In Bil'in the brutality of state force escalate. It is on the background of a storm in the media last few days about the assault of military Captain and his unit on activist of the the anarchists against the wall (AATW) and other participant in an action of removing a road block and demo at Dhaharriya (Near Hebron). The theme of the Friday demo of 11th May in Bil'in (the 118th) was the protesting of the Israeli state persecution of the Israeli Palestinian member of parliament Azmi Bashara. The demonstration of the usual participants - Palestinians from the village and the region, internationals, and Israeli of AATW - marched on the road leading to the gate in the separation fence used to rob more than half of the lands of the village. The march and the chanting was peacefully till we arrived at the bottom of the hill the gate is on its top.
As in the last few weeks since the new Israeli occupation regional commander was replaced, we found there a spool of razor wire blocking the road and Israeli state forces half the way up the hill. The commander shouted in his lowed speaker that the wire mark a closed military zone and threatened to punish us if any one will try to cross it.
As usual the ones in the head of the demonstration crossed that line and in spite of shower of tear gas shooting advanced up the hill, while the rest of us retreated a bit. When the bolder member reached the soldiers they were warned that they will be arrested if not going away. As they refused, the state force detained 10 activists - 6 Palestinians and 4 Israelis, all released after the end of the demonstration.
While the comrades were near the soldiers they could not use against them tear gas, so they used other means instead.... Adib Abu Rahme - Palestinian activist from Bil'in, was shot with rubber bullets from about 3 meters distance today during the demo in Bil'in. He was shot for no apparent reason. (It was also against the Israeli law about the range and body part "legitimate" for such act.) He is of course Palestinian so it didn't make as much noise as the Dhaharriya incident. Anyway, since he was shot from such a close range, the two bullets that hit him, one in each thigh, penetrated, and he had to be operated. He is hospitalized in the Sheikh Zayed hospital in Ramallah, and will have to remain in the hospital for at least two days.
When the state force were in it, they continue to shoot tear gas canisters and rubber coated bullets to force the rest of the participants to retreat all the way back to the outskirts of the village.
=======================
In the other two Friday joint demonstrations - in Yata and Um Salmuna, things were quieter. In the demo near Um Salmuna, it was just a mild pushing and pushing back with Israeli soldiers who blocked the way of the demonstration.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Israeli Forces Attack Activists After They Open Roadblock in Palestine near Daharya Israeli Media raged. 10 May 2007
Today for the second time this week internationals from Palestine Solidarity Project and Israeli activists of the anarchists against the wall initiative joined the people of Dhahariya to open the roadblock that prohibits them from accessing the main road to Hebron and the rest of Palestine. The same people first opened the roadblock on May 3rd, but after two days it was closed by the Israeli Occupation Forces. Today, the people were determined to open it again. Nearly 100 Palestinians and 10 Israeli and international activists pushed, pulled, and rolled 4 large cement blocks out of the path of the road, which has been blocked since the early 1990's.
Activists cheered as the first taxi drove through walked down the road with it towards the highway where one Israeli military jeep was waiting. Though the taxi was forced at that time to turn around, the people stayed in the street, chanting 'la, la, ichtilal' ('no, no, occupation').
When two more jeeps arrived the demonstrators all sat on the ground, illustrating that the action was completely non-violent. As they stood up to leave, still chanting, the Israeli soldiers attacked.
Today, a army car with 5 reservists soldiers with a captain commander arrived where the people dismantled the road block. They attacked brutally the activists who have not retreated. The officer in charge brutally attacked one Israeli activist, B, ramming the muzzle of his gun into the activist's chest, knocking him to the ground and immediately causing a large bruise on his chest. Soldiers then shot in the air with live ammunition and chased the Palestinians, beating them from behind as they moved back behind the newly opened roadblock. The Israeli and international activists attempted to make a buffer between the soldiers and the Palestinians and were successful; the soldiers then turned on them.
The soldiers never gave any particular orders, they simply went on a rampage. One Israeli activist, M, was repeatedly kicked and chased around the area by a soldier. An international activist was choked, by the same commanding officer who attacked B, as she was filming and another Israeli activist was thrown against a car and also choked.
After kicking, punching and beating the Israeli and international activists with their guns, they focused on M. Once again, the commanding officer grabbed him and threw him to the ground where he was viciously kicked and beaten. As other Israeli and international activists attempted to protect him, they, too, were punched and pushed to the ground. The soldiers then grabbed M by his throat, twisted his arm behind his back, slammed him into the side of the jeep and then threw him into the back of the jeep, kidnapping him. Israeli soldiers have no jurisdiction over other Israeli citizens, it was completely illegal for them to take the Israeli activist. Afraid of what the soldiers intended to do with M, some Israeli activists followed the jeep in their car. M was taken to the nearby settlement Bet Haggai. The soldiers told the guards not to let the trailing Israeli car in, and drove M into the settlement. He was then let go and the soldiers sped away.
Meanwhile, the soldiers prevented a Red Crescent Ambulance from approaching the activists who had been injured. Basem 'Teed, 23, and Nidal Fasfoos, 15, were injured by being rammed in the chest and kidneys with the soldiers' rifles. People present were forced to carry them to the medics. The newly opened roadblock was immediately put to good use when another ambulance was able to approach the injured people from the other side. Both men were taken to the hospital in Hebron. The Israeli activist, B, was also treated and potentially has cracked ribs and internal bleeding. He went to the hospital in Tel Aviv. In all, 5 Palestinians, were injured and 2 Israeli activists were injured. Though the soldiers were excessively violent, the people left with high spirits, having successfully re-opened the roadblock.
Palestine Solidarity Project is a non-hierarchical Palestinian project with international volunteers that is dedicated to confronting the Israeli Occupation. Join us this summer!
http://Palestinesolidarityproject.org
The opening of the road block today differed from the previously three opened last week or so, where no physical confrontation with state force occurred. It was also in parallel to the demand of the US to dismantle most of the road blocks (Israel already promised to do along the last months.... It was also when the brutality of police against students on strike demonstrated was infuriating the media... and the brutality of the officer and soldiers against Israeli activists was without precedent. Thus, all the main media channels including the TV ones included it in their news programs.
This forced the authorities to promise that there will be investigation.
Activists cheered as the first taxi drove through walked down the road with it towards the highway where one Israeli military jeep was waiting. Though the taxi was forced at that time to turn around, the people stayed in the street, chanting 'la, la, ichtilal' ('no, no, occupation').
