The 62nd 15th of May 1948 Nakhba day was commemorated this weekend. On the week end, in addition to the regular joint actions in Beit Jala, Beit Umar, Bil'in, Court solidarity, Hebron, Ma'asara, Nabi Salih, Ni'ilin, Wallaje, Sheikh Jarrah, we were also in Bidu, and Wad Rachal.... Wednesday: "About hundred Israelis: of the radical left including the activists of the anarchists against the wall initiative, and hundreds of Bedouins of the Israeli arid south (Negev), participated on Wednesday in Tel Aviv, protesting the continuous robbery of lands and transfer of the Palestinians that never ended even within the 1948 borders of Israel".
BEIT JALLA
In an action this Sunday morning 16-5-10 the bulldozers were stopped in Beit Jala. 4 Israelis and 4 internationals were arrested.
Media: A young Palestinian protester climbs on an excavator during a demonstration by Palestinian, Israeli and foreign activists against Israel's controversial separation barrier in the West Bank town of Beit Jala near Bethlehem on May 16, 2010. Israel says the network of steel and concrete walls, fences and barbed wire is needed for security while the Palestinians view it as a land grab that undermines their promised state.
http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0cSn0efeeAgjP/x250.jpg
BIDU
Some 10 Israelis joined about 100 Palestinians in Biddu/Beit Ijza for a demonstration against the land annexation wall. Since the wall was set up the farmers were allowed to enter and work their lands across the fence on Mondays-Thursdays. But in the last three months they were not allowed to cross and take care of their fruit trees and vegetables. The demonstrators started the gathering with their midday prayers while the soldiers were watching from a distance. Then speeches were made in Hebrew and Arabic, and at some point the demonstrators' enthusiasm led to breaking the lock on the outer gate and taking it off its hinges. The demonstrators sat tensely and quietly between the the fence's gates until the soldiers decided to take action, came through their gate and abducted two demonstrators. At this point some out of control youth threw stones, and an out of control soldier responded with gas. But the quiet was restored, and negotiations began, allowing the locals to explain their plight to the soldiers. In return to putting the gate back on its hinges the hostages were released, and the demonstration disbanded.
BIL'IN
About 30 Israeli activists and a bunch of internationals joined one hundred Palestinian residents of Bil'in and delegation of the PFLP for a special demonstration in commemoration of the Nakba. Demonstrators carried a large "Key of Return", and three of them were dressed as Handalle, the symbol of Palestinian exile and resistance.
Once at the fence demonstrators were soon met by flying tear gas canisters (the soldiers had not waited for the stone throwing of the shabbab as pretext) which had little to no effect as the wind was blowing in the soldiers' direction. The soldiers thus decided to cross the fence and scare demonstrators away. As the we were running, one photographer was caught and arrested.
At this point the demonstration moved to its second phase, that of cordial exchanging of stones and tear gas between local youth and soldiers. Due to the heavy heat, several bush fires erupted around the army's grenades, and efforts to put them out were answered by more tear gas. One of the fires spread drastically, caused severe damage to olive trees, and was only put out with the help of the local fire fighters, who took their time in coming about.
After the fires, the demonstration was more or less over and half of the Israelis traveled to the Sheikh Jarrah demonstration.
David Reeb video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-aIKYnJjek
Picture: http://awalls.org/files/images/bilin14-5-10.jpg
COURT SOLIDARITY
Comrades converged Monday at the Jerusalem court for solidarity. It was the first hearing of the first 8 comrades arrested in the Sheikh Jarrah demonstrations.
Tuesday and Wednesdays there were two court dates for Abdallah Abu Rahme of Bil'in in the Ofer military court.
Wednesday comrades converged in Ameer Makhoul, an Israeli citizen Palestinian human rights defender at Petah Tikva court hearing.
Saturday night there was a big solidarity demonstration while the 14 arrested in the Friday demonstration in Sheikh Jarrah were processed after spending 28 hours in jail.
