The Resistance

A person was injured with a rubber bullet at the demonstration in Bil'in today. Dozens of people were injured by gas bombs.

This demonstration was held on the third Friday in Ramadan was the 9th anniversary of the assassination Abu Ali Mustafa, the former secretary general of the PFLP (Popular Front of the Liberation of Palestine). The popular committee for resisting the wall organized the demonstration, which began after the Friday prayer.

They were supported by villagers and number of international supporters. They included members of International Women's Peace Service from the United States, Association France-Palestine Solidarite and Euro-Palestine from France, Labour Friends of Palestine & the Middle East from Britain and dozens of Israeli supporters.

Chairman of the Popular Resistance Committee, Iyad Burnat,

“We welcome all villagers, all political parties and international observers – all are welcome. We also had a meeting with Labour Friend of Palestine's Martin Linton and Sara Apps, explaining the situation in Bil'in. Israeli built the separation wall through the village in 2007, cutting off 230 hectares of land belonging to the village. Demonstrations have been held every week since February 2005 to protest against the wall and the confiscation of land.”

Arrest of International and Israeli activists, journalist wounded and dozens of cases of injuries from teargas inhalation. Despite the intense heat and high temperature, on the second Friday in Ramadan, a sizable march organized by the Popular Committee commenced from the center of the village right after the Friday prayers.

The protesters, consisting of many Palestinians and dozens of International and Israeli activists, called for the prosecution of the Israeli soldiers behind the recent Facebook scandal. Not only did one of the soldiers pose with bound and gagged prisoners, Eden Abergil, stated that she would "gladly kill Arabs – even slaughter them."

As the protesters neared the separation wall and approached the soldiers with pictures of other Israeli soldiers posing and torturing prisoners, teargas was fired heavily at the protesters and journalists. Clashes continued for hours when the Israeli military attempted to advance into the village.

Journalist, Haitham Al-Khatib suffered minor injuries when the military attempted to arrest him. International activist, Evie, and Israeli activist, David, were arrested while they were peacefully demonstrating against the occupation. Their current whereabouts are unknown.

The Bil'in Popular Committee Against the Wall yet again led the weekly civilian demonstration against the apartheid wall, after local Palestinians prayed Jummah on the first Friday of Ramadan. Fifty international supporters along with Israeli activists joined non-violent Palestinian demonstrators to protest the Israeli occupation. Together, they marched with Palestinian flags and posters of political prisoners from the village, many arrested through night raids. These prisoners have mostly been arrested for the sole "crime" of being active organizers in the non-violent popular struggle.

As the demonstrators marched towards the apartheid fence, they chanted phrases to stop the construction of the wall that is annexing land from Bi'iln in order for Israel to build illegal settlements. When the demonstrators reached the apartheid fence, large numbers of Israeli soldiers were waiting armed with weapon and riot gear. After protestors and the Israeli army met face to face, the soldiers began shooting tear gas and sound bombs into the crowd.

They continued to shoot tear gas up on the hill where spectators thought they were in safe range. Eventually, the IDF ran into part of the crowd and began shooting rubber coated steel bullets. One Israeli woman was hit by a tear gas canister in her leg. Dozens suffered from tear gas inhalation as soldiers attempted to arrest demonstrators. However, nobody was arrested. The demonstration lasted about two hours, and huge success considering multiple protestors were fasting for Ramadan.

Organized by the popular committee against the wall, in Bil'in, a massive march against the construction of the apartheid wall, occupation and settlements began after Friday prayers from the center of the village.

Participants from the Bil'in day summer camp attended the march along with a delegation of the Palestinian People's Party and dozens of international and Israeli activists.

As they marched through the streets they chanted slogans calling for the end to the policy of occupation in and around Jerusalem, the end to demolition and displacement of the people and condemned the criminal acts against Palestinian communities.

After the marchers had approached the wall and were confronted by soldiers, the Israeli army fired sound grenades and multiple types of teargas canisters at the participants, some of which induced vomiting.

At 12pm on Monday August 2nd, three children who had been walking near the wall in Bil'in village where arrested by Israeli soldiers. The three 14-year-old friends Moatasem Ali Mansor, Majde Burnat, and Mohamad Abu Rahmah often take walks near the wall.

Today they were detained by soldiers behind the wall for three hours. While behind the wall their families tried to negotiate for their release to no avail. They were then arrested and taken away in an army ambulance. This happened three hours ago, and no one knows where they have been taken yet. Soldiers claim that the boys were throwing stones.

Today 30 July 2010 the people of Bil'in were joined by several groups of internationals, including a group of rappers from Britain and the US. A large part of the demonstrators managed to approach the soldiers who had already entered the gate. Two people were detained for a while, following large amounts of tear gas, eventually forcing the protestors back towards the village. One Israeli protestor was hit by a tear gas canister in his leg, causing pain, while another British citizen was dragged several meters by soldier, causing his back bruising and bleeding.

About 200 protestors; Palestinians, Israeli and Internationals were today carrying posters asking for a boycott of Israel, and also honoring Rachel Corrie's hometown Olympia, that recently introduced a boycott of Israeli goods. 45 people were from Spain, another group from Italy and France, in addition to individuals coming to show solidarity.

People were singing and dancing all the way up to the road leading to the illegal Wall. As the protestors were coming closer, a number of soldiers ran through the gate and lined up on the road, preventing people from coming closer to the gate. A large group of protestors started singing, and a truck with speakers approached playing music. Protestors asked to cross the soldier's barrier, but were prevented, and pushed back while trying to continue walking towards the gate, on Bil'in's land.

At one point the soldiers attacked one international protestor, and following that people tried to help him, they detained another. This British citizen was dragged several meters by the soldiers, causing damage to his back. He was heavily bruised and suffered from pain afterwards. In the middle of the chaos the army started shooting and throwing tear gas and stun grenades to the protestors.

As people ran back towards the village, tear gas continued to be shot, making it hard to see and breathe. One Israeli was hit by a low flying tear gas canister in his leg, causing pain, though no medical treatment was needed. Again the army showed that they don't hesitate to use brutality and violence again non-violent protestors in Bil'in.

Also today there were two fires caused by tear gas canisters in the field, and luckily people were able to put it out. The demonstration was ended by the performance of one MC, coming with a group of other rappers in solidarity with Bil'in and Palestine. Bil'in is thankful for the great support this Friday, and welcomes anyone who wants to participate in the weekly demonstration in the future.

Dozens suffered from tear gas inhalation in Bil'ins weekly protest , former vice president of the European Parliament detained by the army and one Israeli protester arrested Today the people of Bil'in were joined by about 100 international supporters, among them an Italian group including Lousia Morgantini, the former vice president of the European Parliament. The army fired tear gas at the protesters, and managed to grab and detain Morgantini. She was released after about half an hour, while an Israeli protester who tried to help her ended up getting arrested.

The protest started as usual after the midday prayer, and Palestinian, Israeli and International protesters went together towards the gate leading to the military post. People were dancing, singing and shouting slogans, and Argentine and others were carrying the flag of the European Union. Morgantini has been participating in a number of Bil'ins demonstrations over the last years, and is seen as great supporter of the struggle.

As people started to reach the gate, it took about ten minutes until the army started shooting tear gas. After another few minutes the army decided to storm the gate and chase the protesters. In the chaos Morgantini ended being grabbed by soldiers and separated from rest of the demonstration, that were forced back. As Morgantini was held by the military, some protesters decided to negotiate, walking up to the soldiers, who were lined up in several blocks to prevent people from coming up.

One Israeli activist, Kobi Snitz was arrested while trying to speak to the army, and was then taken to a police station. Morgantini was released after about half an hour, and is in good condition. No injuries were reported, though many people suffered from tear gas inhalation. Some stun grenades were also thrown into the field, and caused a fire. Todays protest in Bil'in proved that the army is serious about their threats of arresting protesters who are taking part in the weekly non violent demonstration, as witnessed several times the previous months.

Tonight, Bil'in was subjected to yet another Israeli Occupation Forces terror raid at 1.30 am when an unusually heavy number of IOF soldiers entered the outskirts of the village to arrest a local youth; 17 year old Ahmad Abed Al-Fatah Burnat - which unfortunately was effected.