When two more jeeps arrived the demonstrators all sat on the ground, illustrating that the action was completely non-violent. As they stood up to leave, still chanting, the Israeli soldiers attacked.
Today, a army car with 5 reservists soldiers with a captain commander arrived where the people dismantled the road block. They attacked brutally the activists who have not retreated. The officer in charge brutally attacked one Israeli activist, B, ramming the muzzle of his gun into the activist's chest, knocking him to the ground and immediately causing a large bruise on his chest. Soldiers then shot in the air with live ammunition and chased the Palestinians, beating them from behind as they moved back behind the newly opened roadblock. The Israeli and international activists attempted to make a buffer between the soldiers and the Palestinians and were successful; the soldiers then turned on them.
The soldiers never gave any particular orders, they simply went on a rampage. One Israeli activist, M, was repeatedly kicked and chased around the area by a soldier. An international activist was choked, by the same commanding officer who attacked B, as she was filming and another Israeli activist was thrown against a car and also choked.
After kicking, punching and beating the Israeli and international activists with their guns, they focused on M. Once again, the commanding officer grabbed him and threw him to the ground where he was viciously kicked and beaten. As other Israeli and international activists attempted to protect him, they, too, were punched and pushed to the ground. The soldiers then grabbed M by his throat, twisted his arm behind his back, slammed him into the side of the jeep and then threw him into the back of the jeep, kidnapping him. Israeli soldiers have no jurisdiction over other Israeli citizens, it was completely illegal for them to take the Israeli activist. Afraid of what the soldiers intended to do with M, some Israeli activists followed the jeep in their car. M was taken to the nearby settlement Bet Haggai. The soldiers told the guards not to let the trailing Israeli car in, and drove M into the settlement. He was then let go and the soldiers sped away.
Meanwhile, the soldiers prevented a Red Crescent Ambulance from approaching the activists who had been injured. Basem 'Teed, 23, and Nidal Fasfoos, 15, were injured by being rammed in the chest and kidneys with the soldiers' rifles. People present were forced to carry them to the medics. The newly opened roadblock was immediately put to good use when another ambulance was able to approach the injured people from the other side. Both men were taken to the hospital in Hebron. The Israeli activist, B, was also treated and potentially has cracked ribs and internal bleeding. He went to the hospital in Tel Aviv. In all, 5 Palestinians, were injured and 2 Israeli activists were injured. Though the soldiers were excessively violent, the people left with high spirits, having successfully re-opened the roadblock.
Palestine Solidarity Project is a non-hierarchical Palestinian project with international volunteers that is dedicated to confronting the Israeli Occupation. Join us this summer!
http://Palestinesolidarityproject.org
The opening of the road block today differed from the previously three opened last week or so, where no physical confrontation with state force occurred. It was also in parallel to the demand of the US to dismantle most of the road blocks (Israel already promised to do along the last months.... It was also when the brutality of police against students on strike demonstrated was infuriating the media... and the brutality of the officer and soldiers against Israeli activists was without precedent. Thus, all the main media channels including the TV ones included it in their news programs.
This forced the authorities to promise that there will be investigation.
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Israel, 40 Years is Enough! Six Days of Action against the Occupation of Palestine - June 6 1967 - Global Day of Action - June 2-12 ; 06 May 2007
The second week of June will mark forty years since the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza in the 1967 Six Day war. This is now the longest enduring military occupation in the world. While the Israeli government evades negotiations that would end the occupation and lead to a just peace, the lives of Palestinians continue to be crushed daily by closures and economic strangulation, their land confiscated for settlements and their communities made into prisons by the Segregation Wall. --- At the same time, violence in the region continues to supply ideological fuel for the G8 governments in their War on Terror', explicitly declared as a never-ending, pre-emptive global war which justifies erasing civil liberties, supporting oppressive regimes, and attacking refugees and migrants. We are all victims of this war: in Palestine and Israel, in Iraq and in Colombia, in Germany and in the U.S.A.
With the occupation at forty it should be clear to all that its forceful hegemony cannot be resisted by established political means alone. This is both morally insufficient and doomed to practical failure. As a strategic and practical alternative, the "Occupation 40" coalition is calling for six days of actions to mark forty years of occupation, on June 6 to 12 2007. A Global Day of Action has also been called on June 9.
The coalition is a democratic and non-hierarchical action platform of grassroots Israeli groups and organizations. Peace organizations, artists, students' groups, internal refugees, anarchists, animal rights activists, communists* and individuals participate in this initiative. The six-day convergence in Israel will include demonstrations, direct actions, discussions and cultural events.
This is a call-out for international direct actions against the occupation on June 6-12. We call in particular for actions against corporations profiting directly from the occupation that publicly shame them and/or cause them economic damage. Information on corporations involved with the occupation is available from http://www.boycottisrael.co.uk and many other sources, including a recent report by War on Want available at http://www.waronwant.org/download.php?id=443.
We hope that actions will be organized to be decentralized and trust them to the initiative and self-organization of affinity groups around the world.These days of action fit well into this summer's international action calendar:
* June 5 - An international day of action against militarization, wars and occupations, in the run-up to the G8 summit in Germany. * June 6-8 - Protests against the G8, with the participation of Palestinian and Israeli activists and Palestine Solidarity groups from around Europe. * June 6-12 - 6 days of action against the Occupation, in Palestine/Israel and Internationally * June 9 - Rally in London, Global Day of Action Against the Occupation * June 10-11 - Protest, teach-in and lobby in Washington DC
Please distribute this call widely, and please organise for action with your groups and networks. We can use this symbolic moment to hit out at those who benefit and profit from the pain and despair in Palestine, and to send the Israeli and G8 governments a message they cannot ignore.
Kibush 40 Coalition:
Anarchists Against the Wall - http://awalls.org
Coalition of Women for Peace - http://coalitionofwomen.org
Gush Shalom - http://gush-shalom.org
Indymedia Israel - http://israel.indymedia.org
Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions - http://icahd.org/
Machsom Watch - http://machsomwatch.org
Ta'ayush - http://taayush.org
Zochrot - http://nakbainhebrew.org
International links:
Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation (USA) - http://endtheoccupation.org
Campaign Against Israeli Apartheid (Canada) - http://caiaweb.org
Enough Coalition (UK) - http://www.enoughoccupation.org
Kibush 40 coalition - http://www.kibush40.org
===================================
* In Israel, lot of anomalies occur day in and day out. The Israeli communist party that was following blindly the Russian Bolsheviks dictates, blessed the 1947 United Nation resolution that allocated half of Palestine to the Jewish minority of Zionist settler colonialist project in Palestine. As the Stalinist USSR recognized the state of Israel who took 75% of Palestine, land (their part and in addition half of what was allocated to the Palestinian state) the Israeli CP accepted that too.
