Friday, July 1, 2005

Palestine-Israel, Bil'in, A new angle to the joint struggle against the fence 01 Jul

It was a quiet Friday. The state forces did not even tried to stop us - the Israelis from arriving at Bil'in. As the number exceeded the expectation the ride from Tel Aviv was crowded. We were about 45 Israelis from the Anarchists Against the Wall, People from the high school refusnics initiative, and others from the coalition against the fence. As we arrived early we had time to participate in the preparation of to day's presentation: about six people embedded in a fence with the inscription in both Arabic, English and Hebrew: "The fence is tearing us". At he usual hour - after the Friday religious ritual the demonstration started. The six of us embedded in the fence structure at the head. The others (including 150 villagers and 15 internationals behind us and the media people in front of us taking pictures and video for the TV international media channels.

And the march started... but not in the usual road to the fence we took the previous months. The army and police who were waiting us on the usual place were taking in surprise and blocked us only 100 meters from the route of the fence. There, they declared as usual that the area is military zone forbidden Israelis and gave 10 minutes before they start to disperse us. The people of the structure set down and the count down started. After 10 minutes of stand still and threats they started to disperse us. The commander ordered to arrest all the six of us embedded in the structure... but the policeman were not too diligent. The one who started to arrest me was content of detaching me from the structure and lifting me to my feet... and went away. Only two of our six were arrested.

Other three Israelis who confronted the state forces verbally were arrested too.. From the 5 Israeli detained two were released at the fence route and three were arrested and processed at the Givat Zeev police station - released few hours later on small bail and acceptance of 10 day abstaining from participation in demonstrations in Bil'in.

After the dispersing of the demonstration by tear gas, shock grenades, and the old metal bullets rubber coated and the new rubber foam bullets, the stone throwers started the ritual of attrition war with the soldiers. After short invasion of the village in the pursuit of the stone throwers, the defeated soldiers retreated and kept for a while the fight with the stone throwers on the fringes of the village.

After a while, they just retreated to their positions near the route.

During the dispersing of the demo and the stones "festival" Israelis, Palestinians and internationals 19 people were injured. Two of them more seriously, were taken to hospital.

One soldier too was moderately injured from a stone.

Electronic media reported on the demonstration - including very short item in the main public TV evening news. Usually giving the official lies - who do not admit the stone throwing starts only in retaliation for violent dispersing of our nonviolent demonstration.

No comments: