Weekly Protest Video Round-Up

Nil’in

Hundreds of people from the town and surrounding villages of Ni’lin gathered on the threatened land, where they affirmed the need to resist the aggressive policies of occupation. Villagers were accompanied by their animals, a symbol of their age old connection with the land that they have farmed for generations. Images and posters of Tristan Anderson were prevalent, the American ISM activist now in a coma after being struck with a tear gas canister during a demonstration.

Nil’in resident Salah Amira and an unnamed Israeli activist were arrested during clashes that lasted late into the afternoon. Israeli soldiers fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowd, but no serious injuries were reported.

Bi’lin

This week’s demonstration was part of the National Culture Week for Jerusalem and was joined by international and Israeli activists. The protest was organized by the Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements in Bil’in and was joined by the Minister of Culture, Siham Barghothi, and members of the Democratic Youth Union , Fida’. Protesters carried posters of Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, one of the symbols of National Culture Week, along with Palestinian flags and banners calling for an the end to the occupation and home demolitions in Jerusalem.

Siham Barghouthi stated that Bil’in village sent a message to the world about creative examples of non-violent popular resistance and the steadfastness of the Palestinian people against the theft of their land. Protesters marched in the village calling for national unity against the occupation and rejecting the recent Israeli decision to confiscate Islamic historical sites under Israeli control. Eyewitnesses claimed plainclothes Israeli soldiers took up secret positions inside the village in an attempt to identify and arrest protestors. Mohammad Ahmad, 18, and Mohammad Abu Rahmah, 15, suffered injury after being shot with rubber coated steel bullets. Several residents were treated for gas inhalation.

Delegations from Norway and Japan visited the village earlier this week and attended a presentation by the Popular Committee. The Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements in Bil’in condemns the Israeli decision to build 50,000 new housing units in Jerusalem.

Nabi Saleh

Frequently the most violent of Friday demonstrations, yesterday’s action resulted in several serious injuries. Even before the march started, activists attempted to engage soldiers in dialogue, but their words were met with stun grenades. Around 80 Nabi Saleh residents were joined by Palestinian international activists, their primary grievance being the Hallamish settlement, which has annexed vast areas of land and the village‘s main water resource. The army invaded the village and shot barrages of tear gas canisters through a cannon at the marching protesters and effectively almost the entire village population. It then continued the assault shooting rubber coated bullets indiscriminately at protesters. As the protesters regrouped, the army once again used its cannon to shoot barrages of tear gas canisters into the crowd.

Bassem, a long term resident of the village, reported “20 injuries from rubber bullets, including three head injuries that required hospital treatment. All victims were under 25.” In better news, Ehab Barghouti, 14, shot in the head last week with a rubber bullet is breathing for himself and recovering gradually.

An anonymous source claimed the Israeli army used this demonstration to test new weapons, including faster tear gas canisters, a claim denied by IDF spokesmen. Five protestors arrested last week will stand trial for ’incitement’ in an Israeli court on Sunday.

Al Ma’sara

A smaller than average demonstration in Ma’asara, numbering around fifty people, marched through sweltering heat through the village streets. They were met by a combined army and border police force. Soldiers set up near the first houses of the village, deeper than ever before, and prevented the demonstration from proceeding towards the village lands. After giving speeches in Arabic, English and Hebrew, a small group of demonstrators went through the barbed wire set on the road, and were pushed by the soldiers who also threatened activists with arrest for entering a closed military zone. It is alleged that two young men, Mahmoud Alaa El Din, 24 and Ali Zawahra, 23, were severely beaten by Israeli soldiers using the butts of their rifles.

Sheikh Jarrah

Eleven protestors were arrested and numerous light injuries were sustained, mainly from tear gas fire during a well attended rally of over 300 activists. Plainclothes Israeli officers arrested several teenagers, using their concealed position within the crowd to identify targets. Tensions in Jerusalem remain, with clashes reported around Al Aqsa Mosque and in Silwan.