Al-Ma’sara – After the publication by an Israeli female soldier of her joyful picture next to Palestinian prisoners handcuffed and blindfolded, the Palestinian anger was mounting. With these recent events, al-Maâsara urged the international community to take up its responsibilities in the face of the violation of human rightsâ laws.
***image2***Al-Masara weekly protest started today under the slogan “together to unmask the crimes of the occupation and its soldiers abusing the Palestinians prisoners” in response to the female IOF soldier who published on Facebook her picture next to Palestinian prisoners, handcuffed and blindfolded. She hasnât been the only one to take pictures next to the Palestinians prisoners, in fact her picture has brought to light that a large number of Israeli soldiers are doing the same including pictures of smiling occupation soldiers posing next to Palestinian martyrs after they have killed them and other pictures of happy soldiers beating the Palestinians. These images bring back the memory of the American occupation soldiers posing with and taking pictures of Iraq prisoners after the torture in Abu Ghraib prison.
The pictures published by the Israeli soldiers are heavy and appeared widely in the international media and belied Israeli attempt to paint the occupation as the only democracy in the Middle East.
Like other Palestinian villages, Al-Maâsara had received the news of these images with sadness and anger. Many were the participants in the protest, which is carried out weekly in the village. Residents and international solidarity activists carried enlarged copies of the racist images portraying occupying soldiers near Palestinian prisoners and martyrs. The participants chanted slogans against the occupation, against apartheid, racism, murder and violation of human rights law. The demonstrators demanded that the international community intervene to put an end to the repeated attacks against unarmed Palestinians.
The coordinator of the Stop the Wall Campaign in al Ma’sara, Mohammed Brejiyeh, said in his speech that the occupation forces still continue to act as if they are above the law and that the international community and the United Nations should put an end to such practices that have become a burden on humanity.
After that the demonstrators began the attempt to pass through the wall and to get access to the land isolated behind it, but the intensive IOF presence prevented them from doing so by firing tear gas and sound bombs towards them. The repression against the demonstrators resulted in many participants suffering from breathing problems due to the tear gas.
***image3***Al-Walaja – Braving the 40-degree heat, approximately 60 Palestinians and internationals gathered in Al-Walaja to protest the construction of both the wall and the settlement built on their confiscated land. Men, women, and children marched banging drums, chanting slogans, and waving flags. Protesters stopped in front of the settlement and chanted slogans regarding the construction of the Wall and settlements.
With drumming and chanting coming from the activists, a few settlers came out to watch. Children from the Al-Walaja village had created a large paper mache Palestinian who could be seen climbing the Wall. Although soldiers were watching on a nearby hill and two jeeps came driving up close to the protesters, they eventually turned around and kept their distance.
Upon the planned completion of the wall, Al-Walaja will become completely encircled by the barrier with only one access gate that will be controlled by the Israeli military.