The Power of Aboud

by Mansour

The villagers of Aboud have taken up a campaign of nonviolent resistance against the Israeli Aphartied wall which will steal agricultural land, olive trees and water resources. On the second demonstration there, we touched the core of Palestinian popular resistance. The whole village decided that the popular movements that lead the first Palestinian Intifada, they will express their resistance through the power of the people. They decided to fight for their freedom without weapons, to resist armed only with their faith and spirit.

When the demo began, I wondered how we would even begin to approach the bulldozers, I was answered by the entire group walking through the Israeli soldier’s lines without stopping.

After crossing four more Israeli military barriers, the farmers of Aboud stood on their land and started singing. They said simply: “Today we prove that soldiers, weapons, walls, fences, and brutality won’t be able to stop our struggle for justice.” When the demo ended, the farmers thanked their Israeli and International supporters and promised to continue their nonviolent resistance until they tear the wall down!

With happiness at their achievement apparent on these great simple farmers’ faces, they told us: “We need you here with us, we need you to help us continue to uncover the Israeli government’s violence against our peaceful resistance. We need more of you to share in our struggle and our joy when we stop the bulldozers. We need more of you to share our struggle and our joy when we stop bulldozers and save olive trees and
hope from being uprooted.”