NOVANEWS
Tens of thousands of people participated in Land Day demonstration in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, the Negev and the Galilee, as well as in Jordan and Lebanon. One person was killed, many were injured – several critically – and several were arrested in clashes with the Israeli army and police. Hamas and Fatah also attacked demonstrators.
The village of Budrus was actually one of the quieter places to be today. This small yet ancient village, with lands on both sides of the green line, was one of the first to raise the flag of non-violent resistance to separation fence, and after a long struggle, regained 95 percent of the lands de-facto annexed to Israel by the construction of the barrier. The route of the fence was changed, an award-winning film was made about the local struggle, and many villages were inspired to take the same path of struggle. “Today’s demonstration is actually mainly symbolic,” says local popular committee activist Ayed Morrar. “This is all about resisting the occupation and commemorating Land Day. Even though we were so successful in our struggle, the occupation lives on.”
And so the demonstration started. Right after the Friday noon prayer, some 100 residents and five Israeli activists marched the short distance towards the infamous separation fence. It was a beautiful day, and one could see all the way to Tel Aviv – if one was to look over the fence that still steals 5 percent of the village’s agricultural lands. Once at the barrier, demonstrators started waving flags and chanting slogans about the people’s commitment to their land. From the other side of the fence, soldiers warned villagers to stay away from the fence, and after about five minutes started throwing stun grenades and firing tear gas into the non-violent crowd.
Within seconds, the atmosphere changed: the masses ran back toward the village, while a few youngsters stayed behind, throwing stones at the soldiers. Over the next two hours, the soldiers shot hundreds of tear gas canisters at the youth and the village, used the “skunk” water water cannon and the Long Range Acoustic Device (aka “the scream”). They would cross the fence three times, chasing the youth into the village, filling the narrow streets with the stench of tear gas, and then leave.
Between observing the demonstration-turned-confrontation and dodging tear gas canisters and clouds (not always successfully) – villagers and activists took out their phones to read tweets from all over the land: 100 demonstrators here, a few thousand there, reports of injuries here, Palestinian police assisting the IDF there. Everybody tweeted, retweeted and countertweeted, spreading news from demonstrators, commenting on IDF spokesperson claims, etc.
Summing up varied reports, tweets, news agency sites and messages from activists from different locations, here’s a short run-down of Friday activities against occupation, apartheid and land appropriations:
- The day started with a small tree-planting activity in Beit Jala. Some 90 farmers and supporters went to the east of the town and planted trees on the planned route of the wall near Al-Walaje. The action ended peacefully.
- Shortly after that, a mass demonstration took place in Bethlehem. Some 1,000 people marched towards the checkpoint on the way to Jerusalem, where they were confronted by Palestinian police. After succeeding to break police lines, demonstrators reached the wall, and some started throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at the watchtower. Soldiers used tear gas and rubber bullets, causing several severe injuries.
- Meanwhile in Qalandia, as Mya and Omar reported earlier, a crowd of another thousand people marched towards the checkpoint, and were also met by Palestinian police. Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, head of the Mubadara (Initiative) party, was injured in confrontations that erupted, most likely by either police or activists from rival factions. However, several journalists at the scene mentioned that some 100 demonstrators were hospitalized after being hit by tear gas canisters and rubber-coated bullets. Demonstrators responded with stones and Molotov cocktails. Three international activists were arrested.