After the dismantling of the Eastern block the ICP lost its economic backing and diminished quickly till it became nearly extinct in the Jewish population of Israel.
Last 10 years or so, have seen the ICP trying to be friendly towards the Israeli anarchists. They let them use the ICP place in Tel Aviv for punk gigs and other activities. When about 7 years ago the total refusnic activities collected momentum with anarchist activists involvement, they did not prevent their youth from participation (in contradiction to what they did 30 years ago to the first political refusnic initiative influenced by antiauthoritarians of the left).
When the Israeli Anarchists Against The wall started to collect momentum, the ICP joined the other initiatives who formed the coalition against the fence, in which the AATW is at the core.
By joining the "40 Years is Enough!" initiated by activists of the AATW they accepted the common base of non-hierarchical action platform, and a banner that does not call for two states. [I. S.]
With the occupation at forty it should be clear to all that its forceful hegemony cannot be resisted by established political means alone. This is both morally insufficient and doomed to practical failure. As a strategic and practical alternative, the "Occupation 40" coalition is calling for six days of actions to mark forty years of occupation, on June 6 to 12 2007. A Global Day of Action has also been called on June 9.
The coalition is a democratic and non-hierarchical action platform of grassroots Israeli groups and organizations. Peace organizations, artists, students' groups, internal refugees, anarchists, animal rights activists, communists* and individuals participate in this initiative. The six-day convergence in Israel will include demonstrations, direct actions, discussions and cultural events.
This is a call-out for international direct actions against the occupation on June 6-12. We call in particular for actions against corporations profiting directly from the occupation that publicly shame them and/or cause them economic damage. Information on corporations involved with the occupation is available from http://www.boycottisrael.co.uk and many other sources, including a recent report by War on Want available at http://www.waronwant.org/download.php?id=443.
We hope that actions will be organized to be decentralized and trust them to the initiative and self-organization of affinity groups around the world.These days of action fit well into this summer's international action calendar:
* June 5 - An international day of action against militarization, wars and occupations, in the run-up to the G8 summit in Germany. * June 6-8 - Protests against the G8, with the participation of Palestinian and Israeli activists and Palestine Solidarity groups from around Europe. * June 6-12 - 6 days of action against the Occupation, in Palestine/Israel and Internationally * June 9 - Rally in London, Global Day of Action Against the Occupation * June 10-11 - Protest, teach-in and lobby in Washington DC
Please distribute this call widely, and please organise for action with your groups and networks. We can use this symbolic moment to hit out at those who benefit and profit from the pain and despair in Palestine, and to send the Israeli and G8 governments a message they cannot ignore.
Kibush 40 Coalition:
Anarchists Against the Wall - http://awalls.org
Coalition of Women for Peace - http://coalitionofwomen.org
Gush Shalom - http://gush-shalom.org
Indymedia Israel - http://israel.indymedia.org
Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions - http://icahd.org/
Machsom Watch - http://machsomwatch.org
Ta'ayush - http://taayush.org
Zochrot - http://nakbainhebrew.org
International links:
Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation (USA) - http://endtheoccupation.org
Campaign Against Israeli Apartheid (Canada) - http://caiaweb.org
Enough Coalition (UK) - http://www.enoughoccupation.org
Kibush 40 coalition - http://www.kibush40.org
===================================
* In Israel, lot of anomalies occur day in and day out. The Israeli communist party that was following blindly the Russian Bolsheviks dictates, blessed the 1947 United Nation resolution that allocated half of Palestine to the Jewish minority of Zionist settler colonialist project in Palestine. As the Stalinist USSR recognized the state of Israel who took 75% of Palestine, land (their part and in addition half of what was allocated to the Palestinian state) the Israeli CP accepted that too.
After the dismantling of the Eastern block the ICP lost its economic backing and diminished quickly till it became nearly extinct in the Jewish population of Israel.
Last 10 years or so, have seen the ICP trying to be friendly towards the Israeli anarchists. They let them use the ICP place in Tel Aviv for punk gigs and other activities. When about 7 years ago the total refusnic activities collected momentum with anarchist activists involvement, they did not prevent their youth from participation (in contradiction to what they did 30 years ago to the first political refusnic initiative influenced by antiauthoritarians of the left).
When the Israeli Anarchists Against The wall started to collect momentum, the ICP joined the other initiatives who formed the coalition against the fence, in which the AATW is at the core.
By joining the "40 Years is Enough!" initiated by activists of the AATW they accepted the common base of non-hierarchical action platform, and a banner that does not call for two states. [I. S.]
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Palestine-Israel, the joint struggle against occupation and the separation fence continue - Bil'in, Ramalla, and Hebron regions 05 May 2007
It was the 117th Friday demonstration against the separation fence in Bil'in. The construction of the separation fence in the region already completed, but the struggle still continue. As the Israeli highest court of "justice" still have not gave its verdicts on the three cases related to Bil'in lands, there is also some hope for some gains in addition to the keeping the struggle against the separation fence presence in the focus of the media. For already 26 months, villagers from the West Bank village of Bil'in, neighbors, and people from the regional city Ramalla, together with international activists, and Israelis of the anarchists against the wall initiative (AATW) have been nonviolently protesting Every Friday the Israel's Apartheid fence and land theft it is used for.
This Friday, as usual, we started at noon the march to the route of the fence. Chants, songs, and slogans were sung as we marched on the road leading to route of the fence. There were with us even two members of the Tel Rumedia Circus for Detained Palestinians who showed up to lighten up the atmosphere and try to squeeze some smiles from the otherwise grumpy soldiers.
We made our way three quarters of the way to the Wall without incident. Then, up ahead in the distance, we could see a spool of barbed wire, at the foot of the hill the gate is at its top. The Israeli state force was posited half way between it and the top ready for action. When we arrived at the foot of the hill and started to go around the barbed wire the state forces entered into action. (It is a new strategy adopted by a new regional commander who decided to prevent the Friday demonstrators to come near the separation fence.)
