***image1***Following the recent killings in Ni’lin and Bil’in and the arrests in al Ma’sara, the Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign organized a national conference to promote ways to support grassroots resistance against the Wall.
Some 70 people, among them popular committee representatives from affected areas along with the families of the injured, arrested, and martyred participated in the conference. Families and activists traveled from Hebron, al Ma’sara, Artas, Bil’in, Ni’lin, Jayyus and Tulkarm and met with Palestinian human rights organizations and PNA representatives. The aim of the meeting was to assess ways in which to respond to the mounting repression and violence against popular resistance movements. Participants focused on three main areas: official leadership, legal action and the media, and how to best integrate them with the ongoing actions against the Wall.
In regards to the role of the official leadership activists stressed the need for the PNA, especially its diplomatic corps, to focus on the Wall and the repression faced by affected villages. Pressure must be brought to bear, through international governments, on the ongoing construction of the Wall and practices of Occupation forces. On the ground, it is imperative that the PNA does not stand in the way of the popular struggles and instead actively supports the steadfastness of the people on their land.
Human rights organizations have proposed to work on strategies that may counter the policy of killings and arrests from a legal standpoint, holding criminally accountable those responsible.
The participants further discussed ways in which the Wall and the struggle against it could be brought back into the media spotlight. Participants laid out several ways in which to increase coverage and coordination with various media outlets as well as how to connect media representatives more closely with the popular committees.
Finally, representatives from the popular committees set the foundations for further coordination with Palestinian human rights organizations. The stated aim is the establishment of a joint committee that is to involve human rights and civil society organizations more closely with the popular resistance and the follow up of popular demonstrations and repression.