Al Ma’sara Friday 2nd of September Around 50 demonstrators, both Palestinians, internationals and Israelis marched towards the main entrance of the village to call for an end to the construction of the illegal Apartheid Wall and the illegal settlement of Efrat, which surrounds the village and severs the inhabitants from their land. The Israeli occupation army, without any provocation, responded viciously to the non-violent protest. During the demonstration the local popular committee leaders spoke powerfully about their right to access the land of their ancestors and their ongoing non-violent struggle for freedom. They called for real justice and freedom instead of peace shows in USA. Despite the peaceful nature of the demonstration the soldiers responded by throwing sounds bombs and tear gas canisters, as a result many protestors suffered from tear gas inhalation. Palestinian and international voices urged the army not to shoot or use violent means, holding up their hands to symbolize non violent resistance. Despite this, soldiers began to hurl sound bombs followed by the firing of rubber tear gas canisters. The group of protestors, which included women and the elderly, was subjected to several volleys tear gas and sound bombs and dispersed as a result. Construction and expansion of the illegal Gush Etzion settlement has already confiscated a large portion of village lands and construction of the illegal Apartheid Wall in the area cleaves roughly 3,500 dunams of land. Throughout the history of the popular resistance, local leaders here have been arrested, imprisoned and threatened by soldiers; they face harsh fines or imprisonment for attending demonstrations. Night raids are often carried out in attempts to deter the inhabitants of Al Ma’sara from exercising their right to protest against the occupation, which they have been doing since 2005. However, it seems that the tactics of the soldiers in the hope of scaring demonstrators will have the contrary effect; strengthening future protests. Mahmoud Zwahra Al-Ma'sara village - Bethlehem - Palestine P.O.Box 768 TOP