Israeli activists tie themselves to Olive trees

Wednesday morning, Israeli activists of the Anarchist movement tied themselves to olive trees in Bel’in village in an attempt to stop military bulldozers from uprooting trees for the purpose of building the separation wall.

The Israeli radio reported that soldiers arrested 11 protestors; six Palestinians and five Israeli peace activists.

Soldiers declared the area a closed military zone.

Residents of Bel’in, Israeli peace activists from the Anarchists against the wall movement and Ta’ayush movement have been peacefully protesting against the construction of the wall over the past few months; army has been using force to disperse them, including firing rounds of live ammunition, rubber coated bullets and gas bombs.

according to last weeks’ media reports, under-cover military infiltrators hurled stones from protesters’ side at soldiers in order to provoke a violant clash, 15 protesers were wounded. 

The Israeli army annexed 2300 dunams of farmland in Bel’in in order to construct the Separation Wall.

Also, the Civil Administration Office which belongs to the Israeli army said on Tuesday that dozens of Olive trees will be bulldozed in the area, and replanted in another area.

The Israeli High Court has recently rejected several appeals filed by the village residents against the construction of the Separation Wall.

An environmental society in Israel warned that the Separation Wall is causing damage to land and a natural reservation east of Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, the Israeli online daily Haaretz reported that the Separation Wall will encircle several settlements making them part of the east Jerusalem area.

Head of the Israeli Environment Protection Committee, Eli Ametai, told the Israeli online daily Haaretz that the wall is causing damage to the nature, and environment, and pledged that his committee will appose these constructions ‘in any possible means.

The Israeli government rejected alternative plans submitted by the committee to erect the Wall closer to the green line.