Palestine: The Price of Non Violence

[ISM Media Group] The Price of Non Violence

The Israeli Military has been distributing leaflets in Bil'in threatening the residents not to demonstrate against the annexation barrier. When despite these threats the villagers continue with their non-violent protests the military raids the village during the night taking villagers from their homes. Seventeen villagers who have been taken this way are being held in Israeli detention.

Last night, another two were taken. 32 year-old 'Issam Ibrahim 'Ali Matar, father of a 3-day old baby, and 28 year-old Hosam Mohammad Hassan Hammad, were abducted by the Israeli Occupation Forces last night in Bil'in, a small village on the West Bank. No information has yet been given as to what they are accused of, or where they are being held at the moment.

At 2 o'clock in the morning, 10 military jeeps entered the village, looking for the two men. With their lights turned off they surrounded the house of Hosam, and banged on his door with their weapons. One Palestinian man who was watching this asked the soldiers to calm down to not scare the children, but his request was ignored. Instead the soldier threatened to shoot him if he did not go home. They took Hosam and his two brothers outside, checked their ID's, and then released the two brothers.

The soldiers then forced the families of five other houses to go outside. They intimidated and harassed the people and checked everyone's ID. After a while, the soldiers took away 'Issam, and at three o'clock in the morning they finally left the village.

Leaflets, which were left in the village by the military during the night of January called on people not to demonstrate and warn residents: "Don't follow the inciters, Security forces won't let anyone hurt the wall, Don't do things that will hurt your daily routine"

Meanwhile, fifteen nonviolent activists from the village of Bil'in are currently in jail in an attempt from the Israeli authorities to deter the villagers from protesting against the theft of more than half of their land by the wall.

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