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Haggai's report Some 80 demonstrators marched in this Friday's Christmas demonstration in Ma'asara, which focused on solidarity with Bil'in's arrested popular committee member Abdallah Abu-Rahma. Kids, adults and Santa Clauses were handed out used tear-gas and stun grenades, and hung them as decoration on the holiday tree. The tree-carrying procession reached the regular military road block, where some of the children choose to decorate even the soldiers' barbed wired fence with some grenades. Santa Clauses were waving flags, slogans where chanted, and speeches were carried in Arabic, English and Hebrew. One of the prominent speakers was Palestinians MP Dr. Mustapha Barghouti. The demonstration's jolly Christmas spirit did not catch the soldiers and border policemen, who jumped nervously at any sight of someone touching their fence. At some point five policemen crossed the fence and tried to arrest one of the village youth, but failed and had to face some heavy mocking while returning to their unlawful place behind the fence. The demonstration ended peacefully and with season's greetings to all present. A bit later some 500 demonstrators gathered at the top of the street that Jewish settlers are taking over in Shiekh Jarakh in East Jerusalem. The demonstrators, who came part by bus from Tel Aviv, part in cars from the Bil'in and Ma'asara demonstrations and part in an organized march from West Jerusalem, sang songs and beat their drums in solidarity with the Palestinians kicked out of their homes by the settlers. The good policemen of Jerusalem, who have probably not read the editorial in this morning's Ha'aretz, decided that a demonstration with no arrests would be unworthy of its name, even though the march and demonstration were coordinated with it ahead of time. Police started arresting people who were already arrested in the past, claiming that they were in violation of their parole. To their great shame a member of the Jerusalem municipality was present with a copy of the appeals' court ruling, canceling the activists' ban from the area, and so most detainees were later released. The massive demonstration went on with great energy for two hours, and enjoyed the presence of the media.. It is believed that these demonstrations will keep growing in the coming future. Peace on earth and good will towards man.
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