RAMALLAH, November 13, 2009 (WAFA)- The West Bank villages of Bil’in, Ni’lin and Al-Ma'sara commemorated the fifth anniversary of late president Yasser Arafat in their weekly demonstrations against the Israeli apartheid Wall and settlement activities.
In Bil’in west of Ramallah, citizens gathered in a large demonstration, in response to a call from the Poplar Committee Against the Wall. They were joined by international and Israeli activists, as well as a group of members and supporters of the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash) and a delegation of members of the Palestinian People’s Party. The protest was led by Mohammed Baraka - the front’s general secretary and member of the Israeli Knesset. One international activist was injured and dozens suffered tear gas inhalation at the weekly demonstration in Bil’in.
The demonstrators raised Palestinian flags and pictures of the of Arafat, along with banners marking the fifth year of his martyrdom, emphasizing their loyalty to his soul. Other banners expressed solidarity with Mohammed Baraka, who will stand on trial in front of an Israeli court next week as a result of his participation in one of the Bil’in weekly demonstration in 2005.
Mr. Baraka expressed his commitment to participating in the popular demonstrations against the Wall, settlements and occupation, and his determination to participate regardless of the decision of the court.
In his words, even if the judge ruled to imprison him for his activities connected to defending the Palestinian land and nation, it would be an honor to serve his sentence.
Demonstrators wore t-shirts with a slogan commemorating the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall - “From Berlin to Bil’in, The Wall Shall Fall” - to emphasize the destruction of the Wall in Bil’in and the whole Palestine was inevitable, similarly to what happened in Berlin 20 years ago. They also chanted slogans against the Wall, showing their determination to continue in their resistance, which has started almost five years ago, until the wall built on their land falls.
After initial speeches by members of the Popular Committee, members of Knesset and activists from Israel and countries from around the whole world, the demonstrators marched towards the Wall. Straight after they reached the Wall, the army declared the area a closed military zone, and, within seconds after the announcement, started shooting tear gas. At the beginning the army was throwing individual tear gas canisters at the crowd, however, after some demonstrators attempted to hang banners and Palestinian flags on the barrier, they started using a machine that shoots around 30 tear gas bombs at a time. Dozens suffered severe tear gas inhalation, including Mohammed Baraka, and one international activist, Kyle (32) from the United States was injured after he was trying to escape from the tear gas. His injury, bleeding from his head, required hospital treatment and a number of stitches.
In Nilin west of Ramallah, more than 200 people participated in the protest that the local popular committee organizes every week on Friday. The people of Ni’lin performed the Friday prayer on the land next to the Ni’lin health clinic, where Imam Salah Mohammad Tayeh praised late Palestinian leader and symbol Yasser Arafat and the martyrs of Ni’lin and said that their blood will not be forgotten and Ni’lin will continue what they have started.
After the prayer, the people of Ni’lin, accompanied by international and Israeli activists marched to the Wall carrying Palestinian flags and posters of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, calling for Palestinian unity and an end to the Israeli policies of violence and aggression against the Palestinian people.
Coordinator of the Ni'lin popular committee, Ibraheem Amera, said that the Israeli violence and killing will not prevent the people of Ni’lin from continuing there struggle and resistance.
“We will not stop what our leaders started”, he said, “and today we say to the leader Yasser Arafat and to the martyrs of Ni’lin that we will continue what you started.”
Once the demonstration reached the Wall Israeli soldiers was awaiting them and immediately started firing of tear gas, rubber coated steel bullets and also live ammunition. The crowded dispersed and two people sustained minor injuries from grazing shots. The demonstration is still ongoing and so far the military has not entered through the gate.
Amera also stated that the popular committee had been informed this week that the Israeli military wants to ‘crush the struggle in Ni’lin’ and that therefore, organizers urged demonstrators to be extra cautious. He believes that this decision was made by the Israeli military, because in Ni’lin the Wall has been breached twice already, and after the fall of the wall in Qalandiya, the Israeli military is afraid that the ‘Ni’lin Wall Virus’ will start to spread throughout the whole West Bank. He
One of the youth from the village added: Ni’lin has really stepped up the resistance, we’ve gone beyond protesting and just shouting to tear down the Wall, we’ve actually mentioned to bring down the Wall ourselves. Not just in Ni’lin, but also in Qalandiya and this will soon spread throughout the whole West Bank. We, as Palestinians, are determined more than ever, to have our rights as human beings acknowledged, no matter how long it will take and what we need to do for it.
In Al-Ma'sara near Bethlehem, citizens gathered along with Israeli and international activists to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Arafat and to protest against the illegal Apartheid Wall and settlement building. The protesters raised Palestinian flags and banners demanding that farmers be allowed to access their lands to pick olives. As every Friday for the past three years, they were intercepted by Israeli soldiers who had put up a fence of barb wire at the entrance to the village, effectively cutting off the villager's access to their lands.
Demonstrators chanted against the discriminatory policies of the occupation and reminded that only this morning, farmers who were picking olives on their lands in the surrounding villagers were harassed by settlers while Israeli soldiers stood by. In Arabic and English, protestors asked the soldiers to reconsider what they were doing and join those Palestinian, Israeli and international civilians on this side who abide by the international human rights and who work together for just peace.
Protestors attempted to remove the barb wire and continue their march towards their lands and the site of the Wall. A woman from the village asked the Israeli soldiers what they were doing here in her village and pushed them out of her way, succeeding in continuing her walk towards Um Salamoneh, defiantly carrying the Palestinian flag.
