Protester Scales the Wall in Ni'ilin Picture Credit: Irene Nassar

The weekly demonstration against the Separation Wall took place on Friday in the village of Ni'ilin, as it has for the past two years. After midday prayers, roughly forty villagers along with Israeli and international supporters approached the gate of the Wall. Protesters banged on the wall with rocks and stones demanding the return of Ni'ilin's lands, which have been swallowed up by the neighboring Israeli settlement and the wall itself.

One demonstrator dressed as Santa Claus addressed the Israeli soldiers on the other side of the wall with a megaphone. He informed them that they were attacking a poor village of good intentioned farmers. He repeated calls to give Ni'ilin's land back to the village. Before he could finish his impassioned speech the army shot its first wave of tear gas. In response, youth from the village threw the tear gas canisters back over the wall, as well as rocks. Due to the escalation in violence, the army covered the area with wave after wave of tear gas. The protesters then moved west along the wall while continuing to chant. Some demonstrators scaled the eight meter high wall and flashed the soldiers peace signs.

Soldiers then entered the village's farmland with the intention of arresting protesters. As the soldiers attacked the demonstration, they fired tear gas canisters directly at demonstrators. This illegal practice turns 'crowd control methods' into aggressive and deliberate attacks on an unarmed civilian population. Approximately one hour after the demonstration began, it was over. No injuries were reported.