36 Year old Akeel Srour often participated in demonstrations against the construction of the Annexation Barrier on the agricultural land of Ni’lin, Ramallah District. Demonstrations first began in Ni’lin against the construction of the Barrier in late 2003, but was delayed by a court case. When construction resumed over a year ago, demonstrations were organized by a local popular committee, often several times a week. The village then began a schedule of weekly demonstrations on Fridays to correspond with similar demonstrations in nearby Bil’in and Ma’asara in Betlehem District.

In the last year, the Israeli military has been increasingly negligent in its use of violence, which has … Continue reading

This Friday, like every Friday for the past few years, saw demonstrations across the West Bank. In Al-Ma’asara, residents along with Israeli and international solidarity activists marched towards the razor-wire arbitrarily placed along the entrance to the village beyond which more than a dozen soldiers, some from a unit that was involved in the massive invasion in Beit Ommar, waited. Demonstrators, carrying Palestinian and party-affiliated flags, began climbing a pile of stones to the side of the razor-wire, demanding their right to access their lands beyond the line. They were met by Israeli soldiers and border police who began grabbing demonstrators and attempted to push them off the mound of stones. Committee member Mahmoud Zahre … Continue reading

Tristan Anderson, 38, an American citizen working with the International Solidarity Movement, was critically injured on Friday by Israeli troops during protests against Israel’s Wall in the West Bank village of Ni’lin. He was hit in his forehead by a new type of high velocity, extended range teargas projectile, and has been transferred to Tel Hashomer hospital, near Tel Aviv. Tristan is unconscious, anesthetized and artificially respirated, has sustained life-threatening injuries to his brain (as well as to his right eye), and is expected to undergo several operations in the coming days, in addition to the one he underwent yesterday.

The impact of the projectile caused … Continue reading

Demonstrations in Ni’lin, Al-Ma’asara, Jayyous, and Bil’in continued this week against the construction of the Annexation Barrier, the confiscation of land, and the destruction of agricultural trees. This week, demonstrations also began in Wadi A-Rasha, a small village in the Qalqylia district that is confronting the destruction of their lands for the Annexation Barrier for a second time.
In Ni’lin, 8 people were injured, 4 by live ammunition, as Israeli forces invaded the village after a midday prayer, attempting to surround local youth. Tear gas, rubber-coated steel bullets, and small-caliber live ammunition were fired at the youth and at homes inside the village.
In Bi’lin a larger than usual gathering of nearly 100 people took their usual path towards the … Continue reading

On February 17, 2009 the Israeli military began construction on a new section of the Annexation Barrier near the village of Ni’lin in Ramallah District. Several bulldozers were brought to the privately-owned agricultural land where they uprooted olive trees belonging to Palestinian residents. Israeli soldiers then invaded the village, shooting sound grenades, tear gas, and rubber-coated steel bullets at people in street, just as school was getting out. The video footage is provided by an international member of the international solidarity movement. Though certain villages such as Ni’lin, Bil’in, Al Ma’asara and Jayyous have gained national and international attention due to the presence of international and Israeli solidarity activists in the ongoing struggle against the Annexation … Continue reading

A regular ritual has developed at the Apartheid Barrier building site at the village of Ni’lin. First a standoff in an olive grove, then an Israeli Occupation Forces invasion of the village, and finally a pitched battle between Palestinian youths and the invaders.

The Palestinians’ demonstrations of defiance in the face of Israeli firepower are now a twice- or even thrice-weekly affair. Armed only with slings for throwing stones, the youth of Ni’lin are up against a potentially-lethal force.

On Wednesday this week, January 21, the Israeli forces invaded the village after a standoff with youths. One person was hospitalized after being hit by a ‘rubber’ bullet, and there were three arrests. Ten people were treated on-site for severe tear … Continue reading

The anti-Apartheid Barrier demonstrations at the West Bank village of Ni’lin have become a regular affair. Every Friday, after noon prayers, there is a standoff between soldiers and young Palestinians that degenerates into a disproportionate battle of Israeli firepower and teenagers running for their lives.

Internationals from PSP and ISM along with Israeli Anarchists attend such standoffs to provide a visible presence so that Israeli forces are, in theory, less likely to use lethal force. Shamefully, but undeniably, this does provide some form of deterrent to the Israeli forces, and ‘only’ four Palestinians have been killed in the last six years at demonstrations where internationals were present.

Last Friday’s standoff … Continue reading

On Wednesday afternoon 20 year-old Mohammed Khawaje, who was shot in the head with live ammunition by the Israeli military on December 28 during a demonstration against the assault on Gaza, has died from his wounds. On Sunday the residents of Ni’lin gathered in several groups around the village and threw stones at the Israeli soldiers who had gathered en masse around the village. Though starting by shooting tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets, one group of Israeli soldiers inexplicably switched to using live ammunition, shooting directly at the unarmed youth. Arafat Khawaje, 22, was killed when he was shot in the back. Another man was shot … Continue reading

On Saturday, December 27, just hours after missile strikes on the Gaza Strip began, demonstrations broke out throughout Israeli and Palestinian cities and towns. In Hebron, dozens were injured, including 1 international solidarity activist, when Israeli soldiers began firing into the crowds who had gathered near the Ibrahimi Mosque (Abraham’s Tomb) with tear gas canisters and rubber-coated steel bullets. Hundreds of people flooded the streets in Nablus in a spontaneous demonstration where local leaders called for Palestinian unity in the face of the on-going massacre. In Tel Aviv, nearly 1,000 people from several Israeli cities gathered in the center of town and, despite an order from the … Continue reading

In Ni’lin Friday, demonstrators carried shoes on the ends of long sticks. In Bil’in, they were thrown at Israeli Occupation soldiers and beaten against pictures of George Bush, all in an “homage” to the imprisoned Iraqi journalist who threw shoes at George Bush during a press conference last week. In Arab countries, as the entire western world now knows, hitting someone with your shoes is the gravest of insults. On Friday across Occupied Palestine, Palestinians showed not only their deep disgust with the policies of the Israeli Occupation Forces, the construction of the Annexation Barrier and the assaults on non-violent protest, but also their anger at George … Continue reading