From: Iyad Burnat
1-Dozens suffer from tear gas inhalation and ten injured in Bil’ins weekly demonstration
http://www.bilin-ffj.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=291&Itemid= 1
Today’s protesters in Bil’in brought out the message about boycott of Israeli blood diamonds. Every year, consumers the world over unwittingly spend billions of dollar on diamonds crafted in Israel, and Palestinians call for a boycott. The demonstration went on as usual, Palestinians, Israelis and internationals marched together up to the gate of the wall, facing large amounts of tear gas before the soldiers went in through the gate and chased the protesters some hundred meters towards the village.
Israel, that stands accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, genocide, the crime of apartheid, extrajudicial executions within and outside the territory it controls and persistent serious breaches of the Geneva Conventions – is the world’s leading exporter of diamonds. Today the villagers carried t-shirts and posters asking to boycott Israel’s diamond industry. About 100 demonstrators went up to the gate, carrying out the message, in a non violent manner. Another message was solidarity with the Palestinians in Jerusalem, facing eviction from their homes and constant violence from Israeli settlers taking over their houses. The soldiers responded with shooting tear gas into the crowd after ten minutes. As people were running towards the village, the soldiers were running after, still shooting tear gas, and dozens suffered from inhalation. Three soldiers were reported to hide in the field close to the village, shooting tear gas making it difficult to reach back towards the village. About ten protesters suffered heavily from the gas, struggling to breathe. Tear gas canisters caused a fire in the field, on both side of the road as the hot canisters hit the dry ground. In the middle of a cloud of tear gas Palestinians were working hard to stop the fire, which was spreading quickly among the olive trees. In the end they managed to put an end to the fire, which caused a lot of smoke in addition to the tear gas. The demonstration lasted for about 45 minutes, when people went back to the village.
2-Nabi Saleh Protests Against Israeli Blood Diamonds 25-06-2010
Today, yet again, protestors in Nabi Salah were subjected to merciless Israeli violence with one youth injured and ambulanced away for treatment. This time, however, the perpetrators were repeatedly challenged by a brave, brave woman: Huwaida Arraf, who blocked with her body two Israeli Occupation Forces soldiers from firing killer, high velocity tear gas projectiles at some stone throwing youth. With telling truth she informed them that: "The demonstration was over and their continued presence was designed to provoke and intimidate and to go home". Her pleas were in vain as the IOF made continuous terrorising forays on foot and jeep into the village until late into the evening. Prior to the protest, at the cermony in the village square honouring the many Palestinians jailed for inordinate periods of time by Israel for resisting the Occupation, she urged people of live conscience worldwide to boycott Israeli blood diamonds as the cut diamonds are the foundation of the Israeli economy and amount to some $20 billion in exports annually. Huwaida Arraf is a Palestinian-American human rights activist who co-founded the International Solidarity Movement and is currently chair of the Free Gaza Movement, she was on board Challenger 1, one of the six siege-breaking ships ferrying desperately needed humanitarian supplies to Gaza when the flotilla was murderously attacked in international waters by Israeli commandos on 31st May 2010 - nine other human rights activists aboard the Turkish ship, Mavi Marmara were murdered in cold blood, . Huwaida witnessed the terrorist attack on the Marmara before her own ship was boarded and its passengers and crew subjected to Israeli savagery. In August 2008, Huwaida was on the Free Gaza boats that sailed from Cyprus to Gaza, the first boats to challenge Israel's closure of the Strip and dock in Gaza Port in over 40 years. She has since lead 4 other successful solidarity missions to Gaza with the Free Gaza Movement. In February 2009 Huwaida was part of a National Lawyers Guild delegation that traveled to Gaza to document possible Israeli violations of international law and war crimes that may have been committed during Operation Cast Lead. For another video with over 1.3 million views, showing this strong woman confronting violent IOF soldiers, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQyIKyd2gqA
http://www.bilin-ffj.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=292&Itemid= 1
3-Salaam and greetings from Bilin.
I hope that you are all doing well. It seems to us that the Zionists and it occupation forces are now fighting us electronically after their failure in stopping the on going resistance in Bilin and the growing popular non violent resistance all over Palestine.
Our two email accounts: majdarmajdar@yahoo.com and bel3in@yahoo.com have been closed, or stolen, it is not clear for us yet what had happened but we will keep you posted.
The Israeli occupation Army wants to silence our resistance and do not want our voice to reach to you, but do not worry, our voice will always be stronger with you support and by you and us standing together for Justice. We will not stop and we will keep going until freedom and Justice.
Please make sure to update your lists and information about our new email address: majdarmajdar@gmail.com or ibel3in@yahoo.com
Thanks for your continuous support for Palestine and for justice.
Salaam and Peace
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