The fourth in a series of non-violent protests against apartheid road 443 took place today. 150 Palestinians and internationals marched to the side of the road to protest the Israeli system of apartheid, of which road 443 is a large part. Even though highway 443 is located in the West Bank, and its expansion was built on seized Palestinian land, Palestinians are not allowed to use it.
The separate road system has become a symbol of the apartheid system in the occupied territories which treats Palestinians as inferior. Other examples include the legal system whereby Palestinians are held under military law, and can be detained for long periods of time without charge, while Israelis have all the privileges of civil law.
The Israeli army attempted to stop the procession with force but the demonstrators managed to reach the side of the road and protest for about an hour, conveying their message to passing drivers. Half of the protesters were children who had the day off from school. At the end of the protest some of the children climbed up a light poll and hung a Palestinian flag. The police stopped Israeli activists form joining the protest by setting up a road block, which created a large traffic jam. At the end of the protest about 25 men kneeled and prayed next to the solders, the solders occasional pushed the praying men.
