Just like last week, this week’s demonstration in Ni’lin was held in solidarity with Khader Adnan who has been on hunger strike for 63 days. His condition is said to be critical and the international society needs to intervene instantly if Adnan’s life is to be saved.

Protestors from Palestine, Israel and the rest of the world marched together with Palestinian flags and pictures of Khader Adnan raised. Slogans were chanted against the inhuman comments that had been heard from the Israeli right wing regarding the tragic accident this Thursday that took the lives of ten Palestinian children. Five year old Marwa Muhammed Rida Amireh from Ni’lin was one of the deceased and we honor her memory.

Slogans were also directed towards the Israeli practice of using administrative detention against politically active Palestinians. Administrative detention can rob Palestinians of their freedom six months at a time without them being charged of anything. This is of course a helpful tool to keep influential activists away from the political arena.

When the demonstration reached the apartheid wall a group of protestors tried to open the gate in order to gain entry to their stolen lands. The Israeli soldiers responded by firing tear gas on a wide front. The demonstration proceeded to the western end of the wall where there is still only an electric fence separating the village from the stolen land. Some protestors managed to cut and burn pieces of the fence but when the Israeli soldiers caught up tear gas and rubber coated steel bullets were fired straight into the crowd. Two protestors were hit by rubber coated steel bullets and two by tear gas canisters, one fainted from tear gas inhalation and several others suffered from suffocation after inhaling the toxic gas. A number of protestors started throwing stones in response until the demonstration finally dispersed. The wounded were treated on site and no one had to go to the hospital despite the Israeli military’s reckless use of their weaponry

As usual on fridays the villagers on Ni’lin came out this this friday, the 10th of february, to protest against the apartheid wall being built in their community. This week the demonstration was held in solidarity with the political Palestinian prisoner Khader Adnan who this friday was on his 56th day of hungerstriking. Adnan, a representative of the group Islamic Jihad went on an open ended hungerstrike almost two months ago to protest against the Israeli system of administrative detention, a system that makes it possible for Israel to hold Palestinians without charges for six months at a time. At present Adnan is being held in a medical facility where he is forcefed liquids.

The protestors who gathered by the apartheid wall in Ni’lin this friday was demanding justice for Khader Adnan and wished to call on the attention on the rest of the world to Adnans case. International actions need to be taken instantly if Adnans life is to be saved. Together with international and israeli peace activists joining in solidarity the Palestinian protestors held up posters of Adnan alongside with Palestinian flags.

When the demonstration reached the gate of the apartheid wall they managed to pry it open and therefore tried to reach their land on the other side. The Israeli soldiers however pushed the crowd back with tear gas and sound bombs causing suffocation from tear gas inhalation in many protesters to the point where one of them fainted. Some of the demonstrators managed to reach the electronic fence on the other side of the wall and started cutting it but were met with stern force from the Israeli soldiers and one of them where hurt.

After about 30 minutes of shooting tear gas the soldiers had pushed the crowd back far enough to close the gate again while they continued to shoot tear gas at the crowd from behind the security of the gate.

Finally the demonstration dispersed at 3.00pm. The protests will continue until the wall is no more.

On Wednesday 18th of January, at 3.30 in the afternoon a number of Israeli soldiers invaded the village of Ni’lin. They came on foot from nearby fields and sat in the streets frightening people. Cars that drove into the village were stopped and the soldiers began remonstrating with the people and causing trouble. They began shooting live bullets into the air and then fired tear gas on the people as well as sound bombs. Several young men began throwing stones in response to the soldier’s violence. The soldiers then shot live bullets back at the civilians. Fortunately no one was injured by this.

One person got hit by a tear gas bomb to his foot and was treatment immediately at Ni’lin pharmacy. The soldiers then began to invade houses and took control of two. They climbed onto the roof of the houses and after an hour of this they left. This was followed by five military jeeps that came into the village and began shooting more tear gas. Saeed Amireh was arrested and they then left. He was detained for two hours and then released.

Later in the morning of Thursday at 02:00 am, soldiers returned and invaded the village again and this time took a computer and a lap top as well as a camera from the house of Muhammed Amireh, one of the leaders of the Committee of Ni’lin. Around twenty five soldiers invaded the house and ruined the floors of the house with their muddy shoes where they had walked in the rainy fields. They showed no regard or respect for the occupants of the house.

Moreover, on Friday, the weekly peaceful demonstration in Ni’lin was met with very much brutality from the occupation forces. The Israeli soldiers shot live bullets direct at protesters. Luckily no one has been injured.
The Israeli army are using all kinds of violence and violating the international laws by using illegal weapons against unarmed civilians, this all aims to drive the people from being un able to maintain their non-violently struggle against the occupation which Israel is afraid of.

