We Will Be Free!

On Friday, November the 12th, Israeli soldiers again raided the village of Bil'in. The army arrived at about 8.30, bringing 5 jeeps with about 20 soldiers. While some of the soldiers searched the house of Ashraf al Khatib, others made use of sound bombs in the street near a coffee shop. They then went to Haitham al Khatib's house, pushing him inside in order to prevent him from filming the scene. Any further attempts to film were stopped. In the meantime, soldiers searched his family's house before finally leaving the village.

Today's demonstration in Bil'in was joined by a large number of Palestinians, Israelis and internationals. Members of the Fatah party were also present.

The protesters walked together towards... the Apartheid Wall, carrying posters of Yasser Arafat, in commemoration of the Fatah leader who passed away six years ago. Speeches were held by members of the Fatah movement, while Israeli soldiers were preparing to attack the peaceful demonstrators in the background.

The speakers were Sultan Abu Al Enanan from the Fatah movement, Kays Abu Leyla from the Executive Committee of PLO and the political office of the Democratic Front and Basel Monsur from the Popular Committee in Bil'in. They all promised to stay strong as Arafat would have wanted them to be and to fight the occupation together.

Even before the majority of the protesters were moving forward, the soldiers started firing tear gas from where they had taken position on the road leading to the village. Immediately the area was covered with tear gas, with canisters flying into the crowd from different directions. As a response a few youngsters threw stones to the Israeli soldiers, as a symbolic resistance to their violence. The soldiers moved into the field and continued to fire rounds of gas, and also chasing people back into the village. At one point live ammunition was fired, causing fear and the retreat of the protesters remaining in the area.

Also this Friday the tear gas canister sat fire to the ground several places, and was put out by some protesters before it spread. The demonstration lasted for about two hours.

The Popular Committee and the people of Bil'in thanks their international and Israeli supporters for standing side by side with them in their struggle against Israel's occupation.

The following is an update to a story we posted yesterday:

Today, November 10th, the village of Bi'lin was raided again. The Israeli Army entered at around 8 pm for the second time today. In the morning, at around 3.00 am, they entered the village with five jeeps and searched Ashraf al-Khatib's home. The soldiers also broke down the door of the neighbor's house, and went in. However, they were not able to find who they were looking for in either of the houses.

When people from the village arrived, the 20 soldiers pointed their guns directly in the face of the people, and acted very aggressively. They also broke down the door of al-Khatib's house when they entered.

Later, the same night, the army returned to the village, about 9 pm. Soldiers entered al-Khatib's house again, also this time failing to find him there. The soldiers then took off and left the village, for the second time that evening.

These two raids make it a total of four raids over the last three days. Ashraf al-Khatib is obviously a target these days. Earlier today, al-Khatib received a phone call from a captain in the Israeli intelligence (Shabak/Shin Bet), demanding to see him in Ofer Military Prison. It was made clear that until he shows up for interrogation the army will come to his house frequently. This is a well known tactic used by Israel, to terrorize the village and the families involved to make life unbearable for them.

Today, 09.11.2010 about 3 in the morning the Israeli army entered the village of Bil'in. A number of about 50 soldiers were coming in jeep and by foot. As they arrived to the two targeted houses they ran and took positions outside, while a number of them entered the house of two brothers.

At first the soldiers were hammering on the door of one house, demanding to see 30 year Ashraf al-Khatib. It turned out they went to the wrong house. They then went to another house -- forcing one of Ahsraf's brothers to show them the way to where Ashraf lives. Soldiers then entered that and his brother's family's house, and with the same procedure they woke up the family, again asking for Ashraf al-Khatib. His brother, Haytham al-Khatib, is a journalist from the human right's group B'tselem and was of the ones woken up by the army. Though they again entered a house where their target does not live, they stayed in there for about 1,5 hour, searching all the rooms.

Haytham al-Khatib tells about his 6 year old son's reaction when he woke up and saw tens of soldiers in his house. "He asked me to close the door, because he didn't want to see them." Haytham himself was held back when he wanted to record the raid in his family's houses -- the soldiers simply locked him in a room for more than an hour, away from his children and wife. The children in the houses are aged from 1,5 to 8 years, and this is not the first time they have seen their homes raided at night.

However, after 1,5 hour of searching for the target in three houses, two of them where he doesn't reside, Ashraf al-Khatib was not found. Five weeks ago Ashraf was shot in his leg with live ammunition by an Israeli soldier in a demonstration in Bil'in. The bullet went through his leg, breaking the bone. Even though he was heavily injured and in major pain, the soldiers tried to arrest him. Luckily he was brought to safety and then to hospital for surgery by fellow protesters. This night the army decided to come and take him in front of his wife and 1,5 year old daughter instead.

The soldiers retreated from the targeted houses by foot, walking toward the military road that follows the illegal segregation fence in Bil'in, about 4.30 AM. The village of Bil'in has suffered from frequent night raids over the last few years, and a number of villagers have been taken for interrogation and imprisoned for their non-violent resistance to the occupation and segregation wall on Bil'in's land.

