by ISM Hebron, 1 June 2007
Um Salamona
At approximately 10:30am Palestinian, International and Israeli demonstrators gathered in Um Salamona for a demonstration against the wall and to access land which Palestinians have been prevented from reaching by the IDF due to the construction of the Aparthaid Wall. There were approximately fifty demonstrators who marched towards the location where the wall is being built and who proceeded to pass onto the land owned by a local farmer, Hasan. The demonstrators assisted in tending to the land and collecting leaves from grape vines on behalf of the farmer. In reaching the farthest section of land, approximately 20 soldiers were waiting who prevented the group from passing beyond a dirt track which separated the land from the settlement. Only Hasan was allowed to pass onto the rest of his land to tend to the trees. The demonstrators made it obvious that they had came in non-violent peaceful protest against the confiscation of the land and the wall and the army responded without aggression but still preventing the main body of the demonstration to pass onto the whole of Hasan’s land. The demonstration was considered a success in that the Palestinians were able to access land previously unattainable for many months.
Artas
At approximately 13:00, Palestinian, International and Israeli demonstrators gathered in Artas to demonstrate against Palestinian land being demolished and Orchards being destroyed to make way for the Apartheid wall and what is anticipated to be a Sewage waste facility for the Illegal settlement of Efrat close by. Around 50 demonstrators were present, consisting of men, women, and children. The demonstrators marched from the village of Artas to the location where the land had been destroyed and a large ditch had been created. There were a large number of Soldiers primarily based at the top of the hill, approximately 30, where the wall is to be built but a number of soldiers hovered around the area as well. The demonstrators, as they reached the ditch, began to throw soil and rocks back into the ditch. A tree that had been uprooted was also found close by and as a symbolic gesture, the tree was brought into the middle of the ditch and erected by the demonstrators. Throughout the time, the soldiers kept their presence from a distance and the demonstration passed without aggression. After an hour and a half the demonstrators left the site.