HEBRON (Al Halil)
Media: A left-wing Israeli peace activist (L) tries to stop an Israeli soldier from detaining a Palestinian boy during a peacefull demonstration near an Israeli army checkpoint in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron on May 15, 2010 on the occasion of what Palestinians and Arab Israelis call the Nakba, or the "catastrophe" of Israel's creation in 1948, to demand the right of return of refugees. More than 760,000 Palestinians -- estimated today to number 4.7 million with their descendants -- were pushed into exile or driven out of their homes in the conflict that followed Israel's creation 62 years ago.
http://media.nj.com/star-ledger/photo/-8917bd2a50d35ad0_custom_665xauto.jpg
MA'ASARA
On Friday there was an arts festival in the village in the memory of the 1948 Nakhba day. The march started with not too many participants, but during the happening the number of participants raised to about 200. Members of the of the village popular comity carried speeches in Arabic, English, and Hebrew to commemorate the Nakhba and the lost villages were carried. At some point, Shai who was supposed to serve as reservist at the state force guarding the demo - but refused to enlist and came to the demo instead, was put on the stage and got lot of warmth and respect.
In the same mood of the previous Friday demo, the state forces kept a low profile till 10 minutes after the stage and chairs were taken away. Then a short exchanges of shabbab's stone throwing and army tear gas developed.
http://awalls.org/files/images/maasara14-5-10.jpg
NABI SALIH
Army Detained Two Israeli Protesters and Beats One While in Custody, Introduces Assault Dogs in Nabi Saleh Demo on May 14, 2010
Around 80 Nabi Saleh residents, other Palestinians and international and Israeli supporters participated in this week's demonstration against the strangulating occupation and the Halamish settlement. This time the peaceful march was not attacked at first by the Israeli army. Protesters scattered around the main road that crosses Nabi Saleh, while the army was waiting on the road close to the settlement and the village's hill top that leads to the spring nearby. Soon enough clashes erupted, and the army's tear gas grenades set fire throughout the area. Tear gas and sound grenades were also thrown on and around houses that are located on the village's hill top.
Around 15:00 the army entered the main road and fired tear gas to more populated village's areas. During that time, 2 Israeli protesters were apprehended and detained by soldiers, one of them dragged on the road. The army retreated then. It turned out the protester who was dragged was also beaten in the car while in custody, and had her head bleeding. The protesters were released around 19:00 while clashes were still taking place.
A bit earlier soldiers came out of one of the army's jeeps with tied assault dogs, storming on the retreating protesters. None were apprehended, and the army went back to his traditional and mostly human-repugnant weapons of tear gas and rubber-coated metal bullets.
Israel Puterman video clip of 14-5-2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETDt178TXVE
NI'ILIN
In Ni'ilin, the demonstration was also dedicated to commemorating the Nakba day. The demonstrators gathered at the village fields, holding the Friday prayer there. The march then proceeded to the route of the wall, led by a demonstrator carrying a huge model of a key – symbolizing the 62 years old Palestinian passion of return. As the demonstration reached the huge concrete slabs dissecting the village from its agricultural land, clashes erupted between some of the village youth throwing stones at the soldiers, the last firing tear gas at every demonstrator.
SHEIKH JARRAH (Jerusalem-Al-Kuds)
During the week activists distributed fliers and joined the Palestinian families in the eviction street - including a vigil at the neighborhood on Wednesday afternoon in the "Jerusalem Day.
This Friday the main demonstration was preceded with a march of few dozens strong from the Old Jerusalem location towards Sheikh Jarrah.
Few hundreds (Media say 350) - Mainly locals and a bus load of Tel Vivians came to the main demonstration location. At a certain point more than a 100 activists crossed the main street and started to march to towards the evicted an in danger of future eviction houses. When blocked by the state forces we seat on the road. State forces started to harass a arrest people in the front of us. After arresting 14, they changed to just roughly lift people from the road and moved the to the pavement of the near by main road. About 6 comrades needed medical treatment for injuries.
Two were released after they accepted a plea with restriction from Sheikh Jarrah for two weeks. The others refused and served the night at prison till Saturday night hearing.
Video clips at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwEubxCsnGc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY5-HdQKqok
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0-th3P1rpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHEmt75Zp8c
Media report: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3889588,00.html
Saturday late night/early morning, the 12 arrested were released with restriction from the neighborhood till the next hearing on next Sunday - 23-5-10.
