Saturday, October 8, 2005

Palestine-Israel, Bil'in, The joint Friday demonstration continue 08 Oct

In spite of the stricter blocking of the roads to Bil'in, the Israelis of the Anarchists Against The Wall initiative, and the increased numbers of the wider coalition against the fence and others who join us, succeed to arrive at Bil'in. This Friday, from about 70 Israelis, only 3 were blocked at the road blocks and detained so they could not make it to the demo. Most of the rest, succeeded to enter the region through "unauthorized" entrance and march of about hour or so through the hills.
After a short rest at the house that host us when we are in Bil'in, the early afternoon demonstration was started. With few placards demanding the freedom for the Israeli refusnics, and lot of Palestinian flags intended to be tied to the new metal structure bordering the route of the separation fence, about 200 villagers and Israelis marched to the less visited part of the fence route.

Either because they were caught in surprise, or because the change in policy, they let us reach the metal structure along the route of separation fence. First, the had a line of about 100 soldiers and border police preventing us from touching the massive structure. Later they retreated behind it, with a tacit not declare "agreement" that as long as we do not tie the flags to the structure and only bang on it with not too big stones, the "happening" can continue.

And for nearly an hour, about hundred people - the more "musically" oriented, bunged the long metal structure rising a hell of a noise.

Some time kids and even adults will pick up a real big stones to bung on the structure and were immediately threatened by state force people to stop it or being grabbed. Some times, a verbal confrontation and other "mischievous acts" resulted with detaining of people. A bigger group of about 10 people was detained when one of us was suspected of damaged lightly a part of the structure and the rest tried to prevent his arrest.

Afterwards we started to move slowly along the route - changing the bunging points. This and a verbal communication resulted in the detaining of Mohammed Hatib of the village comity for nonviolence struggle against the fence.

After another hour the demonstration was declared finished and we started to return to the village.... But persistent habits are hard to change... A small group of the state forces entered one of the olive grove of the village as a provocation against the stone throwing youngsters who till that moment have not thrown even one stone. And still, though verbally confronting the force, they did not through any stone. So, a tear gas canister was shot in their direction to remind them their role in the ritual... And it did. So, a short confrontation did started, with lot of tear gas used and even rubber bullets were shot - injuring lightly two youngsters.

Using it as excuse, the army shot a huge volley of tear gas canisters on the main body of the departing people of the demonstration who were watching the some what far confrontation with the youngsters... but we were too far from them and the wind refused to carry the tear gas to our direction.

When the short confrontation ended, we returned to the host house and after 17 of the 18 detainees were released we started the voyage home - Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, and some other smaller cities.

One of the Israeli detainees was arrested and was taken to the regional police station at Givat Zeev.

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A follow up from the againstwall mailing list of late Friday evening:

Hi everybody,
Eli that was arrested today in Bil'in is spending the night in Beit El. They are accusing him of disrupting an investigation and misleading a policeman. The officer in the police station told me they will take care of his vegan needs, quote: "you anarchists - you don't eat anything, from where do you get all this energy to demonstrate?"

He will be brought in front of a judge tomorrow night in the peace court in Jerusalem, in the russian compound (migrash harusim yaani)
Moral support will be most needed. Yossi promises that everyone who comes will be aloud to enter the hall, and will not suffer from the jerusalemite cold. For details about the court hearing call Yossi 052-........ Layla tov or good morning, depends... & forgive my english, I blame the occupation...
A.

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