Ta'ayush demo against 'Security wall' separating East and West Jerusalem.

[Bryan Atinsky <bryan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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Hey all,

Went to a demonstration yesterday near Jerusalem and took quite a few pictures. 
 

Fred Shlomka from the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions wrote the
following piece...

You can see the pictures at:
http://www.indymedia.org.il/imc/israel/webcast/display.php3?article_id=39396

Joint Israeli Palestinian Demonstration.

Yesterday over three hundred activists from Ta¹ayush, The Israeli Committee
Against House Demolitions, Bat Shalom and others, joined with five hundred
Palestinians in a joint demonstration against the separation wall built by the
Israeli government in Abu Dis. Three months ago the state of Israel
constructed the wall which isolates 60,000 Palestinian residents (the majority
of whom have Israeli residency) from the city of Jerusalem.

The activists had to enter Abu Dis via the village of Eizariya due to a curfew
imposed by the Israeli Army. The demonstrators marched through Eizariya
swelling their numbers with village residents as they approached the roadblock
near the wall, chanting the slogans : * Demolish the wall of Abu Dis * Build
trust not walls * End the occupation in Al ­Quds

Demonstration leaders negotiated with the Army to get closer to the
wall. However the army blocked the way again about fifty meters from the
wall. The activists sat on the road and continued chanting slogans and protest
songs in a peaceful manner. However the army fired tear gas and charged the
crowd which scattered into the surrounding side streets. A few protesters then
threw stones at the soldiers but were quickly dissuaded by others. At least
two people were struck by tear gas canisters, including a Red Crescent
volunteer who required medical attention.

The activists then re-assembled at the roadblock and continued their protest
against the wall. The event ended peaceably.

The Wall isolates Palestinians from their working environment, hospitals,
pharmacies, schools, holy places and family relatives. Before the wall was
built, cars were allowed to pass through the checkpoints. The way to Al
Mukasad hospital then took only 5 minutes by car, whereas today the way to the
hospital takes more then 40 minutes. Those who do not have the Jerusalem
residency, have to drive 40 km to reach the hospitals of Ramalla (passing
several checkpoints on their way). Many of the students at Al Quds University,
which is located in Abu Dis, cannot reach their university. In our last
meeting we were told about a funeral that could not take place in the family
cemetery, as it is located on the other side of the wall. The bereaved family
ended up burying their loved one elsewhere. In short, the wall creates more
everyday absurd situations. The army declares that the purpose of the wall to
ensure security to the residents of West Jerusalem, while it's implications
are aggravation of the everyday life of the citizens of East
Jerusalem. Instead of security there is an ongoing frustration and
despair. This wall is another symbol of the arbitrary cruelty of the
occupation.




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