Two activists were arrested today in al-Ma’asara as demonstrations continued against the construction of the Annexation Barrier and the theft of the villages land by the Efrat settlement. A group of about 25 protesters marched with flags and a bullhorn from the center of town to the main road, where they were confronted by a line of heavily armed Israeli soldiers. Protesters chanted “soldiers go home” and gave speeches against the occupation and settlement expansion. Soldiers pushed back against demonstrators, who sat down and raised their arms in protest. After about twenty minutes soldiers began shooting sound grenades and tear gas into the crowd. Several activists were hit, but no serious injuries were reported. Two Israeli activists were arrested from … Continue reading

Crowds of activists paraded through the old city of Hebron on Saturday in celebration of the old city’s shop owners, who have kept their doors open despite increased pressure by the Israeli military to close up shop. A battalion of high-spirited drummers led a crowd of forty to fifty activists, who handed out certificates of appreciation to the many merchants who have refused to cave to the Israeli military’s increased intimidation and coercion. The Israeli army has been pressuring merchants in the old city to close their stores, blaming the weekly demonstrations in the old city for the increased harassment. By blaming the demonstrators the army has attempted to turn Palestinians against each other, sabotaging community ties and discouraging resistance. … Continue reading

Protesters gathered in al-Walaja, al-Ma’asara and Bil’in this Friday for weekly demonstrations against the Annexation Barrier. Protesters in al-Walaja raised a large puppet in protest of the wall, while protesters in al-Ma’asara and Bil’in symbolically bound and blindfolded themselves during the demonstrations. The blindfolded protesters were intending to protest the recent Israeli “Facebook Scandal,” which erupted when news media began reporting on Israeli soldiers who had posted pictures of themselves on Facebook posing with bound and blindfolded Palestinian prisoners. The scandal has caused an international outcry, exposing the degrading treatment suffered by Palestinian prisoners and the extent to which the Israeli military has dehumanized Palestinians. One Norwegian activist was arrested during the Bil’in demonstration. A journalist was wounded, and … Continue reading

Palestinians, Israelis, and internationals, this time with a large group of Canadians, convened in Al Ma’asara on Friday to march toward the site of the unfinished Annexation Barrier visible from the edge of the village. Although construction of the barrier is currently halted, most of the work is done with the base of the wall and the patrol road already cutting through land belonging to residents of Al Ma’asara, Um Salamuna, Wadi An-Nis, and others in the area.

Demonstrators were stopped, per usual, by soldiers before reaching the main road. In honor of the 65 year anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, participants chanted slogans calling out parallels … Continue reading

More than 100 mostly international solidarity activists convened in the streets of Al Ma’asara on Friday, July 23rd, to march against the construction of the Annexation Barrier in neighboring Um Salamuna. The group, made alive by drummers and a chorus of anti-occupation chants, made its way onto the main road toward the now inaccessible Palestinian land. Military jeeps immediately sped down to block the alternate route. Soldiers jumped out, detained a journalist and photographer, and forcefully pushed the nonviolent demonstrators off of the road. As the crowd stood on the side of the road, soldiers attempted to arrest an international and began throwing … Continue reading