At least twelve jeeps were spotted most of which hovered as backup at the nearby Apartheid-Annexation Wall which coupled with a heavy IOF presence at last Friday's peaceful demonstration - peaceful that is, until the protesters were viciously deluged with salvoes of tear gas as soon as they reached the Wall which the shabab, commendably, fiercely resisted with stones - has given rise to well founded speculation that the IOF are currently blooding new recruits to occupation methods; heavy on violence, light on human rights.

Ahmad Burnat Needs Your Support to Get Out of Prison At 1:30 in the morning on July 19th armed Israeli soldiers drove into our village, Bil'in, under the cover of the pitch black night, and raided the house of my friend and well known activist Wajeeh Burnat, who was featured in the documentary Bil'in Habibti. This time, the raid was conducted to take Ahmad, his 17 year-old son.

It is not often that we ask for such help, but we turn to you today asking for a donation, large or small, to help in securing his release. Last Sunday, a military judge ruled Ahmad could be released, but only on the condition that a sum of 10,000 NIS (2,600 USD) be deposited as bail. Ahmad's family has lost most of its land to the construction of the Wall, and have paid dearly for their role in the struggle – Ahmad's eldest brother, Rani, is paralyzed from the neck down after being shot in the neck by a sniper during a demonstration in the year 2000.

Following the injury, Israel also revoked Ahmad's father's work permit. Another of Ahmad's brothers, Ibrahim Burnat, was also arrested six months ago and has been in jail since. Ahmad's family cannot afford the money to pay Ahmad's bail. Unless we are able to raise that sum, he will remain languishing at the Ofer Military Prison for the duration of his trial, which could last one year.

Raids such as the one Ahmad was arrested in are not exceptional in Bil'in, or in any of the other villages in which grassroots protest against the occupation takes place on a regular basis. In Bil'in alone, ninety people have been arrested in connection to demonstrations in the village. The West Bank village of Bil'in, among numerous other villages, has been targeted by Israeli authorities for their commitment to grassroots organizing.

Hundreds more have been arrested in the past two years in Ni'ilin, Nabi Saleh, Budrus, Jayyous, alMa'asara and the other villages who take part in the popular struggle against the occupation. Every such arrest is a threat to our ability to sustain this new vital wave of grassroots resistance. Lawyers fees, bails and prisoner support are an obstacle that we will be able to overcome, but to do so, we need your support today more than we have ever needed it before.

Please click here to make a donation and encourage the work being done in these villages. Your contributions can help us stand up for a true justice in Palestine. In solidarity,

Today the people of Bil'in were joined by about 100 internationals. People were carrying posters to honor Fayyes Tanin, a Palestinian leader of the grassroot's movement who passed away 6 weeks ago. As the protesters stopped some meters from the gate, facing the soldiers on the other side, the army started shooting tear gas without any warning and without a single stone being thrown. Majd Burnat 12 year old carrying a camera to document military violence passed out from the inhalation, and had to be taken back to the village.

Another young boy was hit by a tear gas canister in his stomach, and suffered from pain. Seven of the internationals joining today were from a French group named CCIPPP, arranged by Mustafa, coming to support the Palestinian struggle. Another five Palestinians came from Tulkarem, where Fayyes Tanin is from. A number of members of the Palestinian Popular Struggle Front were also coming from all over Palestine to support Bil'in this Friday. |

The soldiers were already standing close to the gate as the protestors reached the top of the hill, accompanied by border police, obviously ready to run in and make arrests. After less than a minute, much tear gas was shot into the crowd, both cylinder shaped and the regular round shaped. As people ran towards the village, gas continued to be shot, in addition to a few stun grenades. About ten soldiers lined up on the road, preventing people to come close to the gate, while another ten went in among the olive trees, shooting tear gas from a closer distance.

The cylinder shaped tear gas canisters can cause severe damage when they hit from a short distance. Today a young boy was hit in his stomach, fortunately from such distance that did not cause a serious injury. Another 12 year old boy carrying a camera to document military violence, passed out from too much tear gas, and had to be taken back to the village. No arrests were made today, in spite of much effort from the Israeli army, and the demonstration came to an end after 1,5 hours.