Some twenty Israeli activists and a bunch of internationals joined one hundred Palestinian residents of Bil'in for a special demonstration in commemoration of the Nakba. Demonstrators carried a large "Key of Return", and three of them were dressed as Handalle, the symbol of Palestinian exile and resistance.
Once at the fence demonstrators were soon met by flying tear gas canisters, which had little to no effect as the wind was blowing in the soldiers' direction. The soldiers thus decided to cross the fence and scare demonstrators away. As the latter were running, one photographer was caught and arrested.

Bil'in, May 14 2010
At this point the demonstration moved to its second phase, that of cordial exchanging of stones and tear gas between local youth and soldiers. Due to the heavy heat, several bush fires erupted around the army's grenades, and efforts to put them out were answered by more tear gas. One of the fires spread drastically, caused severe damage to olive trees, and was only put out with the help of the local fire fighters, who took their time in coming about.
After the fires, the demonstration was more or less over.

Around 80 Nabi Saleh residents, other Palestinians and international and Israeli supporters participated in this week's demonstration against the strangulating occupation and the Halamish settlement. This time the peaceful march was not attacked at first by the Israeli army. Protesters scattered around the main road that crosses Nabi Saleh, while the army was waiting on the road close to the settlement and the village's hill top that leads to the spring nearby. Soon enough clashes erupted, and the army's tear gas grenades set fire throughout the area. Tear gas and sound grenades were also thrown on and around houses that are located on the village's hill top.

Around 15:00 the army entered the main road and fired tear gas to more populated village's areas. During that time, 2 Israeli protesters were apprehended and detained by soldiers, one of them dragged on the road. The army retreated then. It turned out the protester who was dragged was also beaten in the car while in custody, and had her head bleeding. The protesters were released around 19:00 while clashes were still taking place.
A bit earlier on soldiers came out of one of the army's jeeps with tied assault dogs, storming on the retreating protesters. None were apprehended, and the army went back to his traditional and mostly human-exploitive weapons of tear gas and rubber-coated metal bullets.

The people of Ma'asara have decided to hold an arts festival commemorating the Nakba. The march from the village was small, but the festival attracted nearly 200 participants during the day. Speeches commemorating the Nakba were carried in Arabic & English, reviving memories from lost villages. The Palestinian minister of culture praised in her speech the villagers Sumud (adherence to the land). A singer, two Debka bands, players and the visiting drummers from Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem played during the march. One of the Israeli demonstrators was a refusing soldier – who refused his assignment to oppress the demonstration, and joined its just side. None of the soldiers were seen during the ceremonies, yet at the end of the day some clashes were reported between soldiers and some of the village youth.

Ma'asara, May 14 2010

In Ni'ilin, the demonstration was also dedicated to commemorating the Nakba day. The demonstrators gathered at the village fields, holding the Friday prayer there. The march then proceeded to the route of the wall, led by a demonstrator carrying a huge model of a key – symbolizing the 62 years old Palestinian passion of return. As the demonstration reached the huge concrete slabs dissecting the village from its agricultural land, clashes erupted between some of the village youth throwing stones at the soldiers, the last firing tear gas at every demonstrator.

Wad Rachal is a village located northern to Al Maasara, and is house to around 1500 residents. The land theft process is clearly obvious as concrete foundations, which will be used for the future fence, are placed beside the houses and separate them and their land in order to fulfill the expansion of the settlement Efrat. Today at noon around 40 Palestinians, 5 internationals, and 4 Israelis gathered to protest against the occupation. A short march along with flags and singing led us over the concrete foundations in front of police and military jeeps. The demonstration stopped in front of the soldiers, and after short speeches in Arabic and English we made our way back to the village.

Some 10 Israelis joined about 100 Palestinians in Biddu/Beit Ijza for a demonstration against the land annexation wall. Since the wall was set up the farmers were allowed to enter and work their lands across the fence on Mondays-Thursdays. But in the last three months they were not allowed to cross and take care of their fruit trees and vegetables. The demonstrators started the gathering with their midday prayers while the soldiers were watching from a distance. Then speeches were made in Hebrew and Arabic, and at some point the demonstrators' enthusiasm led to breaking the lock on the outer gate and taking it off its hinges. The demonstrators sat tensely and quietly between the fence's gates until the soldiers decided to take action, came through their gate and abducted two demonstrators. At this point some out of control youth threw stones, and an out of control soldier responded with gas. But the quiet was restored, and negotiations began, allowing the locals to explain their plight to the soldiers. In return to putting the gate back on its hinges the hostages were released, and the demonstration disbanded.

 A vibrant demonstration in Sheikh Jarrah was brutally put down by police Friday afternoon. 400 demonstrators gathered in the regular part in the entrance to the neighborhood, as usual stopped by police from going into the neighborhood itself. While police so far claimed any political demonstration in forbidden within the neighborhood, earlier in the week hundreds of settlers held a political festival right outside the houses which they are occupying, thus proving the police rule to be one that applies only to anti-occupation activists and the neighborhood's majority population of Palestinians.
In protest against this discrimination, demonstrators decided that this week they too deserve to enter the road where settlers are taking hold. Stopped by police, the demonstrators sat on the road and held hands. Police responded violently, arresting 14, and beating many others. Several demonstrators were hospitalized with broken bones.
Even so, those removed from the road returned to it time and time again, until police finally pushed everybody back to the park.
All arrestees spent the night in detention, and brought to court Saturday evening. A colorful demonstration took place outside the court hearing, where charges where pressed and the arrestees released but barred from returning to the neighborhood for a week.

Demonstration outside Jerusalem court