0930
We've all heard it. Most of us have been up close to it. The noise the digger makes as it breaks into the rocks. The fast staccato beat. Its sound hammering away at Palestinian rights. Its loud. And just like the Israeli occupation: repetitive, consistent, routine and oppressive. But for one whole hour on Sunday morning we made it silent.
Walaje
Al Walaja, with a population of approximately 2,000 residents, is located north-west of Bethlehem and south-west of Jerusalem. It is made up of areas within the Jerusalem municipal boundaries (the ‘Jerusalem’ side) and Areas B and C (the ‘West Bank’ side). In a series of cases, on behalf of its residents, the al Walaja Village Council petitioned the Israeli Supreme Court of Justice to change the route of the Wall to have it built along the Green Line and not within the West Bank.
In a recent decision regarding the western section of the Wall, (on the ‘West Bank’ side), the Supreme Court lifted an interim injunction that had managed to stop work on the Wall in that area since 28 December 2010. The decision rejected a proposed change to the Wall’s path, which means that a large area of agricultural land owned by residents of al Walaja will remain on the ‘Jerusalem’ side of the Wall, accessible only by agricultural gates and a permit system.
The village will effectively be surrounded by a wall, turned into a ghetto, all happening with the top-end Jerusalem shopping centre not a 10 minute drive down the valley.
1030
It was a completely peaceful non-violent direct action. Supporting the silence around us we did not yell, we did not shout, we did not fight. We only refused to comply. They took us one by one. Separating our locked arms with force and lifting us across the broken scarred landscape, dropping us by the side. Until the last one was taken and then that noise, that sound of oppression started up again like we'd never even been there.
Sat on the side, broken olive tree roots scattered around us, the size of some of them only going to show how ancient and large the trees would have been, I looked up to see our partners in peace looking at us; supportive, calm, appreciative and even proud of our act. And it broke my heart. I was reminded at how small an act it was. I was reminded of the life they lead under occupation.
1100
Eventually, after making pit stops at the base basketball court and the Malha check-point, were taken to Atarot Border Police station to be interrogated.
1300
Prepared to spend hours there we had books, food and a wonderful support team with us outside who brought us food, smiles and a BDS sign from the cars. During the 8 hours we were there we saw about 4 rounds of Palestinian workers who had been caught in Israel or on they way back were brought in. We talked with them, shared our food and watched as an officer screamed at them to take the batteries out of their phones while we were allowed to use ours. Just before we left we listened as they told us how they had been beaten up in the back of Jeep. As we stood at the gate, blocking it, discussing what we could do, the pepper spray we had avoided all day was used to threaten us away by a rough officer.
Any feeling of success went out of the window. We live in a racist, oppressive apartheid state with one rule for “them” and one for “us”. And we are not the ones who suffer at the hands of it. We have a great responsibility to keep fighting, to support, to help and to endure.
22:00
We were released with a 500 NIS bail each and a 14 day ban from al Walaja.
