The Popular Committee Against the Wall in Bil’in village, west of Ramallah, invited diplomats from several European representatives offices in the Palestinian areas to participate in an activity regarding the threatens imposed over the Palestinians by the Israeli annexation Wall and settlement expansion.
Representatives of Austria, Poland, Denmark, Ireland, Germany, Spain, France. Sweden, England and the Czech Republic came to Ramallah and drove to Bil’in village where they were accompanied by representatives of the Popular Committee Against the Wall, the National Committee Against the Wall and the Israeli Peace Bloc "Gush Shalom".
The delegates, residents and peace activists headed towards a construction site of the Wall and observed the destruction the Wall causes to the Palestinian orchards.
Palestinian Legislative Council Member (PLC), Moheeb Salam Awwad, who represents the Christian PLC seat in Ramallah was among the protesters, Abdullah Abu Rahma, head of the Popular Committee Against the Wall in Bil’in accompanied the international representatives.
Abu Rahma, Uri Avnery, head of Gush Shalom, and Mohammad Al Khateeb, coordinator of the Popular Committee Against the Wall, spoke after arriving to a construction site of the Wall about the dangers and destructions the Wall causes and imposes on the residents and their orchards.
They also spoke about Israeli settlement construction companies forging documents claiming that several residents sold their lands to Israel to construct the Wall and settlements in the area.
Recently, several documents that were exposed revealing forged contracts that claims purchasing the lands from the residents. Residents of the Palestinian villages depend on their orchards as their only source of livelihood.
The international diplomats who visited Bil’in and saw the construction of of settlements and the annexation Wall said that they intend to file reports to their governments regarding the Israeli violations of settlements construction, expansion and the construction of the Wall on Palestinian owned property.
Abu Rahma informed the IMEMC that the aim of the protest was to commemorate the Land Day, which is on March 30, and to deliver a message of steadfastness of the Palestinians in their lands in spite of the Israeli violations.
"For us, every day is a day of defending our land", Abu Rahma stated, "This Wall and the annexation policies practiced by Israel aim to starve us and confiscate our lands".
The protesters carried a huge empty cooking pot resembling hunger and poverty in Palestine which are caused by the Israeli closures and annexation policies.
"Hunger and poverty will sharply increase after Israel completes the construction of the Wall and strangles the Palestinian territories", Abu Rahma stated.
The army attempted to obstruct the the protesters and placed barbed wires in front of them; several protesters used ladders to cross into the other side.
Soldiers fired gas bombs and rubber coated bullets injuring one residents and an Israeli peace activist.
Also, troops arrested three Israelis and one Australian peace activist.
