Daylong clashes in Jayyous, youth destroy parts of the Wall
Latest News, Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign, November 28th, 2008
The village of Jayyous mobilized this Friday for the weekly demonstration against the re-routing of the Wall through village land. Youth engaged with Occupation forces at the Wall and inside the village, and confrontations continued into the late afternoon. The village remains occupied following the burning of the outer fence this evening.
The demonstration began in the city center, following the Friday prayers. Upwards of 300 people gathered together in the village center and marched toward the gate. The demonstrators called for the destruction of the Wall, the continuation of resistance to the Occupation, and the right to return to their lands.
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| Above: The roads of Jayyous were blocked with large stones, rubble and barbed wire, preventing jeeps from moving freely. |
However, the demonstration was stopped on the road on the outskirts of the village. Fearing a repeat of last Friday, when residents tore apart the gate, Occupation forces deployed on the road, and soldiers physically prevented the march from reaching the Wall.
During the standoff, three additional Occupation jeeps arrived, coming from behind the main contingent of demonstrators. People retreated behind the newly arrived soldiers, and clashes began. Youth hurled stones from slings, and soldiers responded with gas and rubber bullets. Local women blocked the roads, moving massive rocks to hinder the movement of the jeeps. Two young boys were injured from rubber bullets, with one sustaining a light head wound and the second suffering a broken arm.
Following the initial clash, soldiers withdrew beyond the gate, and the youth continued to throw stones over the Wall. Four Occupation jeeps then reentered Jayyous, this time invading the center of village. Fighting continued in the streets for several hours, with soldiers eventually withdrawing.
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| Above: A young boy walks through the streets during a lull in the clashes. Two were injured today, and a number of others were affected by tear gas. |
In the evening, a group of youth returned to the Wall in the south of the village, setting fire to and wrecking the outer fence in several places. The Occupation army has responded by sending a massive force into the village and is currently carrying out house-to-house searches and using their loudspeaker system to flood the village with threats and curses.
Today’s events mark the third consecutive Friday demonstration in Jayyous. The actions are primarily organized and carried out by the village youth, and mark the rising importance of the younger generation and their role in the struggle against the Occupation, in particular the Wall and settlements. The active resistance of the youth to this project is a hallmark of village demonstrations, which are growing in strength across the West Bank.
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| Above: The march moving from the center to the Wall. |
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