The Third Annual Bilin Conference on Peaceful Popular Resistance
ended today with a protest at the Apartheid Wall.
The final day of the conference was concluded with a protest against the wall in
Bilin. The protest began from the center of the town where the conference was
located with a majority of those attending the conference also participating in
the protest. Among the participants were Israeli Peace Activists, members of the
Palestinian Parliament, including Qais Abu Laila, Moheeb Awad, Walid Asaf, and
Mustafa Barghouti.
After reaching the entrance of the wall, Mohamed Nazal began reading the
Committee’s final statement regarding the Third Annual Bilin Conference. As
Nazal was reading, the Israeli Occupation Forces began firing tear gas and
rubber bullets at the protestors.
Dozens were treated for tear gas inhalation including the Deputy Speaker of the
EU Parliament Luisa Morgantini , Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Mairead Maguire, as
well as Italian Judge Julio Tuscani who sustained head injuries caused when the
Israeli troops began firing tear gas canisters directly into the crowd of
peaceful protestors. Tuscani was taken to Shiek Zayed Hospital in Ramallah.
Other injuries included Abdula Abu Rahman, coordinator of the Popular Committee,
as well as Bilin resident Nizar Abu Rahma.
The 3 day conference was attended by Palestinians as well as Internationals and
Israeli peace activists. This included a representative for Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian Prime Minister Salim Fayad, various
Palestinian Parliamentary representatives, as well as leaders of Fatah and the
various Palestinian political parties. Peace Activists from around the world
were present including France, Spain, Greece, Italy, Germany, Ireland, the
United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland, the USA, and Holland. As well as Israeli
peace activists opposed to the ongoing occupation.
The conference states as one of its goal the unification of the Palestinian
people, which is essential to any successful Palestinian struggle. The
conference stated that unity will enable Palestinians to more effectively apply
pressure on Israel for the implementation of the July 9th 2004 ruling of the
International Court of Justice, United Nations resolutions which have largely
been ignored, and take a firm stand regarding the Israeli defacto annexation of
Jerusalem, the apartheid wall, and the continuing enlargement of settlements.
The conference also asks the Palestinian people to boycott all Israeli goods and
channel all its efforts in the struggle against the occupation towards Peaceful
Popular resistance that has been proven to be the most strategic and successful
in opposition to the Apartheid Wall. A Peaceful resistance that has its roots in
the Palestinian struggle as exemplified in the first intifada.
The conference also stressed the need to strengthen and expand existing ties
with Israelis who have participated in protesting and opposing the occupation.
In addition the conference asked the Palestinian people to reject any
cooperation with the Israeli occupation, its institutions, and all individuals
that are a part of and perpetuate the occupation. Strengthening and expanding
the relationship between Palestinian’s and their international supporters was
also recommended with the goal of increasing recruitment of international
activists that will support Palestinian Peaceful Popular resistance. In addition
the conference stressed the need for Arab and Palestinian Foreign nationals to
forge ties and coordinate with International activists in support of the
Palestinian cause.
The conference also stresses the importance that all international supporters,
associations, and world civil society not only take up the important task of
reporting back the reality of the Palestinian situation in face of pro-Israeli
propaganda and distortion but also pressure their governments and businesses to
disinvest in Israel and propose economic sanctions in light of the continuing
illegal occupation. In particular European supporters are being asked to
pressure their EU leaders to stop the proposed upgrade in their relationship
with Israel in light of their violations of international law.
In addition supporters are asked to formally appeal to their governments,
specifically the European countries, the European Union, and the United States
to reconsider their relationship with Israel until it complies with all
international laws, the Geneva Convention, and gives Palestinians their rights
enshrined within the aforementioned.
The conference ended with a discussion on the experience and success of the
Bilin Peaceful resistance and a poem was read by Besman Yaseen about the
Palestinian people and the deep unbreakable ties they have with their land.
Next the assistant for the attorney who represents Bilin spoke about the details
of the ongoing legal battle that has taken place in parallel with the Friday
peaceful protests.
Next President of the popular committee against the wall and President of
Friends of Freedom and Justice in Bilin, Iyad Bornat, spoke regarding the
conditions that prompted the Bilin Experience, the strategies that made the
experience a success, the violent reaction of the Israeli troops to peaceful
protests, and finally the results of the Bilin Experience. .
After all the speakers finished all participants in the conference went to watch
a soccer match between the Internationals and the local Palestinians. The match
took place in an area close to the apartheid wall and was kicked off by Jibril
Irjoob the president of the Palestinian Futbal league and Luisa Morgantini the
Deputy Speaker of the European Parliament. The match was played as a symbolic
gesture that coincided with the beginning of the European cup. The players were
sending a message to the world that Palestinians are barred from playing and
attending in these events because of the continuing confiscation of land and
inability to access any stadiums.
Minutes after the beginning of the match the Israeli Occupation Forces shot tear
gas into the makeshift football field and the players were unable to continue
playing as they suffered from the effects of the tear gas, thus prematurely
ending the symbolic event.
On the second day of the conference the participants where split into 4 groups
and taken to see different villages in the West Bank that have been affected by
the continued Israeli occupation, settlement expansion, and the Apartheid Wall.
The first group went to Jerusalem, the second to Hebron and Bethlehem, the third
to the Jordan Valley, and the fourth to Tul Karem, Qalqilya, and Salfit. After
their return they went to an event in support of the release of Marwan Barghuti
and all the Palestinian Prisoners being held in Israeli jails.
Please visit our new website for regular updates.
www.bilin-ffj.org
Watch video of the 3rd annual Bilin conference.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKcSnysC0O8
Thank you for yours support,
Friends of Freedom and Justice in Bilin