On Friday, July 10, more than 200 people from the village of Ni’lin and their Israeli and international supporters marched towards the Annexation Barrier, which cuts through the agricultural land of Ni’lin. This week, participants managed to reach the fence itself, and quickly began dismantling it, 5 years after the International Court of Justice declared it illegal under international law. Tear gas was fired at the group but the dismantling continued for some minutes.
Suddenly, from the group of youth throwing stones, 10 undercover Israeli military personnel, dressed as stone-throwers, began arresting people. Two residents … Continue reading

On Tuesday July 7th, Palestinians, Israelis and internationals met at 5pm from both sides of the Annexation fence near Beit Jala and the illegal Israeli settlement of Gilo. The Barrier in this location cuts off residents of Beit Jala from significant portions of their agricultural land. They met with a message of peace, justice and inter-religious tolerance against the occupation. As a gesture of solidarity, each of the religious groups brought symbolic items to exchange with one another through the Barrier. On the Palestinian side of the Annexation Barrier, all participants, including a large German solidarity delegation of approximately 100 members, reached the meeting point next to the fence without any delays or obstacles; the situation on the other … Continue reading

Over fifty demonstrators gathered in Al Ma’asara today for the weekly demonstration against Israel’s Apartheid Wall. As usual, the demonstrators marched from the center of town to the main road carrying a 30-foot long Palestinian flag and pictures of imprisoned loved ones, drumming and chanting “The Wall must fall!.”

The march was stopped by a line of nearly thirty Israeli soldiers, who had stretched a razor wire barrier across the road. The demonstrators gave speeches condemning the Wall and demanding an end to the occupation. At one point, several … Continue reading

from the Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign. For the original report, click here

A massive demonstration was held in Jayyous Friday to protest the rerouting of the Wall and the permanent isolation of 5,582 dunums of village land for the expansion of Zufim settlement. Villagers destroyed sections of the Wall, sparking confrontations with the Occupation military and the invasion of the village.

Following the Friday prayer, more than 500 protesters advanced on the Wall’s gate in the south of the village. The army was not present, and villagers proceeded to destroy the gate and the surrounding Wall.

Occupation forces arrived on the scene after the Wall was destroyed, firing on the crowd with tear gas and sound bombs as well as rubber bullets. … Continue reading

Jayyous, a small village in the Qalqilya district, was the first village to incorporate international and Israeli volunteers and organize a planned, non-violent resistance to the construction of the Annexation Barrier on their land, back in 2002. Now, years after their original resistance, which did not succeed in preventing the construction of the Fence and destruction of hundreds of olive trees, residents are still committed to resisting any further destruction of their land.

When the Barrier was finished in their area, residents of Jayyous were cut off from almost 90% of their agricultural land, with access only via a gate and a set of convoluted permit restrictions imposed by the Israeli Occupation Forces. … Continue reading

Throughout the month of October the resistance in Ni’lin has continued unabated, with demonstrations often several days a week, the residents of Ni’lin, accompanied by Israeli and international supporters have continued to be successful in at least delaying the construction of the Annexation Barrier, which if completed on its planned path, would confiscate 90% of Ni’lin’s agricultural land.
Using a variety of techniques, including throwing stones symbolically at the bulldozers tearing up the olive trees of Ni’lin, blocking the path of jeeps and bulldozers with rocks, and cutting open any structure that the Israeli Occupation Forces put up to protect the construction of the illegal barrier, the Palestinians of Ni’lin have continued to demonstrate … Continue reading

Mohammed Khawaja, age 12

I live with my family in Ni’lin. We live on the ground floor of the house, my two uncles and their families live on the first floor, and my grandmother lives on the second floor.

Last Thursday [11 September], around 3:00 A.M., I woke up from my mother’s shouts. She was shouting, “Get up! Get up! The army is here!” My father wasn’t home that night. I got up and went out with her to the inner courtyard of the house. There were about 12 soldiers there, and their faces were painted black. One soldier wore a black hat that covered his face. He sat on the stairs outside the house and didn’t take part. I think he … Continue reading

Hundreds of residents of Betlehem and surrounding villages, including a large contingent from Beit Ommar, were joined by International and Israeli activists as they marched towards the Annexation Wall that cuts deep into the land of Betlehem, near Rachel’s Tomb. Local clergymen gave speeches about the significance of Betlehem in the wider Palestinian cause and called particularly on the international Christian community to support Palestinians under occupation and called for the removal of Walls from their land and hearts. The demonstration was organized by a wide coalition of groups in Betlehem, including Christian congregations, prisoner associations, and other social and welfare groups. The speakers emphasized unity and the commonalities between … Continue reading

On September 23 Ahed Khawajeh, one of the most active members of the Popular Resistance against the Annexation Barrier in Ni’lin, was accompanying a group of European Union Parliamentarians on a survey of the land that is to be confiscated by the Annexation Barrier. He, along with the mayor of Ni’lin and two other members of the Popular Committee and the members of EU Parliament, were approached by Israeli soldiers who told them they were forbidden to access their land and that the entire area was a closed military zone. The Ahed and the others began to leave but as Ahed turned back, he was hit directly in the face with a tear gas canister shot from within … Continue reading

On Wednesday, September 17, more than 50 Israeli supporters of Palestinian Independence joined the residents of Ni’lin in another demonstration against the construction of the Annexation Barrier. In addition to the Israeli Anarchists Against the Wall, a constant presence at Anti-Barrier demonstrations, members of the ultra-orthodox Naturei Karta sect of Judaism and other Israeli peace activists joined Palestinians in the center of town. The group then marched towards the edge of the village where Israeli Occupation Forces met them and began shooting tear gas at the crowd. Two small groups of activists managed to get around the soldiers and made their way to the bulldozers, stopping their work for several … Continue reading