Bethlehem – Ma‘an – Residents of Al-Nu‘man village today took part in a non-violent demonstration at the Israeli separation fence, with divides them from relatives and loved ones in the nearby village of Al-Khas.
At around 11am, some 80 protestors, including Israeli and foreign peace activists, converged on either side of the fence, which has besieged both villages.
They were met by four vehicles, full of Israeli soldiers, who shot tear gas and sound grenades at the unarmed protestors.
Despite the bombardment, groups from each village met at the fence, where relatives shook hands through the fence and spoke of their lives since their enforced separation.
Coloured strings and ribbons were strewn between both sides of the separation fence, in a vibrant rainbow of non-passive pacifist resistance.
Two unarmed demonstrators were injured when tear gas canisters were shot into their legs. Each suffered minor cuts and light burns.
Al-Nu’man is a small village situated southeast of Jerusalem and northeast of Bethlehem, a few hundred metres north of Beit Sahour. In 1967, Israel illegally de facto annexed East Jerusalem and surrounding areas, including the land of al-Nu’man village. However, the inhabitants of the village were recorded as West Bank residents and given West Bank IDs, rather than the Jerusalem IDs received by most Palestinians in the illegally annexed areas. As West Bank ID holders, these residents are considered by Israel to be illegally residing in Jerusalem simply by being in their homes.
A petition submitted by Al-Haq and Defence for Children International- Palestine humanitarian agencies, along with residents of Al-Nu‘man village will be heard by Jerusalem High Court of Justice at 9:00am on Sunday 13 May 2007.
Today‘s demonstration comes as part of the "Stop the Bleeding of Bethlehem" campaign, which aims to mobilize residents of the Bethlehem area to nonviolently resist all forms of the Israeli occupation, including the wall, military checkpoints and land confiscation.