Several residents and international peace activists placed caravans, on Wednesday morning, in Palestinian orchards near Bil’in village, in Ramallah area, and raised Palestinian flags, in a move which resembles their rejection to illegal settlement outpost installed by the settlers on Palestinian lands.
“We received a permit from Bil’in village council to install the caravans on our orchards”, Abdullah Abu Rahma, coordinator of the Popular Committee Against the Wall told the IMEMC, “The army asked us to evacuate them, but we rejected because the army did not evacuate illegal outposts placed by settlers on our orchards”.
The activity started on Wednesday morning, around 10:30, when a group of residents and peace activists posted themselves in Caravans and demanded the army to evacuate the illegal caravans and outposts placed the settlers in the area.
“If they want to evacuate us, they should start with evacuating illegal settlement outposts”, Abu Rahma stated, “Unlike them, we did not violate the law; we did not occupy lands which do not belong to us”.
Troops surrounded the area and barred residents and peace activists from reaching the location of the caravans.
“We intend to remain here, these caravans are placed on lands we own, lands which the residents of our village own”, he added, “While the caravans of the settlers were placed in this area illegally, and the army did not even attempt to evacuate them”.
A group of residents and peace activists intend to remain at the caravans overnight; no clashes were reported, unless the army attacks and attempts to evacuate them, no violence is expected.
“All of our protests against the Separation Wall and settlements are peaceful”, Abu Rahma stated, “The army always uses violence against us, and tried different sorts of weapons and ammunition in attacking us, we are determined to continue our peaceful protests against settlements, and against the Wall”.
