A dozen Palestinians, joined by eight internationals, stood at the gate separating farmers in Beit Ommar from their land. The land has been expropriated by the Israeli settlement of Karmei Tzur. The fence around the settlement denies the farmers regular access to their fields, so they are unable to properly tend to their fruit trees–their livelihood.
During the nonviolent demonstration, PSP co-coordinator Mousa Abu Maria placed two flags in the barbed wire above the fence. Even though it was a peaceful demonstration on Palestinian land, the Israeli military told the demonstrations to back away from the fence and to return to the village. The demonstrators walked back slowly through … Continue reading
At the weekly nonviolent protest at Al Ma’asara against the continued expansion of the Annexation Barrier, Palestinian, Israeli, and international demonstrators were slowly pushed back by a line of Israeli soldiers with linked arms. Unlike the previous week, the Israeli military shot no tear gas or sound grenades to disperse the peaceful demonstrators, but snipers stood on the rooftops of Palestinian homes until the chanting and drumming had ended and the crowd had dispersed.
On May 26, Palestine Solidarity Project volunteers joined local organizers in Wadi Rahhal to help a farmer do major trimming of some of his olive and fig trees. Ahmed Abdullah’s house was demolished a year ago . Fifteen of his twenty dunums of land have been confiscated for a settler road and for the expanding settlement of Efrat, well within the Palestinian side of the Green Line. The Apartheid Wall is going to make access to these trees as well as the graves of five family members. Groundwork for this portion of the Wall has already begun.
When asked how he supports himself now that he has lost … Continue reading
3 teens and an adult were injured during a military invasion from the Karmei Tsur settlement into Beit Ommar Monday, May 24. Fathi Sabarneh, 20, was shot with a rubber-coated steel bullet in the hand, Mohammed Jamil Abu Maria, 15, was shot in the hand and leg with rubber-coated steel bullets, Hatem Sabarneh, 17, was shot in the leg with a rubber-coated steel bullet, and Yousef Ahmed Abu Hashem Abu Maria, 17, suffered severe complications from tear gas inhalation and was taken to the hospital after losing consciousness. Yousef is the son of Beit Ommar National Committee member Ahmed Abu Maria.
The military also invaded the homes of three families near the Karmei Tsur settlement, using their roofs for … Continue reading
The weekly protest against the encroaching apartheid wall took place this Sunday, 23 May, in Beit Jala. Once again Palestinians were prevented from reaching the site by Palestinian Authority police, leaving the field to assorted international activists and a sizeable contingent of Israeli supporters – and, of course, Israeli security contractors, border police, soldiers and plainclothes agents.
Despite having to clamber down a precipitous terraced hillside to reach the site, a group of committed activists managed to seat themselves in the path of the leading bulldozer. By clinging determinedly to one another they managed to resist being dragged away into detention for upwards of an hour. They hung on … Continue reading
