstration in Nilin
05/06/2009Deadly Protest in Nilin: like every friday in the last year the people of the village gathered and planned to pray and demonstrate against the apartheid wall on their land.
This week the army waited at the outskirts of the village and started shooting at people as they gathered to pray, shooting first directly at the medical team and hitting a medic, who was fortunately not injured. The army also used a tear gas canon which fired dozens of canisters into the village itself.
After a while, people succeeded to pray on their lands, but at the moment they finished the army began its attack, and so no demonstration could take plave. In stead, clashes broke out between the stone throwers and the army.
From the very first moment the army started using snipers, shooting "TuTu" bullets (0.22). Five people got shot by snipers and one of them died from a shot to his chest, leaving him no chances to survive.
More updates on this weekend will follow.
Farmers and activists attacked by settlers and the army
31/05/2009Palestinian farmers from the west bank village of Safa accompanied by a group of Israelis and internationals were prevented to harvest their lands on the 30/5/2009.
After about an hour of harvest, the Israeli soldiers and police gave 10 minutes to the group to leave the area that was declared closed military zone. The soldiers violently attacked the group, arresting 2 Israelis, and evicting the people with batons. In the mean time, the settlers from Beit Ayn gathered and shouted racist slogans such as “kill all the Arabs”.
