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Demonstration against the settlements in Burin
Latest News, Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign, August 24th, 2009

The people of Burin held another demonstration this week in protest of the ongoing theft of their land. Villagers marched this Friday to their fields, confronting soldiers who refused to allow them onto their land. Demonstrations come in response to settlers from Barcha and Yizhar who, with the protection of Occupation forces, have taken over 50 dunums this month for agricultural pursuits, stealing more land from the besieged village.

Weekly protests have been ongoing for the past month. This Friday following prayers, 120 people from Burin marched to their threatened lands. Arriving to their lands, villagers faced soldiers who fired on them with tear gas and sound bombs. Live ammunition was also employed against the people and youth responded with stones.

This week, settlers were not present. However, it is not uncommon for heavily armed settlers to be present amongst the lines of soldiers. These same settlers have taken control of more than 50 dunums this month, planting them with grapes and olive trees under the army protection.

The land in question is owned by 10 or 11 families from Burin. On account of the settlements and closures, the owners have not been allowed to enter and cultivate most of the land for the past four years. The remainder, which is planted with olive trees, can only be accessed for limited amounts of time in coordination with the Occupation Civil Administration.

Residents of Burin and the nearby Iraq Burin have faced harassment and attacks for years from the local settlers. During last years olive harvest, for instance, settlers assaulted a number of farmers from the two villages and set fire to agricultural land.