As usual the last few weeks, they started to shower us with lot of tear gas grenades. As the direction of the wind was from the West to East (towards us) even the more daring among us could not penetrate it - not directly through the road, nor through the olive groove on its two sides. Many of us did not gave in. comrades regrouped and took a long detour through the olive groove to a point of the separation fence far away from the gate.
Once the comrades arrived at route of the separation fence, they placed tires and branches on the barbed wire and 30 comrades were able to make their way across the barbed wire and the first fence on the East side of the route the electronic fence run in its middle.
This small march made its way between fences towards the gate in the fence and Israeli forces. At first, the soldiers did not even notice the crowd until they were just meters away. When they were spotted, however, soldiers turned their fire from the olive grove and onto the pack of 30 but due to the topography and direction of wind, they failed to disperse them.
After some negotiating with the soldiers, the Palestinians were able to get the army to agree to let the thirty demonstrators exit through the main part of the wall, without shooting them. This is the location in the fence where, every week, we have been trying to reach.
----------------------------------
The week end joint struggle started this week on Thursday with dismantling two road blocks. Early in the day, The roadblock went tumbling down the gorge near Deir Ibzia, The usual crowd of Palestinians, internationals and Israelis of the AATW initiative did the first action.
"Villagers from Ras Karkar, Budrus, Beit Likya, Bilin, Deir Ibzia and other villages marched towards an intersection on the main road to Ramallah which until 7 years ago used to serve about 15 villages in the area. The part of the road which is blocked connects the Palestinian villages of Ras Karkar and Deir Ibzia and does not lead to Israel or to a settlement. Its use is just for fragmenting the Palestinian lands into small Bantustans. Because of the obstacle, the villagers were forced to drive about 45 minutes along an alternate road instead of 15 minutes along the direct route to get to Ramallah. Two weeks ago the alternate road was also closed making the trip take and hour and a quarter and cost about 15 shekels instead of 3 - 5. In response, the villagers decided to open up the main road which has been closed by concrete slabs.
At a demonstration, along with Israelis and Internationals, the Palestinian villagers faced off against a group of soldiers who seemed eager to provoke a violent confrontation. The organizers of the demonstration decided not to grant their wishes and managed to prevent a confrontation. After asserting their right and ability to stay on the road the demonstrators decided to head back. Along the way back, when the concrete slabs blocking the road were reached, they were grabbed by the crowd which tried to push them to the side. The blocks seemed immovable at first but with some ingenuity and shouts of Allah Huw Akbar! the blocks were finally rolled away and tumbled down into the gorge.
For the first time in 7 years, cars were able to drive up from Ras Karkar directly to Deir Ibzia and were still passing through when the demonstrators left.
Israel is working on the creation of 16 tunnels which would create an apartheid' road network for Palestinians in the West Bank. Many existing main roads are reserved for settlers and Israelis, linking settlements to each other and to Israel. This forces Palestinians into circuitous traveling routes.
For more information contact the head of the Ras Karkar village council Rezik Nofal
---------------------------------
The second road block removal was towards the end of the day, in Hebron region with a similar crowd of activists. About 80 people converged at the road block preventing the direct travel out of the small township of Daharia. Till Thursday evening people had to travel in a long detour of more than a hour when they wanted to reach any place out of their place. The action organized by the local comity and members of AATW met an abortive effort of a small team of Israel soldiers who were overwhelmed by the big crowd and failed to prevent the dismantle the old road block existing there since the first Intifada.
This Friday, as usual, we started at noon the march to the route of the fence. Chants, songs, and slogans were sung as we marched on the road leading to route of the fence. There were with us even two members of the Tel Rumedia Circus for Detained Palestinians who showed up to lighten up the atmosphere and try to squeeze some smiles from the otherwise grumpy soldiers.
We made our way three quarters of the way to the Wall without incident. Then, up ahead in the distance, we could see a spool of barbed wire, at the foot of the hill the gate is at its top. The Israeli state force was posited half way between it and the top ready for action. When we arrived at the foot of the hill and started to go around the barbed wire the state forces entered into action. (It is a new strategy adopted by a new regional commander who decided to prevent the Friday demonstrators to come near the separation fence.)
As usual the last few weeks, they started to shower us with lot of tear gas grenades. As the direction of the wind was from the West to East (towards us) even the more daring among us could not penetrate it - not directly through the road, nor through the olive groove on its two sides. Many of us did not gave in. comrades regrouped and took a long detour through the olive groove to a point of the separation fence far away from the gate.
Once the comrades arrived at route of the separation fence, they placed tires and branches on the barbed wire and 30 comrades were able to make their way across the barbed wire and the first fence on the East side of the route the electronic fence run in its middle.
This small march made its way between fences towards the gate in the fence and Israeli forces. At first, the soldiers did not even notice the crowd until they were just meters away. When they were spotted, however, soldiers turned their fire from the olive grove and onto the pack of 30 but due to the topography and direction of wind, they failed to disperse them.
After some negotiating with the soldiers, the Palestinians were able to get the army to agree to let the thirty demonstrators exit through the main part of the wall, without shooting them. This is the location in the fence where, every week, we have been trying to reach.
----------------------------------
The week end joint struggle started this week on Thursday with dismantling two road blocks. Early in the day, The roadblock went tumbling down the gorge near Deir Ibzia, The usual crowd of Palestinians, internationals and Israelis of the AATW initiative did the first action.
"Villagers from Ras Karkar, Budrus, Beit Likya, Bilin, Deir Ibzia and other villages marched towards an intersection on the main road to Ramallah which until 7 years ago used to serve about 15 villages in the area. The part of the road which is blocked connects the Palestinian villages of Ras Karkar and Deir Ibzia and does not lead to Israel or to a settlement. Its use is just for fragmenting the Palestinian lands into small Bantustans. Because of the obstacle, the villagers were forced to drive about 45 minutes along an alternate road instead of 15 minutes along the direct route to get to Ramallah. Two weeks ago the alternate road was also closed making the trip take and hour and a quarter and cost about 15 shekels instead of 3 - 5. In response, the villagers decided to open up the main road which has been closed by concrete slabs.
At a demonstration, along with Israelis and Internationals, the Palestinian villagers faced off against a group of soldiers who seemed eager to provoke a violent confrontation. The organizers of the demonstration decided not to grant their wishes and managed to prevent a confrontation. After asserting their right and ability to stay on the road the demonstrators decided to head back. Along the way back, when the concrete slabs blocking the road were reached, they were grabbed by the crowd which tried to push them to the side. The blocks seemed immovable at first but with some ingenuity and shouts of Allah Huw Akbar! the blocks were finally rolled away and tumbled down into the gorge.
