Bil'in demo Friday 16 October 2009

-. After the Friday prayer, the residents of Bili’n gathered in a protest along with Israeli and international activists. A group from France called French people to support Palestinian People and another group from Norway joined the demonstration in solidarity with the village in their struggle against the Wall and settlement building. The protesters raised Palestinian flags and banners to allow Palestinian farmers to pick olive trees from their land. The protest called to remove the illegal wall and settlements, stop land confiscations, , and attacks on Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem, remove checkpoints and road blocks, and the release of all the Palestinian detainees.

One more creative action for Bil’in today. The Popular Committee realized a huge scale. This is a very symbolic action.

The scale, as everybody knows, is the symbol of the justice, used everywhere in the world. The Bil’in’s scale was today a little bit different from the others. One of its size was heavier than the other one. Indeed, the heaviest was representing Israel, the light one represent Palestine.

That means that the justice court is not really fair. Indeed, Israel does not respect the international decisions (all of the United Nations resolutions for exemple).

The people in Bil’in are searching justice. Israel stole 60% of the lands and established settlements illegally. Two Canadian companies (Green Park intenational and Green Mount international) are working in the illegal settlement. Bil’in intented a process to the Canadian court. The case has been refused.

The French delegation realized a creative action as well. They make eight big people in cartoons wearing piece of olive tree (symbol f the land the Bil’in people lost). Six of them were wearing the Palestinian flag, the two men in the middle were white, symbol for peace. In their body, it was Written “Stop the Wall / Stop the occupation”. Each person wear on his head Salam or peace.

The French delegation wants to fight with the people of Bil’in. The delegation approuved the non violents actions for peace.



The demonstrators have walked in the village streets chanting slogans condemning the policy of occupation, and calling for national unity, as well as they have stressed on the need for popular resistance. Demonstrators carried ladders and other tools they use to harvest the olives, once they have arrived at the gate of the wall which located in Athaher area, they have tried to cross their land to harvest their fruits of olives from their land, that located behind the wall, then the Israeli soldiers have showered them with tear gas bombs, causing four injured: one of them journalist hi refuse to mention his name, and anther French lady her name Marten Bogho, and the two Palestinian Abdullah Alrwashda, and Jaber Abu Rahmah, and dozens of people were suffered teargas inhalation.


On the other hand, the Popular Committee Against the Wall in Bil’in has condemned the Israeli army's threat to the Palestinian farmers near Nablus to impose a fine up to 6000 Israeli shekels ($ 1700 ) for seeking help from foreign volunteers to reach agricultural areas(Palestinian lands) close to the Israeli settlements .although the committee has considered this as unfair decision; that allows the settlers to exercise their terror on the modest Palestinian farmers, as the Solidarity reveal to the world the brutal terror of the settlers.



Thank you for you continued support,

Iyad Burnat- Head of Popular Commitee in Bilin
co-founder of Friends of Freedom and Justice - Bilin




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