Palestine-Israel, Bil'in, The Friday demonstration in solidarity with Imad. 13 Oct 2006

This friday demo in Bil'in was in solidarity with Imad, the local video photographer who persisted in recording the Friday demos in Bil'in. He was arrested and beaten last Friday when documenting the Israeli state force atrocities in the village few hours after the regular nonviolent demonstration. The frustrated Israeli state forces who fail to subdue the stone throwers and invaded the village. In the absence of Israeli and media video camera men they regarded Imad as the only obstacle to the free expression of their fury. Their charges against him were so unreasonable that the military judge refuted them. His verdict to release him was contested by a higher level judge who agreed with the lower level one about the absurd accusations of Imad, but find in the recording by Imad some suspicious remarks - justifying the continuation of his arrest.

As usual, we started at noon our march from the center of the village on the road towards the route of the separation fence. Palestinians, internationals, and people mobilized by the Israeli anarchists against the wall initiative we marched with placards and flags - chanting all the way up to the blocked gate to the route of the separation fence. On the way we have seen the soldiers of the state forces among the olive trees on the border of the building area of the village - inviting the stone thrower youth for the usual confrontation.

In a way, they just served our purpose as the confrontation between them was thus far away from the non violent demonstration. Thus, we could do our thing without being injured by the stone throwers or the retaliation of the state forces.

When we arrived at the blocked gate, the commander recited as on the previous cases that the route of the fence is a closed military zone, and the usual low intensity confrontation - mainly verbal continued.

As usual, the state forces left one meter opening not blocked by the armored cars and the gate, inviting physical confrontation. One palestinian comrade invaded the route starting an effort to detain him. In response, 5 Israelis forced their way to the route to prevent his arrest. At the end of the confrontation a 16 years old Israeli girl was the only detainee while The Palestinian comrade was dearrested, and so were the other 4 Israelis.

After a while, the village comity declared the end of the demonstration and we returned to the village, passing near the stone throwers - hearing from time to time shots of rubber coated bullets and the explosions of tear gas grenades.

Some time after the end of the demonstration the detained Israeli comrade was released in the near by intersection on the Israeli side of the green line.