For the first time in 7 years, cars were able to drive up from Ras Karkar directly to Deir Ibzia and were still passing through when the demonstrators left.
Israel is working on the creation of 16 tunnels which would create an apartheid' road network for Palestinians in the West Bank. Many existing main roads are reserved for settlers and Israelis, linking settlements to each other and to Israel. This forces Palestinians into circuitous traveling routes.
For more information contact the head of the Ras Karkar village council Rezik Nofal
---------------------------------
The second road block removal was towards the end of the day, in Hebron region with a similar crowd of activists. About 80 people converged at the road block preventing the direct travel out of the small township of Daharia. Till Thursday evening people had to travel in a long detour of more than a hour when they wanted to reach any place out of their place. The action organized by the local comity and members of AATW met an abortive effort of a small team of Israel soldiers who were overwhelmed by the big crowd and failed to prevent the dismantle the old road block existing there since the first Intifada.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Palestine-Israel, Bil'in, West of Bethlehem, Jafa - the joint struggle continue 29 Apr 2007
It was a "regular" Friday demonstration in Bil'in - the 116th since it started 25 months ago. As usual, we started at noon the march towards the route of the separation fence which is used to rob most of the lands of the village for the building additional district in the settler colonialist town Modi'in Ilit. The marchers - Palestinians from the village and the region, internationals, Israelis of the Anarchists Against The Wall initiative, did not choose the road that leads to the Western lands and blocked by the gate of the fence structure. Instead, we went the other direction, part of it through paths within olive groove. We out smarted the Israeli state force who were expecting us in the main road (about kilometer away) to prevent us from coming near the fence - as they did the two previous Fridays. The last few hundred meters where the far away soldiers could see us we were running.
Till the main force of the soldiers arrived, few of us already passes through the razor wire spools and the metal fence beyond on our side of the route of the fence, and stood along the electronic fence. Most of the others stood along the metal rails at the edge of the route - banging on it with stones. The state force tried to drive the intruders and the rest of us who were near by with tear gas grenades, but after they got few of them thrown back - they stopped. They tried the water canon to drive us away - but in the hot spring day it was mainly refreshing us... They tried to arrest two of the ones that were near the electronic fence - but comrades dearested them and the soldiers yielded.
In this unusual situation, the stone throwers who do not approve our nonviolent demonstration and usually disrupt it, were in position among us, but hesitated due to the "interesting" way the demonstration developed, and did not throw stones till the demonstration was declared finished and the nonviolent demonstrators started to disperse.
When part of us tried to pay a visit to the usual site of the Friday demonstration - near the gate on the road leading to the lands of the village West of the fence, the soldiers resisted us with tear gas mainly, and arrested one of the village comity as a way to press us to return to the village faster - promising to release him when we will be on the way to the village. They shoot tear gas canisters to hasten us, but when we were near the houses of the village they released the comrade.
No one was injured seriously this Friday, but many of us were wet and colored by the turquoise powder added to the water of the water cannon.
--------------------------------
West of Bethlehem:
Today. over a hundred demonstrators from the villages of Beit Fag'ar, um Salamuna, Wadi An-Nis, Al- Masara, Al-Khadr, and Beit Ommar joind by joind by internationals and israeli activists made an attampt to block route 60 outside the settlement of Efrrat, the demonstrators carred signs against the building of the apartheid wall in the area south of beit leham only a large presence of border police and soldiers who waited in the area manegd to keep the demonstrators from blocking the road. doing this kind of activity in the front door of a big settlement is another step for the struggle in the area .
---------------------------------
Jafa , long ago annexed to the Jewish Tel Aviv municipality and settled with lot of Jewish immigrants which "diluted" the remnants of the original Palestinian residents who where not transfered out during the 1948 Nacba.
Last Friday few hundred Jafa residents and supporters marched through the city against a move by the municipality to transfer some 500 Arab-Israeli families out of their homes. The marchers included local government officials, a rainbow of local organizations, residents, and supporters from around the country - including activists of the anarchists against the wall. There were cries of 'Jews and Arabs Against Home Demolitions' and 'This Transfer Will Not Pass', comparing current events to the Nakba in 1948, but altogether the march was a bit subdued. As usual for Jafa protests there was no police presence in sight, to keep things calm but also in reflection of the relationship between the Arab residents and the police. At the end marchers sat in a basketball court overlooking Jaffa's reef beach, that after years of neglect and 20 years in the planning, is now being converted into a grand park -- just in time for the hundreds of new wealthy residents who are entering Ajame neighborhood. Speakers included representatives of the new popular committee established to combat the situation, residents who's homes have become part of the struggle, and members of organizations supporting it -- all were encouraged by the large turnout and hopeful about the days ahead.
At some point anarchists raised a banner with the anarchist "A" and flag but took it down on request of the organizers.
Till the main force of the soldiers arrived, few of us already passes through the razor wire spools and the metal fence beyond on our side of the route of the fence, and stood along the electronic fence. Most of the others stood along the metal rails at the edge of the route - banging on it with stones. The state force tried to drive the intruders and the rest of us who were near by with tear gas grenades, but after they got few of them thrown back - they stopped. They tried the water canon to drive us away - but in the hot spring day it was mainly refreshing us... They tried to arrest two of the ones that were near the electronic fence - but comrades dearested them and the soldiers yielded.
In this unusual situation, the stone throwers who do not approve our nonviolent demonstration and usually disrupt it, were in position among us, but hesitated due to the "interesting" way the demonstration developed, and did not throw stones till the demonstration was declared finished and the nonviolent demonstrators started to disperse.
When part of us tried to pay a visit to the usual site of the Friday demonstration - near the gate on the road leading to the lands of the village West of the fence, the soldiers resisted us with tear gas mainly, and arrested one of the village comity as a way to press us to return to the village faster - promising to release him when we will be on the way to the village. They shoot tear gas canisters to hasten us, but when we were near the houses of the village they released the comrade.
No one was injured seriously this Friday, but many of us were wet and colored by the turquoise powder added to the water of the water cannon.
