Al Ma’sara Demonstration 29/04/11 in the workers day
supporting the unity between the palestinians
Every Friday Al Ma’sara is holding a demonstration to oppose the Wall and the settlements being built around the village, taking around 3500 dunums of land from Al Ma’sara and the villages around. Today around 80 people joined the protest; mostly Palestinians, some Europeans and some from Canada and the US. After being prevented by the Israeli army to go down to one of the lands that was stolen, the group took an alternative route, but was blocked again.
The demonstrators stayed in front of the soldiers who formed a line. Women and children were also participating and there was a local TV channel 'Palestine Today'. One of the members of the Popular Committee asked the soldiers to function as a human being rather than a machine following orders, and expressed his appreciation for the international support.
After the group returned to the village in about one hour some teenagers and young men stayed behind and threw a few stones. The army started shooting teargas were many people suffered from tear gas and two people were arrested: one Palestinian and one Canadian. They were released within one hour.
Mahmoud Zwahra
Al-Ma'sara village - Bethlehem
