Archive for the 'South Betlehem' Category
Non-Violent Resistance in South Betlehem Continues
April 5th, 2008
A larger than usual crowd gathered this Friday, April 4, in South Betlehem to protest the ongoing construction of the Annexation Barrier on the lands of Palestinians from Al-Ma’asara, Um Salamuna, Wadi Rahaal, and Wadi An-Nis. People from Um Salamuna and Al-Ma’asara were joined by international and Israeli activists this Friday with the intention of marching from the villages to the current construction site, near the Efrat settlement.
As the group gathered and prepared to move down the road, however, the Israeli Occupation Forces set up an ad hoc barrier, stringing barbed wire across the road to try to prevent the march from proceeding. Though the barrier was breached a few times, the Palestinians and their supporters resolved to sit behind the fence to demonstrate their non-violent stance while making their condemnation of the confiscation of Palestinian land for the construction of the Barrier clear. An Israeli supporter was taken from the group and detained for about an hour by Israeli police and soldiers before being released. No injuries were reported. Members of the community made impromptu speeches condemning the Israeli government’s actions. The people of this region have been waging a weekly non-violent struggle against the construction of the Barrier on their land for over a year and have vowed to continue to do so until construction is stopped and the portions already built are torn down.
Demonstrations in Betlehem District As Israeli Government Allows Border Police to Open Fire
March 22nd, 2008This Friday, March 21, more than 200 Palestinians marched against the construction of the Annexation Barrier in the Betlehem District in two different demonstrations in Al-Khadr and Um Salamuna. These demonstrations came two days after Israeli media reported that the Israeli Occupation Forces have been given more “legal” leeway to fire live ammunition at the legs of demonstrators near the “Separation Barrier”. The report also stated that international and Israeli demonstrators were not to be fired on. This policy has been in practice, with varying frequency, since the resistance to the construction of the Annexation Barrier began in 2003. However, news that the Border Police had been given clearance to shoot non-violent demonstrators was worrisome to organizers of Friday’s protests.
Severe restrictions were put in place around Um Salamuna in an attempt to keep international and Israeli supporters from attending the demonstration. Regardless, more than 100 people, including a large contingent of women, marched. Friday was Mothers Day throughout the Middle East. In Al-Khadr, more than 50 people gathered near Route 60 to demonstrate against the confiscation of more 90% of their land for the construction of the Annexation Barrier. Though Israeli snipers were seen in the hills above the demonstration, no shots were fired.
Both Al-Khadr and Um Salamuna are directly affected by the Annexation Barrier’s route around the settlement of Efrat, in the Etzion settlement bloc. Efrat’s mayor recently announced the construction of a new ‘neighborhood’ in Efrat, confiscating even more Palestinian land.
Dozens Injured in Demonstrations Around Betlehem District
February 22nd, 2008
Today, as the residents of Bil’in commemorated their 3rd year of consecutive non-violent resistance to the Apartheid Wall, two other villages in the Betlehem courageously continued their struggles against the Wall as well. Residents of the South Betlehem villages gathered on the land of Um Salamuna along with their supporters and began marching towards a barbed-wire barrier Israeli soldiers erected across their path. When demonstrators approached Israeli soldiers began beating them with clubs and the butts of their rifles. Two children, aged 7 and 9, were hospitalized, one with a broken hand from the beating of the soldiers who prevented activists from marching or even standing still. A member of the regional popular committee, Mahmoud Zahre, and another man were also taken to the hospital after being beaten on their land in the shadow of the ever-expanding Efrat Settlement.
Um Salamuna Marks 1 Year Anniversary of Anti-Wall Struggle
January 5th, 2008
This Friday, international and Israeli activists joined nearly 200 Palestinian men and women from throughout the Betlehem district as they commemorated the 1 year anniversary of persistent, non-violent struggle against the construction of the Annexation Barrier through the land of Um Salamuna. The residents of the south Betlehem villages have been waging a non-violent resistance against the theft of their land every week for a year. Friday, demonstrators gathered near the entrance to three villages: Wadi An-Nis, Um Salamuna, and Ma’asara. They then marched down the street towards Route 60, the major thoroughfare for both Palestinians and Israeli settlers. Chanting “no, no Wall” and carrying banners and posters from the Stop the Wall Campaign and other movements, the people marched past Israeli soldiers who did not try to stop the demonstrators.