--------------------------------
West of Bethlehem:
Today. over a hundred demonstrators from the villages of Beit Fag'ar, um Salamuna, Wadi An-Nis, Al- Masara, Al-Khadr, and Beit Ommar joind by joind by internationals and israeli activists made an attampt to block route 60 outside the settlement of Efrrat, the demonstrators carred signs against the building of the apartheid wall in the area south of beit leham only a large presence of border police and soldiers who waited in the area manegd to keep the demonstrators from blocking the road. doing this kind of activity in the front door of a big settlement is another step for the struggle in the area .
---------------------------------
Jafa , long ago annexed to the Jewish Tel Aviv municipality and settled with lot of Jewish immigrants which "diluted" the remnants of the original Palestinian residents who where not transfered out during the 1948 Nacba.
Last Friday few hundred Jafa residents and supporters marched through the city against a move by the municipality to transfer some 500 Arab-Israeli families out of their homes. The marchers included local government officials, a rainbow of local organizations, residents, and supporters from around the country - including activists of the anarchists against the wall. There were cries of 'Jews and Arabs Against Home Demolitions' and 'This Transfer Will Not Pass', comparing current events to the Nakba in 1948, but altogether the march was a bit subdued. As usual for Jafa protests there was no police presence in sight, to keep things calm but also in reflection of the relationship between the Arab residents and the police. At the end marchers sat in a basketball court overlooking Jaffa's reef beach, that after years of neglect and 20 years in the planning, is now being converted into a grand park -- just in time for the hundreds of new wealthy residents who are entering Ajame neighborhood. Speakers included representatives of the new popular committee established to combat the situation, residents who's homes have become part of the struggle, and members of organizations supporting it -- all were encouraged by the large turnout and hopeful about the days ahead.
At some point anarchists raised a banner with the anarchist "A" and flag but took it down on request of the organizers.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Palestine-Israel, The nonviolent joint struggle in Bil'in and Um Salmuna region continued this Friday. 22 Apr 2007
In Bil'in, the Friday demonstration was at the end of the three days international conference of nonviolent struggle. Participants from all over the world gathered, discussed, and heard also about the struggle in Bil'in. Part of the conference was a ceremonial bestowing of honor on few activists involved in the struggle. The persons honored included the oldest of the regular participants in the Bil'in struggle Uri Avnery of Gush Shalom (peace block), and the most severely injured in it Limor Goldstein (who came - and still come with AATW initiative) a "rubber" coated metal bullet penetrated his head, nearly killed him and caused a long term damages.
As introduction for the demonstration, about an hour before it started, a team of internationals and Israelis of the anarchists against the wall succeeded to put a Palestinian Flag on the high security camera tower of the separation fence, to be seen by all from kilometers around it.
This moral buster colored the march at noon of few hundred people towards the rote of the separation fence which included chants and short speeches. When we were descending down the hill the Israeli state force guarding the route of the separation fence on the next hill started to shower us with tear gas canisters - forcing most of the marchers to retreat a bit. Few, who were at the head of the march succeeded to continue their march up the hill till they were blocked by the soldiers not far from the route of the separation fence.
From that moment on, we were in about two hours of attrition war with the state force. Whenever they tried to force the main body of the demonstration to return to the village using shower of tear gas and shooting rubber coated bullets we retreated a bit with many dispersing among the olive trees on the side of the road. As the barrage of tear gas ended and the gas was carried away by a friendly Northern gusts of wind, we regrouped and advanced again.
After a long confrontation, and many injured by bullets and tear gas, the state forces yielded, and let us advance half the way up the hill where they stood in a line to block our advance.
All the time, in parallel to the struggle of the main body, the ones who succeeded to approach the lone house near the fence were harassed again and again, but the state force failed to force them to retreat.
During this time, the people supporting the comrade who climbed the security tower to hang the Palestinian flag and cover the security camera discouraged the state force from releasing the camera or forcing the comrade down. At the end of the demonstration, the comrade climbed down, and the state force sent up their climber to get the flag down. They also detained 8 of the people involved, releasing all an hour after the demo ended except the comrade who hung the flag which was kept in custody.
---------------------------------------------
Media report:
Nobel Peace Laureate wounded & Puerto Rican climber/peace-activist arrested in Bil`in by Ali Waked - Ynet -
Irish Laureate Mayread Corrigan "I salute the residents of Bilin for their peaceful struggle in a region that is so violent and I call on the Israeli public, whom I know is for justice and peace, to support the residents` struggle." // "The wall is believed to be evil and illegal by the whole world" said Tito Kayak, who was arrested in 2000 for climbing to the top deck of the Statue of Liberty in New York. [see also MA`AN / PNN].
http://www.kibush.co.il/show_file.asp?num=19528
---------------------------------------
Alt Palestinian Media: Palestinian villagers show solidarity with American shooting-victims as anti-Wall protest
"We have gathered here for a very special occasion. Today we will demonstrate our solidarity with the 32 victims of the Virginia-Tech University shooting. They were killed indiscriminately; the bullets did not differentiate between Jews, Christians or Muslims, between Americans, Israelis, Arabs, Indians, Puerto-Ricans or others". This is how Mahmoud Zawahra, of the Popular Committee in Wadi Niss near Bethlehem, opened Friday's weekly demonstration against the Apartheid Wall being built on the village's lands. It has been about two months now that residents of Wadi Niss, in cooperation with those of neighboring villages Um-Salmuna and Wadi Rachel, have been demonstrating constantly, at least once every week, against the Wall. Demonstrations began after the first bulldozers came and started uprooting trees and roads for the planned wall, which will de-facto annex much of the land of all three villages to the near by Jewish settlement of Afrat, and will separate the villages from several main roads. And so last Friday a few dozen villagers from the three villages, along with activists from Bethlehem, Israel [Mainly AATW I.S.] and abroad, went on this unique demonstration in solidarity with those murdered in Virginia-Tech. In his opening speech, Zawahra continued to explain the idea of the demonstration: "Today we will be planting 32 olive trees on the route of the Wall, carrying the message of 'plant trees don't build walls'. We will act nonviolently, though we expect the army to become very violent. Please, don't respond to their provocations, and let us go through with our mission, have a quite memorial ceremony, and return home".
Demonstrators marched peacefully towards the route, where the land has already been flattened and some concrete has already been laid as basic structures for the wall to come, carrying the young olive trees and the signs: "For Virginia" we support you" and "End the violence". Once the plantings where underway, the Israeli soldiers and Border-Policemen came. They seemed puzzled by this unique and completely quite bunch of people, determined to plant trees in the hard and bare rock the bulldozers left. When two demonstrators came closer to the army officers and planted a tree at their feet, the entire group turned around and left the area. From that point on there were no more disturbances from the army's side.
