Opinion Editorials, November 2009

Support Bil'in's Struggle Against Illegal Israeli Land-Grab, Apartheid Wall

By Iyad Burnat

ccun.org, November 14, 2009

 “Just as a simple man named Gandhi led the successful non-violent
struggle in India and simple people such as Rosa Parks and Nelson
Mandela led the struggle for civil rights in the United States, simple
people here in Bil’in are leading a non-violent struggle that will
bring them their freedom. The South Africa experience proves that
injustice can be dismantled.”

     – Archbishop Desmond Tutu, during a visit to Bil’in on 27 August
2009

Adeeb Abu Rahmah, a leading activist and organizer from the West Bank
village of Bil’in has been held in detention since his arrest during a
demonstration, on 10 July 2009, protesting against the Illegal Israeli

Land-Grab, Apartheid Wall (http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=CqaO8lFYuM0).  Thousands of Israeli and international solidarity
activists who have demonstrated alongside Adeeb against the theft of
Bil’in’s lands over the past five years can testify to his unshakable
commitment to non-violence and dignified action.

Adeeb who has been detained for over three months, is not suspected of
committing any violence, but was indicted with a blanket charge of
“incitement to violence”. A judge had initially ruled that Adeeb be
released with restrictive conditions, but an appeal filed by the
military prosecution had the decision overturned, and he was remanded
until the end of legal proceedings. Trials for Palestinians in Israeli
military courts often last over a year. Adeeb is the sole provider for
his 9 children, wife and mother.

Adeeb’s arrest is part of the Israeli military’s most recent attempt
to crush Bil’in village’s ongoing popular non-violent resistance
campaign. A wave of night raids and arrests targeting protesters and
the leadership of Bil’in’s Popular Committee began concurrently with
preliminary hearings in a lawsuit against two Canadian companies
responsible for the construction of an Israeli settlement on Bil’in’s
land.

On 23 June 2009, the Canadian court heard the preliminary arguments
for a suit brought by Bil’in against two companies registered in
Canada (Green Park International & Green Mount International). The
village is seeking justice against the construction of settlements on
its lands under the 2000 Canadian Crimes Against Humanity and War
Crimes Statute.

Israeli forces have arrested 27 residents, 11 of which are under 18.
Sixteen Bil’iners remain in Israeli detention, nine of which are
minors. Some of the arrestees have reported being questioned about
Bi’in’s lawsuit in Canada during their interrogation.

Overwhelming support and outcry from the international community have
contributed to what appears to be the end of the night raids (the last
raid took place on 30 September 2009). While soldiers have stopped
coming to arrest demonstrators in the night, the aftermath of the
raids has left Bil'in with large legal fees/bails and 16 remaining
residents in Israeli detention. In defiance of the pressure from
Israeli authorities, the village continues to hold weekly
demonstrations. Bil'iners protested in solidarity with Adeeb Abu Rahme
http://www.bilin-ffj.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=207&Itemid

continue their struggle against the Illegal Israeli Land-Grab, Apartheid Wall, they need your support.

What can you do?

Attempts to criminalize the leadership of non-violent protests were
curbed in the past with the help of an outpouring of support from
people committed to justice all over the world.

1. Please protest by contacting your political representatives, as
well as your consuls and ambassadors to Israel (http://
www.embassiesabroad.com/embassies-of/Israel) to demand that Israel
stops targeting non-violent popular resistance and release Adeeb Abu
Rahmah and all Bil’in prisoners.

2. The Popular Committee of Bil’in is in need of funds in order to pay
legal fees both for the trial in Montréal and for representing the
arrested protesters in the military courts. Please donate to the
Bil’in legal fund through PayPal. If you would like to make a tax
deductible donation in the US or Canada contact: bel3in@yahoo.com .


https://www.paypal.com/il/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=k4ZhoIcAVBPPNIUuxdCnalkM3aXYNBZoDS7Q9RRdtnGGrTz3JICjj_-K27q&dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1ffc45dc241d84e9538c532da79baccf7c1009429e47706c4e

The Bil’in Popular Committee Against the Illegal Israeli Land-Grab, Apartheid Wall and Settlements

Background

The West Bank village of Bil’in is located 12 kilometers west of
Ramallah and 4 km east of the Green Line. It is an agricultural
village, around 4,085 dunams (988 acres) in size, and populated by
approximately 1,780 residents.

Approximately 55% of Bil’in’s agricultural land has been declared
‘State Land’ by Israel and confiscated for the construction of the
settlement bloc, Modi'in Illit. Modi'in Illit holds the largest
settler population of any settlement bloc, with over 42,000 residents
and plans to achieve a population of 150,000.

Prior to 1948, Bil’in spanned 4,085 dunams. Starting in 1982 and again
in 1991, around 1,980 dunams were taken. Another 260 dunams were taken
for construction of the Wall in 2005.

In 2004, the International Court of Justice ruled that the Wall was
contrary to international law, particularly International Humanitarian
Law. The Court went on to rule that Israel's settlements are illegal
under the same laws, noting that the Wall's route is intimately
connected to the settlements adjacent to the Green Line, further
annexing 12% of the West Bank to Israel.

Despite the advisory opinion, early in 2005, Israel began constructing
the separation Wall on Bil'in's land, cutting the village in half in
order to place Modi'in Illit and its future growth on the "Israeli
side" of the Wall.

In March 2005, Bil’in residents began to organize almost daily direct
actions and demonstrations against the theft of their lands. Gaining
the attention of the international community with their creativity and
perseverance, Bil’in has become a symbol for popular resistance.
Almost five years later, Bil’in continues to have weekly Friday
protests.

Bil’in has held annual conferences on popular resistance since 2006,
providing a forum for activists, intellectuals, and leaders to discuss
strategies for the non-violent struggle against the Occupation.

Israeli forces have used sound and shock grenades, water cannons,
rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas grenades, tear gas canisters and
0.22 caliber live ammunition against protesters.

On 17 April 2009, Bassem Abu Rahma was shot with a high-velocity tear
gas projectile in the chest by Israeli forces and subsequently died
from his wounds at a Ramallah hospital.

Out of the 75 residents who were arrested in connection to
demonstrations against the Wall, 27 have been were arrested after the
beginning of a night raid campaign on 23 June 2009.

In addition to its grassroots movement, Bil'in turned to the courts in
the fall of 2005. In September 2007, 2 years after they initiated
legal proceedings, the Israeli High Court of Justice ruled that due to
illegal construction in part of Modi'in Illit, unfinished housing
could not be completed and that the route of the Wall be moved several
hundred meters west, returning 25% of Bil’in’s lands to the village.
To date, the high court ruling has not been implemented and illegal Israeli settlement
construction continues.



Thank you for you continued support,

Iyad Burnat-

Head of Popular Commitee in Bilin
co-founder  of Friends of Freedom and Justice - Bilin

Email- bel3in@yahoo.com
Mobile- (00972) (0) 547847942
Office- (00972) (2) 2489129
Mobile- (00972) (0) 598403676
www.bilin-ffj.org