A group of Palestinian, Israeli and international activists gathered to demonstrate peacefully in front of the Israeli settlement colony called ‘Karmei Tsur’ on Saturday, September 29. When they entered the field in front of the settlement a large group of Israeli soldiers were blocking the roads and the agricultural fields, claiming that it was a closed military zone, even though they were more than a hundred meters from the fence and barbed wire that had been put in place by the Israeli military to illegally confiscate a large portion of the village land.
On the other side of the fence, Israeli settlers gathered to witness the demonstration, further demonstrating to the Palestinians how the occupation treats Palestinians as second class citizens. Obstructed as they are from entering their own fields that was stolen when Israel constructed the colony.
The demonstration was to put focus on the constant annexation of private Palestinian land. The activists also showed their solidarity with Palestinian prisoners, with special attention to arrested children.
Just six days ago, three youths from Beit Ommar, aged 15, 16 and 18, were abducted in a night raid, and they are still awaiting their trials in Israeli military court.
The activists were also voicing their support for the Norwegian government and their decision to remove the possibility of tax deductions on donations to organizations supporting the construction of colonies throughout the West Bank.
Many of the protesters, both adults and children, were pushed back several times by the Israeli soldiers as they tried to move closer to the Karmei Tsur colony.
