Palestine-Israel, Three years of persistent joint struggle against the separation fence and occupation 15-2-08

It was like previous 156 Fridays - 36 months - three years, without missing even one week, with other direct actions in other days, people of the village Bil'in, around the local popular comity, together with Israelis of the anarchists against the wall initiative, with internationals and media. We started at noon from the center of the village, marching on the road leading to the western lands of the village - cut by the separation fence, in the process of being robbed for the settlers town Modi'in Illit. More than half of the village 1000 acres are beyond the fence. Part of them already was taken and built on a new neighborhood of the settler town. Because of the joint struggle, the support it got, and the world wide media exposer, the Israeli Highest court of Justice intervened.

Half a year ago there was a verdict that tell the Israeli state to move the separation fence westward, and give back about half of the land now on the west of the fence.

As in other cases, the state (though bound by the law) is not too diligent in following the verdict - some times just refuse, other time it drag feet and need repeated "nagging" verdicts from the court.

As we reached the gate in the separation fence leading to the land on its west we found that the state force are just west of the rote of the separation fence. A situation hard to get used to after 35 months of bitter struggle in which the state forces tried to stop the Friday demonstrations, or at least prevent us from approaching the route of the fence, or if allowed - harassed by state force "guarding" the gate to the route the fence run in its middle.

When people opened the external gate as we did the two previous weeks, we got "punished". a volley of 4 rubber coated bullet was shot at the Imad Burnat, the video photographer of the village popular comity. One bullet destroy his camera and another bullet cut his flesh near the ear.

We retreated few meters and continue the demonstration. after a while, we started to return to the village - leaving the arena for the traditional war of attrition between the stone throwing youth and the state force which use bullets coated with rubber and tear gas.

Videos of the previous Friday demonstrations
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-St2hn_qPwE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmQSJIloSR0