In al-Ma’sara last Friday a group of local Palestinian protestors were joined by Israeli and international activists in their weekly protest against the Wall and settlements. The demonstration, which was blocked from reaching village land by soldiers and barbed wire, lasted longer than usual and was covered by several large international media outlets.
Standing at the road block, demonstrators chanted slogans while the elderly Fatima Zewahara addressed soldiers, stating, “We are today demonstrating peacefully; we want freedom on our land, this is our children’s and when you use firepower to prevent us from living and even entering our land […], it means nothing.” She also attempted to cross the barbed wire, but was blocked by a soldier fingering the trigger of his rifle.
The march was accompanied by journalists from the BBC, al-Jazeera and other outlets documenting the plight of al-Ma’sara locals who are facing expulsion and the loss of fertile farmland on account of the encroaching colonies.
The Friday demonstration lasted for several hours, with activists taking cover from the terrible heat under the shade of a large Palestinian flag brought from the village.
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