A child’s view of Israel’s occupation in Nabi Saleh

by Palesitne Youth Voice, 25 June 2011

Video by Palestine Youth Voice

Six year old girl, Jana, from Nabi Saleh explains what happens in her home town every Friday. This interview took place on the Friday of “Freedom in Colors” (24th June 2011)  that was organized to draw a smile on the children’s face. It included kites making workshop and face paintings. As the children moved to fly their kites on the hill. The army attacked them with gas and stun grenades.

Note: “Jesh” is the Arabic word for “army”.   “Massaria” is the Arabic word for “march/rally”.

Meanwhile in Nabi Saleh: Reflections on the physical and legal assault on nonviolent protesters

By Rae Abileah, Mondoweiss: 27 June 2011

From the chambers of Congress to the shores of the Mediterranean, non-violent protesters are rising up against the Israeli occupation. And while the action I took to disrupt Netanyahu in Congress one month ago and the CODEPINK delegation preparing to sail to Gaza aboard The Audacity of Hope have received global media coverage, the small West Bank village of Nabi Saleh has been struggling without the attention it deserves.  
 
The people of Nabi Saleh have been challenging the illegal theft of their land and natural spring by the settlement of Halamish since January 2010. Dozens of men and women gather every Friday to voice their opposition to the injustice they face. International and Israeli supporters of Nabi Saleh’s just cause join these weekly creative, non-violent actions. 
 
In an attempt to silence dissent, the Israeli army uses banned high-velocity tear-gas projectiles, rubber-coated steel bullets and at time live ammunition against unarmed civilians. Additionally, between January 2010 and April 2011, the Israeli Army carried out 73 protest-related arrests, rounding up men, women and children. Two of the arrested are cousins Bassem and Naji Tamimi, main organizers and members of the local Popular Committee.  The Tamimis are key organizers in the Nabi Saleh resistance and have been arrested under the blanketed charge of ‘incitement’, similarly to the case last of Abdallah Abu Rahmah of Bil’in who was convicted in an unfair trial and served 16 months in jail.

 

Shooting at Freedom Kites

by Diana Alzeer, Frontline Echo: 27 June 2011

 

Last Friday in Nabi Saleh, we planned for a day of fun activities to take the minds of the village’s kids off occupation, tear gas, and the constant fear under which they live.

At 9:00 we began the day by calling on the kids of Nabi Saleh to join us to make and practice how to fly kites, dress in clown outfits and have their faces painted.

The kids came along; it felt amazing to see them happy, running around and sharing the idea of freedom in colors. A while after, towards 12:30, we decided to take the kids to the main hill in Nabi Saleh behind the gas station on the main road to fly the kites that some of us had spent all night making. We carried the kites and headed down the main road.

Each week on the road to Nabi Saleh, we are faced by closures and obstructions on the main roads and entrances to the village. We are usually handed a piece of paper and a map stating that this area is a closed military zone and accordingly we are not allowed to enter. We turn the car around and drive to some other villages in the area, where we park the cars. We then go hiking down the mountains and hills to reach the village of Nabi Saleh through the agricultural land behind the village.

This week however was different; for some reasons the IOF did not block the main road. All cars made it to the village without any problems. And all journalists and activists arrived to the center of the village harassment-free.

I naively thought that the Israeli Army would let this day pass peacefully. That day was meant for fun as the kids were supposed to be flying kites. As soon as some of us and the kids decided to walk towards the hill; crossing the main road of Nabi Saleh, we came face to face with IOF soldiers.