Israeli soldiers attacked a non-violent procession against the Separation Wall in Bil’in village, near the West Bank city of Ramallah. Pianist Jacob Allegro Wegloop, a holocaust survivor, and David Rovics, and American folk singer, sang for the Palestinian children, the refugees, the Palestinian cause and children, in addition to singing and the Palestinian national anthem.
Wegloop has arrived in the village on Friday at dawn, directly after landing in Al Lud airport.
Wegloop held a press conference in Bil’in on Friday morning, before Palestinian, internationals and Israeli peace activists marched, while singing, towards the construction site of the Separation Wall. ÂÂ
The songs were in support of the Palestinian people and their legitimate struggle against the occupation and its policies in the Palestinian occupied territories.
The songs performed during the procession managed to create a new atmosphere, and brought joy to the residents and children, suffering from the occupation and its Separation wall.ÂÂ
Earlier on Friday, Israeli soldiers barred fifty peace activists from entering the village after the soldiers declared it a closed military zone; twenty activists were arrested after managing to enter the village.
Following mid-day prayers at the villages’ mosque, the residents and peace activists, along with the internationals who were bared from entering the village, marched towards the construction site of the Wall.
After the protestors arrived at the construction site, David Rovics started to sing his songs which tell stories of suffering of the Palestinian refugees, and sang against the Separation Wall and in memory to Sabra and Shatella refugees who were slaughtered after the Israeli army invaded Lebanon in 1982.
Abdullah Abu Rahma, head of the Public Committee Against the Wall, reported that two internationals and the coordinator of the committee, Mohammad Al Khatty, were arrested.
Abu Rahma added that residents Jasser Al Ash’al, Tareq Tawfiq, Basim Al Khateeb, and Zuhdi Yassin, were injured.
Four Israeli soldiers were mildly injured.
Also, soldiers chased the protestors into the village and attacked dozens of residents.
Bil’in village managed to achieve the support of thousands of peace activists around the world, including Israel, as a result of its unique protests conducted on weekly basis in spite of the continuous attempts by the Israeli army to stop the peaceful processions, which included using live rounds, concussion grenades and different sorts of ammo.
Bil’in managed to be a leading role-model of non-violent resistance against the occupation and its policies of annexation and land grab.
