A group of farmers in western Ramallah's Bil'in Village held its Land Day demonstration in much the same spirit as the weekly nonviolent protest against Wall and settlement expansion. A bastion of nonviolent resistance to occupation, Bil'in has not missed a Friday afternoon demonstration in three years.
For Land Day, however, there was a twist. As in many Palestinian towns and villages, including those in Salfit which were attacked by Israeli forces, Bil'in residents planted olive seedlings on what has become the dark side of the Wall.
The Union of Palestinian Agricultural Work Committees was on hand, as was the Palestinian Farmers Union. The Popular Committee to Resist the Wall issued a statement emphasizing “steadfastness and determination illustrated by what the people of the village have built to stabilize their land.”
Israeli forces attempted to stop the olive planting by keeping crowds from passing through the gate for two hours.
Although the activities came under the auspices of Land Day, the people of Bil'in Village practice their “complete rejection of occupation and settlements, and respect for the farmers' land and the olive growers,” everyday.
A group of farmers in western Ramallah's Bil'in Village held its Land Day demonstration in much the same spirit as the weekly nonviolent protest against Wall and settlement expansion. A bastion of nonviolent resistance to occupation, Bil'in has not missed a Friday afternoon demonstration in three years.