The Palestinians then held their Friday prayer on the land near Route 60 and several people spoke about their commitment to continuing the struggle and continuing to build bonds between solidarity activists and the Palestinian people.
Santa Claus Attends Demonstration in South Betlehem
December 22nd, 2007
This Friday Palestinians young and old wore red and white Santa Claus hats during their weekly demonstration against the Annexation Barrier, which is being constructed on their land. The people of Um Salamuna and Al-Mas’ara gathered with Israeli and international supporters at the entrance to Um Salamuna to again march along the road in protest of the confiscation of their agricultural land by the Israeli military. However, underlining the peaceful nature of the march by wearing festive costumes was not enough to prevent a heavy-handed response by the Israeli military, who attempted to prevent the people from marching along the road as they had for the past two weeks. The demonstrators attempted to push through the line of soldiers to march along the road and one Palestinian man, Hussan, was arrested and put in the back of a military jeep. Father Christmas (AKA Santa Claus) then addressed the crowd, emphasizing the communities’ commitment to remain steadfast on their land and continue the non-violent resistance to the Israeli Occupation. Members of the Popular Committee then negotiated for the release of the prisoner and the demonstrators agreed to disperse once he was let go.
Defying Military Orders, Demonstrators March in South Betlehem
December 15th, 2007
Friday, international and Israeli activists joined Palestinians from the South Betlehem district for their weekly demonstration against the confiscation of their land for the construction of the Annexation Barrier. Last week, Israeli Occupation Forces violently pushed the demonstrators from the road leading from the villages of Um Salamuna and Al Ma’asara past Efrat settlement to Road 60, the major north-south thoroughfare in the Occupied West Bank. This week, as the activists gathered near the entrance to Al-Ma’asara, 12 IOF jeeps with dozens of soldiers approached the marchers and informed them that there was a new commander in charge and he was not going to allow anyone to walk on the street. They then formed a line facing the demonstrators, who told the commander that they did not intend to block traffic on the street (which is open to Palestinian and Israeli cars) but wanted to be able to publicly demonstrate their rejection of the Apartheid Barrier and settlement expansion.
With signs written in Hebrew and English, for the benefit of settlers driving by, saying “non-violent protest” and “no to Apartheid”, the Palestinians, Israelis, and internationals defied the orders of the soldiers and began marching down the street towards route 60. Soldiers and border police quickly lined the length of the march, pushing participants off the side of the road, but were unable to stop the demonstrators, though the consistently harassed and abused marchers, violently pushing them arbitrarily and shouting insults at Israeli peace activists.
Demonstrators Attacked, Media Detained in Um Salamuna
December 8th, 2007
Yesterday, international and Israeli activists joined Palestinians from the South Betlehem area in their weekly demonstration against the construction of the Annexation Barrier on their agricultural land. Participants met in the entrance to Um Salamuna and began marching down the street, which has both Palestinian and Israeli settler traffic from Efrat to Tekoa. Demonstrators were not attempting to block the road to vehicular traffic, but rather were making sure that their message of “no, no to the Wall!” and “End the Occupation!” was heard. When the approached the site of the construction of the barrier, soldiers from the Israeli Occupation Forces stopped the march in the middle of the streets. Members of the regional Popular Committee informed the commander that they were a non-violent demonstration, that they were a threat to no one and were only intending to march down to Route 60, the major highway, in a peaceful march. 
The military responded by telling the demonstrators that if they did not move immediately off of the road, the military itself would close the road to Palestinian traffic. When participants pointed out that collective punishment such as that is against international law, the commander laughed and told them to shut up. They then began violently pushing and hitting the demonstrators, forcing them off to the side of the road and proceeded to close the street to Palestinian traffic anyway, making sure they allowed all Israeli settlers through. One german activist said, “I believe that is the definition of Apartheid”.
