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Ni'lin villagers disable two bulldozers
Latest News, Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign, June 24th, 2008

On June 24, during a day long confrontation with Occupation forces, demonstrators in Ni’lin seriously disrupt construction of the Wall. Occupation forces were barred from invading the village while two bulldozers were disabled.

Above: Occupation forces abandon a jeep during the clashes.

Hundreds of people were present at the June 24 demonstration, which began as usual at 11 in the village centre. In addition to the central march, a number of groups of youth were present. While the main body headed for the bulldozers, these other groups immediately clashed with Occupation soldiers on the ridge near the settlement.

While youth from the village hurled stones at Occupation soldiers, the main body succeeded in entering the site where the bulldozers were working. As demonstrators approached the machines, work ceased. Both machine operators and guards fled from the demonstrators. Nearby Occupation forces proceeded fired on the group to drive them off and prevent them from destroying the machines, while other groups of soldiers continued to fight with youths armed with slings.

Clashes continued until 5 in the evening, as groups of young people continued to face the soldiers.

At one point in the afternoon, Occupation soldiers left the work site in an attempt to invade the village. Masses of people surrounded the invading force and attacked them from both sides, preventing them from entering. Villagers also used tear gas and sound bombs stolen from Occupation forces on the soldiers themselves. This caused serious confusion amongst the groups of soldiers, who assumed that the bombs in their midst were a result of friendly fire and began to fight amongst themselves.

Above: A new type of teargas is employed in Ni'lin, raining down on the people.

While the soldiers were engaged at the entrance of Ni’lin, a group of villagers returned to the work site to destroy machinery and succeeded in disabling two bulldozers. They cut hydraulic lines, damaged the engines and smashed the controls with large rocks.

In an effort to take revenge for the day’s events and harass the village, Occupation forces invaded the village at three in the morning. In addition to tear-gassing the village and firing off sound bombs, soldiers also proceeded to smash randomly on doors in an effort to terrify residents of the village.