TEL AVIV
Call the public to DEMONSTRATE In Tel Aviv, on Wednesday, May 12th, 2010 at 5:30.
With hundreds of Bedouins from the Negev:
TO PUT A STOP TO THE THEFT OF BEDOUIN LAND IN THE NEGEV !
STOP KKL’S FORESTATION WORKS ON AL ARAKIB LAND – RIGHT NOW!
HALT STATE POLICY OF HOME DEMOLITIONS, EVICTION AND CROP DESTRUCTION!!!
In the past year, the authorities have exacerbated their harassment of Bedouin residents of the unrecognized villages in the Negev , in order to dispossess them of their lands and dwelling places.
The State implements this abominable and dangerous policy by making the Bedouins’ lives impossible in the unrecognized villages, by demolishing their homes, issuing eviction orders, destroying crops and carrying out forestation projects in Bedouin-owned lands by leasing them to the KKL.
Such policy will not bear any positive fruit for anyone living in the Negev, neither Jews nor Arabs – it will only increase alienation and hatred and prevent the development of the Negev for the good of all its communities. Only the recognition of equal civil rights for Bedouins and their rights to their claimed lands will make the Negev bloom.
The State’s dispossession of the Bedouins, and the discriminatory practices and violation of the fundamental rights of the Arab minority in Israel are dangerous acts: if they are not stopped, they will put an end to the values of equality, liberty and democracy that are already deteriorating in Israel . The struggle for the rights of the Bedouins is common to all those concerned about the democratic and egalitarian image of the State – Arabs and Jews alike.
WE DEMAND OF THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL
TO RECOGNIZE THE UNRECOGNIZED VILLAGES AND PROVIDE THEM WITH MUNICIPAL SERVICES!
TO RECOGNIZE AND REGULATE DE-FACTO ALL OWNERSHIP CLAIMS OF THE BEDOUINS TO THEIR NEGEV LANDS!!
TO RECOGNIZE THE RIGHT OF EVERY BEDOUIN, AS THAT OF ANY OTHER CITIZEN, TO CHOOSE HIS/HER WAY OF LIFE AND PLACE OF DWELLING!!!
WE DEMAND OF THE KKL TO CEASE FORESTATION WORKS ON AL ARAKIB LAND IMMEDIATELY!
OUR NEXT ANNOUNCEMENT WILL CONTAIN INFORMATION ON THE PLACE, TIME AND SPEAKERS AT THE DEMONSTRATION
The demonstration:
On Wednesday late afternoon the hundreds of Bedouins - citizens of Israel from the arid south came to the demonstration in Tel Aviv center. About hundred Israelis: of the radical left including the activists of the anarchists against the wall initiative participated in the protest of the advanced of robbery of lands and transfer of the Palestinians that never ended even within the 1948 borders of Israel.
WAD RACHAL (near Ma'asara)
The first joint Friday demonstration against the separation fence and occupation in another village in the south of Bethlehem region.
Wad Rachal is a village which is located northern to Al Maasara, and is a house to around 1500 residents. the land stealing process is clearly obvious as concrete foundations, which will be used for the future separation fence, is placed beside the houses and separate between them and their land in order to fulfill the
expansion of the settlement Efrat. today at noon around 40 Palestinians, 5
internationals, and 4 Israelis gathered to protest against the occupation. a short march along with flags and singing led us over the concrete foundations in front of police and military jeeps. the demonstration stopped in front of the soldiers, and after short speeches in Arabic and English we made our way back to the village, and only luckily the situation didn't escalated to tear gas and rubber bullets.
WALLAGE
The struggle in the village intensified. Demonstrations and direct actions were during the whole week:
"There will be a demo in wallaje on Tuesday"
"In the last month the people of al-wallaje have started weekly Friday demos against the wall that will surround the village and the settlement planned on its land.
On 22.4 bulldozers started leveling the ground for the wall the village, since then the people of the village and other palestinians have acted directly together with Israelis and internationals opposing the working bulldozers, in addition every Friday the people of al-walaje march to the work site and demonstrate."
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See Previous reports at: http://ilanisagainstwalls.blogspot.com
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