Tag: Bil’in

April 20-23: The 6th Annual Bil’in Conference on the Palestinian Popular Struggle

As nonviolent resistance for freedom sweeps across the Arab world, join us in harnessing the winds of change at the 6th annual Bil’in Conference.

What: 6th Annual Bil’in Conference on the Palestinian Popular Struggle
When: 20-23 April 2011
Where: The Village of Bil’in, Occupied West Bank

Louise Morgantini at the 2010 Bilin COnference on Nonviolent Resistance
Louise Morgantini at the 2010 Bilin COnference on Nonviolent Resistance

From Gaza to Bil’in, popular resistance to the occupation remains steadfast. Drawing delegations from across the globe, the Bil’in conference will provide opportunities to build and strengthen ties between Palestinian, Israeli and international activists working against Israeli apartheid, to strategize and to support Palestinian popular resistance. Representatives from the popular committees throughout the West Bank will be in attendance.

As a result of our experience in previous years we have decided to add a fourth day to the conference and make more time for participatory workshops. The program will include a number of renowned presenters as well as opportunities to workshop, participate in a direct action and visit other communities engaged in popular resistance.

Tentative schedule:

  • Wednesday, Thursday mornings: Presentations and panels by Palestinian and international figures (to be announced), including a video-link to Gazan fishermen working under siege.
  • Wednesday, Thursday afternoons: Strategizing workshops to share ideas and brainstorm, connect and network with international activists. A focus on linking the global BDS movement to the struggle “on the ground”.
  • Friday: Demonstration in Bil’in against the settlements and separation wall.
  • Saturday: Field trips to visit different neighborhoods and villages currently involved in the popular struggle.

Conference admission: €30 suggested donation
Accommodation with Bil’in families: €20/night

Prepare your delegation today and join the struggle to bring freedom to Palestine!

Bil’in marks sixth anniversary of anti-Wall demonstrations

19 February 2011 | Popular Struggle Coordination Committee

During the weekly demonstration five people were injured and dozens suffered from server cases of asphyxia from tear gas. Hundreds of Palestinians joined by Israeli and international solidarity actives marched under the banner of unity and an end to the occupation. Today’s demonstration marked six years of struggle in the village against the wall and the occupation. In that time, Bil’in has become an international symbol of unarmed resistance to Israeli Occupation. Entering the seventh year of resistance, the village called for Palestinian unity and end to the Israeli Occupation, the longest military occupation in modern history.

The demonstration began after midday prayer with a march under Palestine flags and pictures of Jawaher and Bassem Abu Rahmah, who have been killed in demonstrations in Bil’in. Protesters also carried photos of the imprisoned popular committee leader Abdallah Abu Rahmah, who has been in jail for the past 14 months. The demonstrators marched from the village chanting for national union., Demonstrators also confirmed the need for a resounding Palestinian resistance to occupation and the release of all prisoners, and freedom for Palestine.

The march headed towards the barrier, where the military forces of the Israeli occupation army had created a barrier of human soldiers near the gate of the wall of the western side of the fence to prevent demonstrators from entering the land behind the wall, where a large number of soldiers were deployed. Within minutes, soldiers began spraying demonstrators with sewage water mixed with pertochemcials. When protesters tried to cross the barrier towards the soldiers, the army fired sound bombs and bullets coated metal bullets as well as tear gas. Soldiers then began to fire live bullets (.22 caliber) in all directions. Hamza Suleiman Bernat (18 years old) was shot in the back and the leg. He was taken away from the protest and to a Ramallah hospital for treatment. Ahmed Abo Rahma (16 years old) was burned by tear gas canister. Fadi Mustafa Omar (30) and Abdullah Ahmed Yassin (19 years) where sprayed directly in the face with pepper spray by soldiers during the demonstration. Dozens of other demonstrations suffered from tear gas inhalation.

One citizen wounded and dozens asphyxiated in Bil’in

28 January 2011 | Popular Committee Against the Wall

Ramallah-Bil’in: A resident of Bil’in was wounded and dozens of residents, peace activists, and individuals wishing to show solidarity suffered severe asphyxiation today. This was due to extensive tear gas use in clashes resulting from the Israeli occupation forces suppression of the weekly demonstration march against the wall and settlements in Bil’in.

Participants in today’s demonstration included Dr. Mai Al Kaila, the Palestinian ambassador to Chile and a high level delegation of lawmakersled by Chilean Vice President of Parliament Ivan Moreira. A delegation from the Arab Liberation Front was also in attendance. Residents of Bil’in, peace activists, Israeli citizens, and internationals participated as well.

The participants marched carrying Palestinian flags and photographs of the martyrs of the Abu Rahma family, Marwan Barghouti, and Abdullah Abu Rahma, the coordinator of the Popular Committee Against the Wall in Bil’in. They also carried banners reading ‘Our battle is with the settler who murdered Uday in Iraq Burin. Our battle is with the occupation and the setters. We will not change our course and will continue our resistance.’