On the other hand, Ni’lin popular committee has condemned the Israeli occupation attack and the targeting of the civilians, and confirmed that despite all the brutality, the people of Ni’lin will continue their just struggle till the wall is down, and Palestine is free

By:www.deam.msx.de

Three years and a half has passed since the non-violent resistance against the apartheid wall began in the west bank village of Ni’lin.

five people were brutally murdered,hundreds got critically injured and hundreds were brutally arrested, but the people continued their struggle with a strong will and determination to dismantle this illegal wall from their lands despite the so much future challenges for their struggle.

” I want to tell the international community that there are only two choices. to decide weather you are for it or against it, being silence with it is like being for it, so the entire world must do something to help us ending this racist occupation” Saeed Amireh said.

Here’s An interview with Saeed Amireh,20 years old guy, a member of Ni’lin popular committee against the apartheid wall presenting  the situation of his village during his European Speaker’s Tour 2011 .

Part 1 – Introduction About Ni’lin:

Part 2 – Non-violent Resistance:

Part 3 – Israel’s Brutal Answer:

Part 4 – How can you support?

The village of Ni’ilin maintains weekly protest despite the heavy price. This week, the village marked three years to the killing of Mohammed Khawaje and Arafat Khawaje. Report by the International Solidarity Movement.

Volleys of tear gas, rubber coated steel bullets and live ammunition is how the Israeli Army met a small demonstration in remembrance of 2 martyrs, in Ni’lin today. Starting after Friday prayers approximately 55 Palestinians and 7 internationals made their way from the village through olive groves to the Apartheid Wall to commemorate the murder of Mohammed Khawaje and Arafat Khawaje on the 28th December 2008. Mohammed was shot in the forehead with live ammunition and Arafat was fatally shot in the back when attempting to rescue another villager who had been shot by an Israeli sniper.

The protest was immediately greeted with the full arsenal of the weapons available to the Israeli military. There was nearly as many heavily armed soldiers as demonstrators. A Palestinian demonstrator pleaded through a megaphone in a fog of tear gas for the soldiers to “Stay Human.” The reply was a callous round of live ammunition fired at the demonstration. As the demo drew to a close, an armored Humvee packed with soldiers taunted the protest before a final set of shots were fired.

Ni’lin has been holding these weekly demonstrations since the Aparthied Wall was first planned. The Wall has annexed over 30% of the land of Ni’lin and has cost the lives of 5 martyrs. The protest continues weekly.

Source: supportibrahim.com

By:Saeed Amireh

Another Attempt To Silence Us – Night Raid At My Family House

I have spent the last 3 months in Europe, travelling to speak at numerous events about Palestine, about our suffering, about our dreams and our hopes. I have learned so much and I have seen wonderful things. But the most important thing that I have experienced was how it is to sleep in safety and without fear and stress for 3 months. It was the most amazing experience of my life.

Last Friday, 9.12.2011 after a long and arduous trip, I managed to come back to Palestine – to my lovely village Ni’lin. My family and my friends were waiting for me, they welcomed me back home. I really missed them a lot.

Two days later, on Sunday, 11.12.2011 at 1am, while I was sleeping at my family house, the Israeli occupation soldiers invaded my uncle’s house, which is close to my family house. Another group of the Israeli Occupation forces invaded the house of my other uncle and they forced him to come  with them to my family house – I have no idea why?!? Then, they started bashing the door of my family house and shouting at us to open the door. I was sleeping when my elder brother woke me up: “The soldiers are trying to break the door!” At first I didn’t understand. It all felt so strange. Half asleep, I told my brother: “What are you talking about? What the hell is going on? How could the Israeli soldiers come to Sweden? Did they follow me here?? And since when are they allowed to make nightraids in Sweden?” My brother shook me: “Are you crazy? Wake up! We’re in Ni’lin, at home, get ready because the door is about to break!”

It didn’t take long until about 25 soldiers, who came from the side of the Apartheid wall (which is very close to my family house), opened the door by force and raided our house. I felt very nervous, since I was sure that they were coming to arrest me. They put all of us in one room, as they always do when they invade a house in a night raid. After 5 minutes they came for my younger brother Muhammed Amireh, who is 18 years old. They pushed him into another room, where they took pictures of him. After that they gave him interrogation papers, stating that he has to present himself at the Ofer military prison on thursday, 15.12.2011 at 10:30am, where they will interrogate him. They left the house after about 30 minutes.

We are very worried, since it would not be for the first time that someone is summoned to an interrogation and does not come back. In december 2009, for example, Ibrahim Srour, an 18 year old from my village was requested to come for an interrogation. Once he presented himself, they arrested him for 22 month and a fine of 3500$ (instead of spending an additional 12 month in jail). Ibrahim was set free only one month ago.

