This week the Supreme Court
Ordered to transfer the Fence
And return to the people of Bil’in
Their stolen agricultural land.Very good – but the court
Also gave legal confirmation
To a settlement housing project
That was built illegally
On Bil’in land.The message: settlers,
Build quickly!
Create facts!
All that you succeed in stealingThe court will approve -Retroactively.
Ad published in the Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, September 7, 2007, by Gush Shalom, an Israeli-Palestinian peace activist organization.
This report also indicated that on September 7, Israeli and Palestinian peace activists participated, together with the villagers of Bil’in, in a demonstration in Bil’in to mark the victory in the Israeli courts. But it also averred a continuation of the fight against the human rights injustice that is occurring, the military occupation and the continuation of colonial activity by the Israeli government.
I thought it was significant that the new Palestinian Prime Minister Fayad participated in the celebration.
Photos shown below were taken from that celebration and the article,
VICTORY CELEBRATION IN BIL’IN.
Palestinian boy waving Palestinian flag and the two-flag emblem of Gush Shalom
More than 4000 (four thousand) gas grenades launched during the past 135 demonstrations, arranged in the garden of Abdalla Abu-Rakhme, one of the leaders of the struggle
Demonstrators on the march
Palestinian Prime Minister Fayad among the marchers
Some of the demonstrators near the fence. One of them carries a map of the West Bank, showing the areas the Israeli government intends to annex
Muslim demonstrators pray in front of the fence
Human rights activist Mustapha Barghouti carried on the shoulders of a dancing demonstrators
Border Guard commander on the roof of a vehicle watches the demonstration from close by
The text of the article is as follows:
“A demonstration without tear gas and stun grenades is no demonstration,” joked one of the demonstrators.
And indeed, for a long time Bil’in has not seen such a relaxed demonstration. The Border-policemen stood at readiness along the fence. Their commander stood on the roof of an armored jeep, arms folded on his chest, not moving for more than two hours – at one meter’s distance from the demonstrators, who were waving Palestinian flags in his face.
The demonstration had a double purpose. First of all, it was a victory celebration. The veteran demonstrators felt that their 135 consecutive demonstrations in the village have achieved their purpose and had an impact on the decision of the Supreme Court to move the “separation fence” to the west, returning to the village a part of its stolen land. But the demonstration was also designed to express the resolute determination to continue the struggle until the fence will be removed altogether or moved to the Green Line.
About 250 Israeli demonstrators from all over the country came to celebrate the victory together with the villagers and international solidarity activists.
After the Friday prayers, the demonstration started on its way towards the fence, in the blazing sun, headed by a car carrying ear-splitting loudspeakers playing merry tunes and struggle songs. A sea of Palestinian flags were waving over the heads of the marchers, and among them could be seen the two-flag emblem of Gush Shalom. Among the marchers were the Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayad and several of his ministers.
When the procession reached the fence, its way was barred by a large unit of the Border Police, which was waiting behind razor wire barricades. Apparently, the policemen had received strict orders to abstain this time from violence and stood by passively while some demonstrators waved flags a few centimeters in front of them. Only once violence threatened to break out, when a boy threw a stone at the policemen. The local leaders stopped him before the police could respond with fire.
The demonstrators greeted each other with “mabruk” (“blessed”), the traditional Arab greeting on joyful occasions. In front of the stone-faced policemen, they started to dance happily, carrying the leaders of the struggle on their shoulders. Many of the villagers were accompanied by their wives and festively dressed children, who waved their flags with much enthusiasm.
Many smiles and embraces were exchanged between the Israelis and Palestinians, comrades in the struggle.
http://zope.gush-shalom.org/home/en/galleries/VICTORY%20%20CELEBRATION%20%20IN%20%20BILIN
Republished by permission.
Given the reality of the facts on the ground in the West Bank established by the Israeli military occupation and colonization of Palestinian land since 1967, this victory is indeed quite small. It may only mask a larger reality that, contrary to international law, the confiscation of occupied Palestinian land is an approvable action by Israel’s courts.