The demonstrators marched from the village chanting national slogans and calling for unity and the rejection of differences. They confirmed the need for a powerful Palestinian resistance to occupation and demanded the release of all prisoners. They also called for freedom for Palestine and chanted slogans condemning all aggression against Jerusalem as well as the policy of deportation.

The march headed toward the wall behind which the Israeli occupation forces were already waiting. There were also a large number of forces deployed along the path to the wall. When protesters attempted to cross the wall to the land behind it, owned by the residents of Bil’in, the army responded with sound bombs, gas canisters, rubber-coated bullets, and live ammunition fired in all directions. Demonstrators were chased into the olive groves. The occupation forces also fired foul-smelling sewage water mixed with chemicals of an unknown chemical compound at the protestors. Mohammed Abu Rahma, aged 17, was injured by a tear gas canister striking his hand. Dozens of cases of severe asphyxiation and vomiting were also reported.

Yesterday the village of Bil’in was visited by Mr. Edgar Motsisi, a political representative of South Africa in an effort to show solidarity with the family of Bassem and Jawaher Abu Rahma and the family of Abdullah Abu Rahma, who remains in prison. Mr. Motsisi paid his respects to them for suffering for the people of Bil’in in an effort to end the occupation’s oppression of the village. He commended the People’s Committee for the use of art and creativity in the demonstration. Mr. Edgar Motsisi also gave attention the type of weapons used by the army to suppress the demonstrations near the apartheid wall. He visited the village again today with the Chilean delegation led by Ivan Moreira. They met with the Popular Committee Against the Wall and the village council members in the village council. They listened to the Popular Committee’s detailed description of Bil’in’s experiences with peaceful popular resistance for the past six years. The Committee also detailed their achievements and the role of effective international solidarity in popular resistance in Bil’in.

The Popular Committee Against the Wall in Bil’in also denounced the ruling of the Israeli military court for the officer and soldier who opened fire on Ashraf Abu Rahma while he was blindfolded and handcuffed at the entrance to the village of Nil’in. The ruling was the diluted, illegal, and immoral decision of an illegal occupation court. We call on all human rights organizations and international legal bodies to stop Israel’s violations of international law, and to prosecute the leadership of the Israeli army and it’s officers and soldiers as war criminals in international court, respecting the rights of the Palestinian people. We also condemn the actions of settlers to kill young Udai Qadoos (19) in cold blood in the village of Iraq Burin, and Youssef IKhalil (17) from the village of Safa, as well as the brutal murder committed in Hebron of a man sleeping in his bed. We call on our people to respond to the barbaric actions of the settlers and Israeli soldiers with the popular resistance in all areas impacted the settlements and the wall. They will not choose to deviate from their course alone, and we will continue our resistance.

IDF commander involved in shooting bound Palestinian evades jail term

27 January 2011 | YNet News

Lieutenant-Colonol Omri Borberg breathed a sigh of relief Thursday after evading demotion, but residents of Naalin have no plans to let the sentence slide. Ashraf Abu Rahma, the Palestinian who was shot while bound and blindfolded, was extremely upset upon hearing the judges’ ruling.

“The officer committed a crime, the court’s decision is unreasonable,” he told Ynet.

“I can’t understand how he can remain in the army after you see him on tape giving an order to shoot me. It’s a crime.”

The Tel Aviv military court ruled Thursday that Lieutenant-Colonel Omri Borberg, the battalion commander who was involved in the Naalin shooting incident, will not be demoted. The judges ruled such a punishment “will gravely hurt him” and recommended his promotion be postponed for two years. Borberg broke into tears as the sentence was being read.

Abu Rahma’s family also rejected the ruling. “This is the occupation’s court, it’s illegal. They fired at a blindfolded detainee,” Ashraf’s cousin said. “They should have put him in jail, it’s a war crime.”

Muhammad Khatib, member of Bilin’s popular committee admitted he did not have his hopes up as far as the sentence was concerned. “We are disappointed with the decision mainly because it will not deter others from doing the same. The Israeli legal system has a different approach when dealing with matters pertaining to Palestinians,” he said.

“Our current option is to launch an international campaign. We’re looking into the possibility of approaching the International Court of Justice.”

Muhammad Knaan, a Naalin resident who claims to have witnessed the shooting said: “It’s illegal to fire at a person when they’re bound. We didn’t want to see him in jail but we did expect the decision to address his rank and position. The court should not have let him stay in the army.”

The shooting incident was filmed by Salam Knaan. Claims were raised against the video suggesting it was doctored. “Professionals checked the tape and came to the conclusion it was authentic. The whole world saw the crime committed in Naalin,” Salam said.

Borberg, on the other hand, said he completely agrees with the court’s ruling regarding his role in the Naalim shooting affair. “It’s hard to describe the heavy load I’ve been carrying lately. I’m glad it’s over,” he said.

He added: “All I care about now is to return to my family, to my daughter, and continue contributing to the IDF.”

Two children arrested in Bil’in

27 January 2011 | Popular Committee Against the Wall

The Israeli army detained two children Thursday evening from the village of Bil’in. Mutasim Ali Mansour and Khalil Ibrahim Yassin were by the apartheid wall, when they were restrained and blindfolded before being taken to an undisclosed location