Once the trees were planted everybody gathered to hear the words of Sammy Aw'ad, of a Bethlehem-based NGO. "Instead of walls – let us plant trees of peace for Israel and Palestine," pleaded Aw'ad. "We want to send a message to the families of those killed in Virginia-Tech: we understand your pain. We understand the pain of loosing your children. I am now going to read the names of the 32 victims, for each of whom we have now planted a tree, and I ask everybody hear to stand in silence in their memory, and think of someone whom you have lost to the violence of the occupation".
After the names were called, Awa'd and Zawahra declared that the demonstration was a great success and a victory for the villagers against the army. They promised to return time and time again, until the occupation will be over. On the way back to the village I talked to a young Israeli activist. Nir Landao, of Tel-Aviv, was once a soldier himself. When asked about his thoughts on the villagers' choice to carry-out non-violent demonstrations, Landao said he thinks such demonstrations are "much stronger". "The only way for Israel to end the occupation is if there will be international sanctions against it," he reflected, "and the world will be easier convinced by these actions rather than by violent ones, which Israel uses to strengthen its case of being a victim. On the other hand, I was brought up learning how Jews were massacred in the Holocaust without any resistance, so I can understand how important it is for a people to fights-back in defense". "You know, I was looking at the soldiers there, and I remembered myself being in their place," Landao continued, "and I really think they don't know what they're doing here. They think they're here to defend Jews, and that anyone who's an obstacle in their way should be 'stopped', in any way possible". I asked Landao what made him change sides and become an activist for the anti-occupation cause, and he said it happened when he stopped learning about reality through the media, and "started to look at reality through reality, through going to the places where things happen and meeting the people here. That is how I started realizing what Israel is doing to an entire people".
Summing up the demonstration from his point of view, Dr. Mohammed Aw'da from Bethlehem agreed with Landao's perspective on the importance of getting the world to know what was going on in Palestine. "Israel is trying to draw its final and permanent boarders now, and it is doing it one-sidedly," he said, "these boarders create small Palestinian cantons, but they are really more like concentration camps than cantons, as people are besieged in them, people cannot work, and many are going hungry. This encourages people to leave their land, run away and give it all up to Jewish settlers. We call upon the world to intervene as it did against other concentration camps".
As introduction for the demonstration, about an hour before it started, a team of internationals and Israelis of the anarchists against the wall succeeded to put a Palestinian Flag on the high security camera tower of the separation fence, to be seen by all from kilometers around it.
This moral buster colored the march at noon of few hundred people towards the rote of the separation fence which included chants and short speeches. When we were descending down the hill the Israeli state force guarding the route of the separation fence on the next hill started to shower us with tear gas canisters - forcing most of the marchers to retreat a bit. Few, who were at the head of the march succeeded to continue their march up the hill till they were blocked by the soldiers not far from the route of the separation fence.
From that moment on, we were in about two hours of attrition war with the state force. Whenever they tried to force the main body of the demonstration to return to the village using shower of tear gas and shooting rubber coated bullets we retreated a bit with many dispersing among the olive trees on the side of the road. As the barrage of tear gas ended and the gas was carried away by a friendly Northern gusts of wind, we regrouped and advanced again.
After a long confrontation, and many injured by bullets and tear gas, the state forces yielded, and let us advance half the way up the hill where they stood in a line to block our advance.
All the time, in parallel to the struggle of the main body, the ones who succeeded to approach the lone house near the fence were harassed again and again, but the state force failed to force them to retreat.
During this time, the people supporting the comrade who climbed the security tower to hang the Palestinian flag and cover the security camera discouraged the state force from releasing the camera or forcing the comrade down. At the end of the demonstration, the comrade climbed down, and the state force sent up their climber to get the flag down. They also detained 8 of the people involved, releasing all an hour after the demo ended except the comrade who hung the flag which was kept in custody.
---------------------------------------------
Media report:
Nobel Peace Laureate wounded & Puerto Rican climber/peace-activist arrested in Bil`in by Ali Waked - Ynet -
Irish Laureate Mayread Corrigan "I salute the residents of Bilin for their peaceful struggle in a region that is so violent and I call on the Israeli public, whom I know is for justice and peace, to support the residents` struggle." // "The wall is believed to be evil and illegal by the whole world" said Tito Kayak, who was arrested in 2000 for climbing to the top deck of the Statue of Liberty in New York. [see also MA`AN / PNN].
http://www.kibush.co.il/show_file.asp?num=19528
---------------------------------------
Alt Palestinian Media: Palestinian villagers show solidarity with American shooting-victims as anti-Wall protest
"We have gathered here for a very special occasion. Today we will demonstrate our solidarity with the 32 victims of the Virginia-Tech University shooting. They were killed indiscriminately; the bullets did not differentiate between Jews, Christians or Muslims, between Americans, Israelis, Arabs, Indians, Puerto-Ricans or others". This is how Mahmoud Zawahra, of the Popular Committee in Wadi Niss near Bethlehem, opened Friday's weekly demonstration against the Apartheid Wall being built on the village's lands. It has been about two months now that residents of Wadi Niss, in cooperation with those of neighboring villages Um-Salmuna and Wadi Rachel, have been demonstrating constantly, at least once every week, against the Wall. Demonstrations began after the first bulldozers came and started uprooting trees and roads for the planned wall, which will de-facto annex much of the land of all three villages to the near by Jewish settlement of Afrat, and will separate the villages from several main roads. And so last Friday a few dozen villagers from the three villages, along with activists from Bethlehem, Israel [Mainly AATW I.S.] and abroad, went on this unique demonstration in solidarity with those murdered in Virginia-Tech. In his opening speech, Zawahra continued to explain the idea of the demonstration: "Today we will be planting 32 olive trees on the route of the Wall, carrying the message of 'plant trees don't build walls'. We will act nonviolently, though we expect the army to become very violent. Please, don't respond to their provocations, and let us go through with our mission, have a quite memorial ceremony, and return home".
Demonstrators marched peacefully towards the route, where the land has already been flattened and some concrete has already been laid as basic structures for the wall to come, carrying the young olive trees and the signs: "For Virginia" we support you" and "End the violence". Once the plantings where underway, the Israeli soldiers and Border-Policemen came. They seemed puzzled by this unique and completely quite bunch of people, determined to plant trees in the hard and bare rock the bulldozers left. When two demonstrators came closer to the army officers and planted a tree at their feet, the entire group turned around and left the area. From that point on there were no more disturbances from the army's side.