Until now, the situation is very stressful because we don’t know what is going to happen to my brother Muhammed. Currently, he is currently studying at the Birzeit University. It was very hard for us to find money to pay the fees for the University. He is in his first year. In case he will get arrested, he will lose this year. I really wish and hope so much and pray that nothing bad will happen to my brother. Please pray for him.

On friday,after the friday prayer under the olive trees in the fields, a massive peaceful demonstration started,joint by dozens of demonstrators from Ni’lin along with number of international peace activists. the demonstration was called by Ni’lin popular committee against the Apartheid wall.

the demonstrators commemorated the 7th anniversary of the killing of the Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat. the demonstrators chanted slogans condemning the building of the apartheid wall on Ni’lin’s land and calling for the palestinian unity and carried palestinian flags.

Before arriving to the gate of the apartheid wall, the israeli soldiers starting firing tear gas grenades at the crowds,and started suppressing the demonstration even before it arrived.
moreover,they shot 5 live bullets in the air to scare the demonstrators, and started shooting rubber coated steel bullets direct at the demonstrators which led to the injury of four demonstrators in different places in the body. and another five others suffered alot as a result of inhaling tear gas.

nevertheless, the demonstration continued until 03:00 pm,the demonstrators managed to send their weekly message to the occupation that this wall is illegal and we will never give up until it fall down.
no arrests were recorded

The weekly protest in Ni’lin started this weekend after the Friday prayer in solidarity with the Palestinian political prisoners. The prisoners are suffering and have been on hunger strike for thirteen days to highlight the brutal suppression policy of the Israeli occupation against them in the military jails.

The committee of Ni’lin sent a message to the Israeli occupation once the demonstrators reached the gate of the apartheid wall saying.
‘Our demonstration today is in solidarity with the Palestinian political prisoners, who are on hunger strike to highlight the brutal abuse they face. It has been thirteen days but our spirit is strong and we will never give up and we will never surrender. We will continue our struggle until this racist occupation is at an end and we dismantle the illegal apartheid wall from our lands. It is time to let us live in peace and justice and freedom on our lands.

Hasan Mousa, the spokesman for f the Ni’lin Popular Committee stated and confirmed on that the Israeli propaganda is getting weaker and losing its power day by day. The world is waking up and becoming aware of what Israel is doing against the Palestinians.

The soldiers responded with a noisy voice so as not hear the message. They finally suppressed the demonstration by shooting sound bombs, tear gas grenades and rubber coated steel bullets which led to the injury of 3 demonstrators and others suffering tear gas inhalation.

The demonstration ended at 03:00 pm
No arrests were recorded

Despite the murdering of 5 people from Ni’lin during the peaceful protests, and despite the arrests of hundreds of Ni’lin sons and the shootings of hundreds of the people in Ni’lin and despite the grabbing of thousands of dunoms of the village’s land, the village’s fight continues and is still going strong. The people of Ni’lin will never give up.

Last friday demonstration in ni’lin, dozens of Palestinians together with a number of internationals and Israeli peace activists gathered in a peaceful march against the nearby Apartheid Wall. The demonstration was called by Ni’lin’s  Popular Committee and started at 01:00 pm after Friday prayers under the olive trees  in the fields.

The demonstrators raised Palestinian flags and carried a grave with “Good bye Occupation” written on it  and chanted slogans condemning the last speech of the American president Obama who showed his full support for Israel and its ugly policy in Palestine.

Upon arrival at the gate of the Apartheid Wall, Palestinians, in a  speech to the Israeli army, said that Palestinians will never give up or be scared by the Israelis threatening our existence and that freedom and justice will prevail someday. All the world is waking up and everything will change and Israel will pay for its crimes against the Palestinians.
The army responded with tear gas grenades and rubber coated steel bullets which caused a back injury to one Palestinian – dozens suffered from tear gas inhalation.

The demonstration continued until 03:00 pm

A new U.S. diplomatic cable out of the American embassy in Tel Aviv from February 2010 reveals that Israelis at that time were becoming increasingly frustrated with non-violent demonstrations by Palestinians in the West Bank,specially in Ni’lin and Bil’in.

The cable — released recently by WikiLeaks — notes that one Israeli military official “warned that the IDF will start to be more assertive in how it deals with these demonstrations, even demonstrations that appear peaceful.” Later, the cable includes a striking quote from an Israeli defense official:

Less violent demonstrations are likely to stymie the IDF. As MOD Pol-Mil chief Amos Gilad told USG interlocutors recently, “we don’t do Gandhi very well.” The IDF impatience with these demonstrations may also be connected to the recent arrests of foreign NGO workers with expired or solely tourist visas who have been attending, and often organizing, the protests.