Palestine-Israel, Another week of joint struggle in the last weekend of autumn

mashriq / arabia / iraq | community struggles | news report Wednesday November 23, 2011 06:55 by Ilan S. - AAtW, ainfos, Matzpen ilan at shalif dot com Tel Aviv

Against the background of worldwide struggle for social justice, the encroachment of settler colonialism both in the villages and occupied Jerusalem advances. The weekend's joint demonstrations and the struggle within Israel for social justice and against fascism also advance. The peak of the struggle was in Tel Aviv this evening (Tuesday 22.11.11) where several thousand converged near the national theater. Within the demo we had a black block of anarchists and other radical activists simulating a grotesque fascist counter-demo. After long speeches and chanting we started a spontaneous march to the headquarters of the Likud ruling party. State forces just monitored us till some people threw a few eggs at the building, at which point they retaliated with a tear gas canister and arrested an activist. [Italiano]

Beit Ummar

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG0-SK_F98U

Bil'in

The threat of rain resulted in a smaller than usual demo in Bil'in. Only 5 internationals and about 15 Israelis joined the Bil'iners in their protest against being excluded from their own lands by the apartheid wall. The theme was Autumn - the elementary demands of the Palestinians. By the time we got to the fence, the shabab had already been busy throwing stones, but only when the the peaceful procession approached did the army bother to shoot a few canisters to welcome us. The protesters gathered next to the fence, chanted, were threatened by the soldiers, and had gas shot over their heads in the direction of the shabab. A lively discussion developed across the wall between some shabab and some settler kids revolving mainly around their mothers. The settler kids swirled some stones in a makeshift sling, but didn't seem to know quite how to launch them.

Rani Abdel Fatah - http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2707566971526....58013
International communities - http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.31275002540197...80298

Nabi Salih

Dozens participated in this week's demonstration in Nabi Salih against the theft of its lands and spring by the Halamish Israeli settlement and the Israeli occupation that sustains it. Nabi Salih residents, other Palestinians, and international and Israeli supporters marched peacefully from the center of the village. Referring to recent news, demonstrators called for Hamas and Fatah reconciliation in order to boost Palestinian struggle against the settlements, annexation wall and occupation.

As always, a peaceful demonstration met with Israeli army attack. Volleys of tear gas canisters were shot on the entire demonstration from a cannon installed on Israeli military jeeps. Sole canisters were also shoot by Israeli soldiers directly at people, in violation of their army's own regulations. Israeli forces used their “skunk” track, carrying a foul-smelling water cannon, which said to be of different “flavor” this time, according to protesters. However, the “skunk” couldn't reach but few people due to a rocks-made protesters road block that prevented it and all other military jeeps from deepening their incursion into the village. Few people also threw stones at the army's position and managed to ward off some soldiers advancing on foot from a different direction.

At least 3 people suffered from minor injuries from the Israeli attack. One protester who suffered from gas inhalation was carried by others a few dozen meters until they reached a road, where an ambulance waited to rush him out for medical treatment.

The demo, which was accompanied by a rainy cold day, lasted about 3 hours, after which the army retreated to its post at the main entry to the village.

International communities http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.31276717873359...80298
Israel Puterman - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7Zr4dpqiXI

Ni'lin

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.31275215206842...80298

South of Hebron Hills

Another Saturday of accompanying villagers to their lands.
Guy Butavia - http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150417558272...92137

Walaja

A comrade report: "We gathered near the first mosque and despite the weather decided to walk down to where the army and construction company had recently blown up the mountain. There were about 50 people and after marching through the village we went down to the valley and began walking the planned route of the wall. We were shown various sites including where the original village of al-Walaja used to be on the other side of the valley.

From where we were standing we could see the railway line which signifies the green line and the road. Palestinians including of course the residents of al-Walaja are denied access to this Israelis only road. So in all defiance of the occupation and its apartheid rules we walked down to the road. As we got down to the road some of the Palestinian protesters began blocking the road with large rocks. Cars were coming round the corner to be greeted with a roadblock. After a debate on whether or not to stay there with the rocks or remove them and keep moving we chose the latter and began walking the road back up to the junction where the illegal settlement of Har Gilo and al-Walaja meet.

The border police came down just after we had left the rocks. They stopped their Jeep and one soldier got out. After a short confrontation we carried on walking up ignoring the absurd calls of the two and half soldiers. The Jeep followed behind us. We carried on chanting and signing to cars that were passing. A police van passed us up to the junction and another Border Police van drove down to follow us in front. As we reached the junction and the entrance to the village we were joined by the Mayor of al-Walaja and about 15 Border Police and the settlements head of security. After two speeches we ended the completely non-violent and peaceful demonstration on our own terms."

For the first time villagers from al-Walaja village managed to walk along the settlers' bypass road built on their lands.

Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/activestills/sets/72157602...0411/
Video: http://chroniquespalestine.blogspot.com/2011/11/video-v....html
annepaq http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3kWu0gvW-s

International communities http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.31284116205952...80298
Villagers from al-Walaja walk along settlers' road during demo. 18.11.2011
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See http://awalls.org
See Previous reports about the joint struggles of the Anarchists Against the Wall at: http://ilanisagainstwalls.blogspot.com