Um Salamuna Farmers Pick Olives From Trees Soon to be Stolen
November 2nd, 2007
This morning when a farmer and his family attempted to pick the olives from their trees that may be inaccessible next year if the Annexation Barrier is completed as planned, the Israeli military forbade them from going to their land, which is near the illegal Israeli settlement Efrat. So the plans for the weekly demonstration in Um Salamuna against the construction of the Annexation Barrier were altered and international activists joined the farmer and his family and other demonstrators to bring in their olive harvest.
Demonstrators began with trees on what will remain on the “Palestinian side” of the Fence, but then decided that they would accompany the farmers to the trees that were directly next to the settlement, and the dozens of Israeli soldiers and border police waiting. At first, soldiers attempted to block the people from approaching the land, which will be annexed to the Efrat settlement when the construction of the Barrier is complete. Organizers calmly explained that they intended to help the farmers with harvesting their olives, which is supposed to be allowed. Volunteers then climbed through the barbed wire fence and began picking.
In the end, the farmer and his family were able, with the assistance of Palestinian and international volunteers, to harvest much of their olives and everyone involved vowed to come again next week, to ensure that the Palestinian farmers have full access to their own trees on their own land.
Demonstrators Attempt to Block Bulldozers in Um Salamuna
October 26th, 2007
This week Palestinians and internationals demonstrated against the bulldozers which were once again tearing up grapevines near the road to the Efrat settlement on the land of Um Salamuna. For the past several months the Israeli military has not used the bulldozers on Fridays since the people of the South Betlehem district have been organizing weekly demonstrations against the construction of the Annexation Barrier on their land. Today, however, demonstrators arrived to find that the bulldozers were indeed at work again, destroying their agricultural land and way of life.
The group of Palestinians and internationals marched towards the bulldozers, coming within 50 meters of them before they were stopped by armed private security forces. Soon after, 3 army jeeps, one Armored Personnel Carrier, and 2 Border police jeeps arrived. The soldiers informed the participants that the area had been declared a closed military zone and that after 5 minutes everyone would be arrested. After a quick discussion, the Palestinians and their international supporters decided that, in view of the fact that they were standing on Palestinian land in a Palestinian village in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, the order to leave was illegitimate and they would not obey instructions from an occupying army. The activists informed the army that they intended to continue with their demonstration non-violently. They then sat down in a circle with their backs to the soldiers.
The military, seeing the determination of the people to stay on their land, began moving people by force to the side of the bulldozed area. People were picked up or dragged along the ground where they were roughly thrown to the side of the bulldozed path.
International Day of Nonviolence Commemorated in South Betlehem
October 9th, 2007
October 2, 2007 was the International Day of Nonviolence. On Friday October 5, in commemoration of this day, international and Israeli activists joined Palestinians from Um Salamuna and the wider Betlehem region who have been struggling against the construction of the Annexation Fence through their land for the past 8 months in a demonstration on the land of Um Salamuna. Demonstrators marched to the path of The Fence and then began to march towards their lands which will be confiscated and added to the Efrat settlement. Dozens of Israeli Occupation soldiers came down from the settlement prevent the demonstrators from continuing their march.
When the soldiers met the march, without any provocation or warning, they began roughly pushing one international activist back down the hill the protesters had marched up. A soldier then grabbed a Palestinian organizer by the throat and violently pushed him back into the crowd. The demonstrators raised their hands to show that they were non-violent. 
One woman from Christian Peacemakers Team then attempted to give the soldiers a letter written by them that included a quote and picture of Martin Luther King, jr. expressing their desire for peace and equality and their commitment to non-violent struggle against oppression. The soldiers refused to take the letter from the woman and continued to push and antagonize the demonstrators. Participants then sat down with their backs to the soldiers and several community leaders, including Mohammed Takatka, the mayor of Um Salamuna, spoke about the importance of their land to the Palestinian people and the long history of non-violent resistance in Palestine. The demonstrators then decided to leave peacefully and the woman from CPT tried one last time to deliver their message of peace and equality. A soldier finally took it without looking at it, folded it in half, and left it under a rock; the Israeli Occupation Forces’ response to the International Day of Nonviolence.
