Fifty international and Israeli peace activists and dozens of residents arrived on Friday morning at a construction site of the Separation Wall near Bil’in village, west of Ramallah; the activists tied themselves to iron bars in the Wall, soldiers detained four Israeli activists.
Abdullah Abu Ramha, coordinator of the Popular Committee Against the Wall, told the IMEMC that the committee and the activists brought toys to the children and set up slides and swings for them near the Separation Wall in order to play in the fields and celebrate Eid Al Fitir Muslim feast.
The residents, and peace activists, decided to celebrate the feast in the Separation Wall area in spite of the extensive military presence and harsh procedures.
Abu Rahma added the gifts and toys were distributed to the children who came with their families to celebrate the feast in the orchards of the village, which are ripped and annexed by the construction of the Separation Wall.
Israeli soldiers surrounded the area, and declared it a closed military zone since early morning hours.
Several residents and peace activists tied themselves with chains to iron bars used for the construction of the Wall; soldiers attacked and clubbed several residents with batons.
Residents and activists, peacefully protesting against the Wall, were met with military violence while chanting slogans against the occupation and the Separation Wall which is annexing the lands, and isolating the residents.
At least 17 residents were arrested recently in Bil’in during several invasions carried out by the army in an attempt to stop the protests against the Wall.
The peaceful nature of the protests, the creativeness in the symbolic elements the protestors use every week, and the military violence against the protestors, managed to highlight Bil’in as a role model of a peaceful resistance against the Israeli annexation and separation policies.
