Some 200 demonstrators joined the weekly protest against land grab and for freedom of movement in the village of Kufr Qaddum. Residents of the village, joined by a solidarity delegation from Bil'in and Israeli and international activists, made their way to the main road of the village that had been blocked by the army for the past 9 years. Many youth, as well as a local DJ joined the protest, making the demonstration into an especially lively event.

Picture Credit: Ann Paq/Activestills 

The village has been effectively besieged since the beginning of the Second Intifada, when the main and only entrance to the village was blocked by the army. Furthermore, settlers of the adjacent settlement Kedumin have been long taking over privately owned Palestinian land in a manner that even the Israeli civil Administration called "theft"

The army awaited the demonstrators on the main road, stretching barbed wire across the path and firing tear-gas projectiles towards the crowd. Clashes began to erupt between the local youth and the army, which persisted for about two hours. After making an attempt to move forward, the army finally left the village, leading the protesters to embark on  a spontaneous "victory march" back into the village.

Picture Credit: Ann Paq/Activestills