Once the trees were planted everybody gathered to hear the words of Sammy Aw'ad, of a Bethlehem-based NGO. "Instead of walls – let us plant trees of peace for Israel and Palestine," pleaded Aw'ad. "We want to send a message to the families of those killed in Virginia-Tech: we understand your pain. We understand the pain of loosing your children. I am now going to read the names of the 32 victims, for each of whom we have now planted a tree, and I ask everybody hear to stand in silence in their memory, and think of someone whom you have lost to the violence of the occupation".
After the names were called, Awa'd and Zawahra declared that the demonstration was a great success and a victory for the villagers against the army. They promised to return time and time again, until the occupation will be over. On the way back to the village I talked to a young Israeli activist. Nir Landao, of Tel-Aviv, was once a soldier himself. When asked about his thoughts on the villagers' choice to carry-out non-violent demonstrations, Landao said he thinks such demonstrations are "much stronger". "The only way for Israel to end the occupation is if there will be international sanctions against it," he reflected, "and the world will be easier convinced by these actions rather than by violent ones, which Israel uses to strengthen its case of being a victim. On the other hand, I was brought up learning how Jews were massacred in the Holocaust without any resistance, so I can understand how important it is for a people to fights-back in defense". "You know, I was looking at the soldiers there, and I remembered myself being in their place," Landao continued, "and I really think they don't know what they're doing here. They think they're here to defend Jews, and that anyone who's an obstacle in their way should be 'stopped', in any way possible". I asked Landao what made him change sides and become an activist for the anti-occupation cause, and he said it happened when he stopped learning about reality through the media, and "started to look at reality through reality, through going to the places where things happen and meeting the people here. That is how I started realizing what Israel is doing to an entire people".
Summing up the demonstration from his point of view, Dr. Mohammed Aw'da from Bethlehem agreed with Landao's perspective on the importance of getting the world to know what was going on in Palestine. "Israel is trying to draw its final and permanent boarders now, and it is doing it one-sidedly," he said, "these boarders create small Palestinian cantons, but they are really more like concentration camps than cantons, as people are besieged in them, people cannot work, and many are going hungry. This encourages people to leave their land, run away and give it all up to Jewish settlers. We call upon the world to intervene as it did against other concentration camps".
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Palestine-Israel, The struggle in Beit Ummar escalates*, 14/04/2007
Last night, a group of about 40 activists managed to cut 20 meters of a so called parameter fence on the lands of Beit Ummar, near the settlement of Karmei Tzur. The fence that circles the settlement was built about 200 meters from the already existing fence of the settlement, also on the village's lands. Activists using a sledgehammer to take down the fenceActivists using a sledgehammer to take down the fence The wider trajectory of the newer parameter fence leaves a large area of agricultural land, owned by farmers from the village, practically inside the settlement and out of reach for the villagers. When villagers do try and access their lands, they risk assault by settlers or the army.
Pics at http://www.awalls.org/the_struggle_in_beit_ummar_escalates_0
Villagers had already taken the matter to court, which ordered a gate to be opened daily, to allow regular passage. But like in any other place in Palestine, decisions of the Israeli court are not even worth the paper they are written on, and farmers do not have real access to their lands. In reality, for farmers to be able to work one day on their lands, they must waste two weeks on bureaucracy. Even after all the papers are set, the whims and moods of the individual soldier at the gate or the settlers from Karmei Tzur determine the faith of the day's work.
Activists pulling down the fenceActivists pulling down the fence
A group of about 40 villagers and activists from various places gathered in the village Saturday to say no more, this fence must be taken off!
After a short walk from the village, the larger group split into smaller ones, and started attacking the fence in a few spots, using bolt cutters and sledgehammers.
About seven minutes of quick and efficient work were enough to destroy some 20 meters of the fence. At that point, a security guard came running down from the settlement towards one of the groups, loading and pointing his rifle towards them, and threatening to shoot them.
Some more hammeringSome more hammering
A second group faced a similar situation as an army jeep stopped next to them, the soldiers in it threatened the activists, while in the background settlers were calling on them to shoot the group. The activists decided that enough damage was done, and that it was a good time to retreat.
The two groups headed back to the village, where they decided to remove another fence, next to the highway, that prevents farmers from working their lands.
The activists managed to cut about ten meters of that fence before being spotted by an army patrol, but managed to return to the village before any confrontation developed.
Click here to watch a video from the action http://www.awalls.org/the_struggle_in_beit_ummar_escalates
=============================
* Copied from the web site of the Israeli Anarchists Against The Wall http://www.awalls.org
Pics at http://www.awalls.org/the_struggle_in_beit_ummar_escalates_0
Villagers had already taken the matter to court, which ordered a gate to be opened daily, to allow regular passage. But like in any other place in Palestine, decisions of the Israeli court are not even worth the paper they are written on, and farmers do not have real access to their lands. In reality, for farmers to be able to work one day on their lands, they must waste two weeks on bureaucracy. Even after all the papers are set, the whims and moods of the individual soldier at the gate or the settlers from Karmei Tzur determine the faith of the day's work.
Activists pulling down the fenceActivists pulling down the fence
A group of about 40 villagers and activists from various places gathered in the village Saturday to say no more, this fence must be taken off!
After a short walk from the village, the larger group split into smaller ones, and started attacking the fence in a few spots, using bolt cutters and sledgehammers.
About seven minutes of quick and efficient work were enough to destroy some 20 meters of the fence. At that point, a security guard came running down from the settlement towards one of the groups, loading and pointing his rifle towards them, and threatening to shoot them.
Some more hammeringSome more hammering
A second group faced a similar situation as an army jeep stopped next to them, the soldiers in it threatened the activists, while in the background settlers were calling on them to shoot the group. The activists decided that enough damage was done, and that it was a good time to retreat.
The two groups headed back to the village, where they decided to remove another fence, next to the highway, that prevents farmers from working their lands.
The activists managed to cut about ten meters of that fence before being spotted by an army patrol, but managed to return to the village before any confrontation developed.
Click here to watch a video from the action http://www.awalls.org/the_struggle_in_beit_ummar_escalates
=============================
* Copied from the web site of the Israeli Anarchists Against The Wall http://www.awalls.org
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