Ramallah / PNN – The day after Christmas Santa Claus remains in the West Bank, this time joining the nonviolent resistance in Bil'in. Dozens of Palestinians have donned to the suit this year in hopes of bringing attention to ongoing injustices including the siege on the Gaza Strip and southern Bethlehem land confiscation.

Residents of the western Ramallah village held their weekly demonstration against the Israeli Wall and settlements today with Santa taking the lead.

Waving Palestinian flags and banners against occupation, international and Israeli activists joined in today’s protest.

Walking on land under threat of confiscation, demonstrators spoke out in solidarity with Ahmad Sa’adat, sentenced yesterday to 30 years in Israeli prison. The Popular Committee against the Wall condemned the recent increase in violence against Palestinians in Ofar Prison and the imprisonment of the 11,000 in Israeli detention. Santa Claus offered congratulations to Muslims on Eid Al Adha and to Christians for Christmas.

Special support was offered to the Arab Druize from the Galilee who were just arrested for refusing to serve in the occupation army.

When the crowd arrived at a fence imposed on threatened land, the army prevented them from crossing the main gate to access agricultural land. Soldiers stood behind concrete blocks and opened fire when demonstrators attempted to pass through the gate. The Israelis fired stun grenades, gas canisters and rubber-coated steel bullets. Dozens of people suffered from gas inhalation, while two people, Wa’el Fahmi Nasser and Adeeb Abu Rahma, were more seriously injured.