23 September 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank
At 1 pm the demonstration in Ni’lin started. 4 ISM volunteers helped to protest against the illegal, Israeli Apartheid Aall. After reaching the wall, the Israel army attacked us by using tears gas and rubber bullets. Some local protesters were hurt by the rubber bullets. After the demonstration, the new international volunteers were invited by a Palestinian man to his home.
It was amazing for us because we were foreigners, and we met him for the first time at the demonstration, and he was already inviting us over.
He said, “Don’t worry, feel at home.”
After we chatted with him, he showed us some videos of how the Israeli army took his village’s land. It was so shocking because it was very violent at times. For example, one time the Israeli army shot a Palestinian protester with a rubber bullet from a distance of 1 meter. After watching some videos, he told us Palestinians just want peace and want to go back to their land, part of which is in the settlement area now behind the illegal wall.
The illegal wall by Israel was built about 2 years ago. Before that, they had lots of olive trees and farms, but the Israeli army pushed them out to build settlements there.
They need international help, but they especially they want us to see the illegal wall and advocate all over the world for peace.
This demonstration was the first one for us but we felt the Palestinian people’s humanity, hospitality, and their need for just peace.