‘Santa’ protests “Israeli” wall in Bilin

Local Editor, 26-12-2009




Palestinians dressed as Santa Claus marched against "Israel's" apartheid wall on Christmas day in the West Bank village of Bil'in, west of Ramallah.

Demonstrators carried a Christmas tree decorated with spent gas canisters and stun grenades fired by "Israeli" soldiers at previous demonstrations over the past five years.

"Israeli" soldiers as usual resorted to violence and fired tear gas at the Santa Clauses.
The protesters were joined this week by a senior Fatah leader, Abbas Zaki, the party's former envoy in Lebanon.

According to a statement from the demonstrators, the weapon-garnished tree was carried in support of Abdullah Abu Rahmah, the coordinator of the Bil'in Committee against the Wall and Settlements.

Rahmah is currently in an "Israeli" military prison and is being charged with weapons possession for creating an art exhibit out of discharged tear-gas canisters and stun grenades.

The Bil'in Popular Committee issued a statement calling for the release of anti-wall activists who have been detained in a recent wave of arrests.

Demonstrators also marched against the separation wall in the nearby village of Ni'lin.

Protesters hold demonstrations each Friday in Bil'in and Ni'lin, following the noon Muslim prayer, to protest the "Israeli" wall that severs residents of the villages from their lands.

Haitham Al Khatib, a Palestinian activist was filming as a Christmas tree decorated with an assortment of spent tear gas canisters was rolled to the wall, and immediately upon arrival the "Israeli" army began firing tear gas and sound bombs at the crowd. The video is available here.