On the anniversary of the Balfour declaration 2.11.1917, faithful Bil'in insist to stay and continue the struggle against the occupation

Today the people in Bil'in were joined by internationals and Israelis to protest against Israel 's illegal Wall that is cutting through the village's farmland. The protesters were carrying posters of Bilin's prisoners , asking for freedom for all political prisoners. The Popular Committee sends their greetings to Adalah N.Y, the New York Campaign for the Boycott of Israel.

The about 100 protesters walked towards the fence dividing Bil'ins land in two, where the Israeli army waited on the other side. People were shouting slogans in Arabic and English, demanding the Wall to fall, and asking Israel to end the occupation. The soldiers responded with large amounts of tear gas, dispersing the group. There was some symbolic stone throwing, and instead of removing themselves from the village's land, the soldiers shot tear gas and threw stun grenades against the young Palestinian boys.An international girl from the peace movement was injured in her nose bu an Israeli tear gas bomb, Many people suffered from inhaling tear gas. The hot tear gas canisters set fire to the olive fields several places, and after a while the fire brigade had to come to put it out.

During the demonstration the soldiers came into the village, lining up in brigades, continuing to shoot tear gas and throw stun grenades. The protesters were forced back into the village.

The Popular Committee was bringing out a message to Adalah New York, which has been campaigning for divestments from Israel 's illegal settlements. The committee expressed that they are thankful for the organization's hard work. Last week, Africa Israel, the flagship company of Israeli billionaire Lev Leviev, announced this week that it is no longer involved in Israeli settlement projects and that it has no plans for future settlement activities.

Among the protesters were two representatives from Michigan Peace Team, who before the demonstration handed over a prize to the Popular Committee of Bil'in. Michigan houses the city with the largest Palestinian population in the United States , and the Palestinian Cultural Committee in Michigan and MPT decided together to give an award to Bil'in. This is meant as recognition of the long struggle against the Wall and the sacrifices they have suffered, including the death of Bassem Abu-Rahma, who was shot and killed during a demonstration last year. The Michigan groups praise Bil'in for their non-violent resistance, and for inspiring other villages to follow their example. The head of the Popular Committee Iyad Burnat and the three other members, Samer Burnat, Basil Monsur, and Haytham al-Khatib represented Bil'in to receive the prize.

On the 7th of october 2010 Al Hadaf Cultural Center Organize a Festival named first olive festival in cooperation with Al Funon popular troupe dance and the Cultural Ministry & Billin Boys Secondary School in the celebrations for the Heritage day. the festival founded by the Cultural ministry and The popular art center.

the festival was orgainzed to be deferent than all the other festival that had been orgainzed, and that was like this

First a show for the olive products & a hot bread wood oven bread with olive oil & thyme.

Second the speech of the Ministar of the Cultural ministry .. Seham Al Barghoti to talk about the Heritage days celebrations and to declare about this festival and in the coming years will be the second and the third the speech of the Management of Al Hadaf Cultural Center By Thear abu Rahmeh . To talk about the festival and the work of the center in the projects The speech of Al Funon popular troup dance to thank (Seda) the swedish organization that found El Funoun

and first art show was by AL Hadaf popular troupe dance that was established by EL Funoun popular trope dance in 2009

At the moment, four of Bil'in's villagers are in Israel jails on concocted evidence and the children of two of them were the focus of today's protest.

For many months now, Abdullah Abu Rahmah's seven year old girl, Luma, has beeen marching in the protests holding up a placard of her jailed dad, drawing the awe and admiration of all who witness this spirited young girl doing her dad and Bil'in proud - Abdullah and his wife, Majida, have two other children; Lian (5) and nine-month-old baby Laith.

Hero and inspiration of the village and the bravest man that I know, Adeeb Abu Rahmah has nine children and they are all suffering greviously, especially the youngest that are in the most need of his love and care; Tutu (4) and Falastine (8).

Peace does not exist with occupation

Today in Bili'in, a hundred protestors walked toward the apartheid wall. The group from Ireland sang their Irish song when we walked to the wall. Some of the locals opened the gate, and called the end of occupation. Israeli anarchists and... Japanese activists also joined our demonstration against the illegal apartheid wall. The tenth of anniversary Al-Aqsa Intifada this week in Bili'in, dozens suffered by tear gas.

It was organized by the Popular Committee against the Wall in Bil'in a massive march against the construction of the Apartheid Wall and the policy of occupation, settlement and settlers, under the slogan of "no peace with occupation. We began after Friday prayers from the center of the village. We the Palestinian flags, national symbols, and the banner of great books out. There is no peace with occupation.

Km Wharf where Information Irish and banners calling for support for our people in Jerusalem and stand on their side, where he attended the people of Bil'in today dozens of international activists, including delegations from the Republic of Ireland (IPSC) Palestinian Solidarity Campaign Irish delegation, the Japanese activists, solidarity movements, and the Israeli activists as well as dozens of Palestinians from outside the Bil'in and roamed the march on the streets of village echoing chants of national condemning the policy arbitrary occupation of Jerusalem and its suburbs, and slogans calling for national unity and the claim to continue the Intifada to defeat the occupation.

When the march arrived the construction side of the Apartheid Wall Ha Jmtha forces of the Israeli occupation forces, positioned behind the wall and fired dozens of tear gas and live ammunition. Dozen of people suffered from tear gas. suffocation were treated on the ground, in an attempt by the Israeli army chased the participants to arrest them, but failed to do so on the track violent confrontations erupted between the participants and soldiers of the occupation lasted for almost an hour.

Bil'in, West Bank

Ashraf Al-Khatib was shot in the leg with a 0.22” caliber live bullet at the weekly demonstration against the illegal apartheid wall. An international nonviolent activist was also hit in the shoulder with a low-flying tear gas canister. The hundreds of other participants were attacked with huge quantities of tear gas.

The weekly protest is against land theft by the illegal apartheid wall and the Israeli occupation in general. This week, the marchers also expressed solidarity with Palestinians in East Jerusalem (al-Quds) where a Silwan resident was shot dead by an Israeli settler security guard on Wednesday morning.

Two hundred Palestinians accompanied by around thirty international and Israeli activists assembled at the village’s Mosque after noon and marched towards the apartheid wall, chanting “no, no, to the wall” and “Free! Free! Palestine.” Around forty Israeli soldiers ran out of the gate to the settlement as they saw the march approaching, blockading the road.

Protesters marched up to the soldiers and confronted them, demanding to be allowed to walk on the village’s land, which even the Israeli High Court conceded was Palestinian in 2007. The soldiers did not allow anyone through, using their shields to aggressively push back the peaceful demonstrators. One Palestinian activist tried to fasten a poster to a soldier’s shield saying “Free Adeeb Abu Rahma,” referring to one of Bil`in’s four political prisoners held by Israel for organizing the weekly protests. The commander was seen indicating to his soldiers that he wants them to target Ashraf Al-Khatib.

The group remonstrated with the soldiers for thirty minutes until a youth threw a stone and the soldiers responded by firing huge quantities of tear gas at the peaceful crowd, many of whom proceeded to suffer breathing difficulties. One international activist was hit in the shoulder with a low-flying tear gas canister. A group of youths began throwing stones towards the soldiers, and three photographers stood next to the soldiers were hit.

Ashraf Al-Khatib, a Bil`in resident aged 31, was shot with 0.22” caliber live bullet which hit him in the lower leg. No warning shots were heard beforehand. Unable to stand, he was hurriedly carried by Palestinian and international demonstrators towards the village as he bled heavily from his calf. When Al-Khatib first fell, all of the soldiers ran forwards in an attempt to arrest him, but the demonstrators were able to successfully load him into a car before the soldiers caught them. As the car drove away the soldiers retreated, and the demonstrators walked back to the village, the demonstration lasting around one hour in total.

Upon Al-Khatib’s arrival at hospital, it was found the 0.22” caliber round had smashed the bone in his leg.

In Bil'in weekly demonstration, protesters showed solidarity with political prisoners. Dozens suffered from tear gas, soldiers fired rubber covered steel bullets. Two injuries

This Friday, September 17, 2010 the people of Bil'in were joined by Israelis and Internationals to protest against the theft of land and the imprisonment by Abdullah and Adeb Abu-Rahma, Ibrahim Burnat and other political prisoners from Bil'in. The demonstration went on for 1,5 hours and was met with large amount of tear gas and rubber covered steel bullets. After firing tear gas from the military base- and road, soldiers entered the gate and chased the protesters back towards the village.

Today's protest in Bil'in asked for the release of prisoners, who have been kept in jail under administrative detention, meaning without trial, and also the ones who have been victims of false charges and unjust trials in Israeli military courts. People were carrying masks of Abdullah Abu-Rahma, who has been held in Ofer Military Prison since November, and is now under the process of trial, accused of "incitement". Other people were wearing masks showing the faces of Ghandi and Luther King. This is to show that Palestinian political prisoners are activists, who are leading the non violent struggle against the Israeli occupation, and they are facing punishment in terms of long sentences in Israeli military prisons.

The Israeli soldiers shot tear gas from the military base close to the illegal Apartheid fence that is cutting off more than half of Bil'in's land. The non violent protest went on, with people holding banners with pictures of the prisoners and shouting slogans. One tear gas canister hit an Israeli protester, Tali Shapiro in her leg, causing pain and a bruise. After several rounds of soldiers firing tear gas and protesters backing off, the soldiers entered the gate, and continued firing tear gas. They also fired rubber covered steel bullets -- one hitting a Palestinian youth in his back. Luckily it did not cause serious injury, though he is suffering from pain.

The demonstration ended after 1,5 hours, and people walked back to the village. Abdullah Abu-Rahma's many friends and family are now awaiting the final result of his trial, and there is a fear that he will be amongst the many political prisoners held in jail many years for taking part in the non violent struggle against the brutal Israeli occupation