Bil'in, Na'alin declared closed military areas each Friday for months

[ProgressiveMuslim]

By Amira Hass


The Israel Defense Forces yesterday designated Bil'in and Na'alin as closed military areas every Friday until mid-August, in a bid to halt the weekly demonstrations against the separation fence in those West Bank villages.

On Sunday night dozens of troops, some wearing masks, entered the villages and plastered storefronts and home windows with notices announcing the closure order signed by the GOC Central Command, Maj. Gen. Avi Mizrahi.

The order officially runs from February 18 to August 17. The 12-hour closure will apply to the area stretching from the separation fence to the edge of the villages' built-up areas.

Weekly demonstrations against the fence have been held in Bil'in for the past five years. Over the last three years the villages of Na'alin and Al-Ma'sara have also become weekly protest spots, attracting not only Palestinians but activists from Israel and abroad. Similar rallies were held in Jayyous, Budrus, Beit Liqya and Bidu.

In all, 23 Palestinians - including 12 minors - have been killed at five rallying sites by IDF fire directed at protesters. Six were killed in Bidu and five in Bil'in.

Dozens of protesters have been injured by IDF fire, including rubber-coated bullets and direct hits from stun grenades and tear gas. Two weeks ago, a boy from the Ramallah-area of village Nabi Saleh was seriously hurt by a rubber-coated bullet as protesters rallied against settlers' seizure of village lands on which a spring is situated...

more...
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1156766.html

[ConsAreLiars]

1. Kick -some need to see a bit more of this reality (nt)

[ProgressiveMuslim]

2. Damned if they do and damned if they don't.

[Violet_Crumble]

3. The right to protest the occupation is yet another right refused to Palestinians...

This is so wrong...

[oberliner]

4. Note that the order does not apply to village residents, who will be allowed free movement

[Violet_Crumble]

5. Do you agree with this ban, Oberliner? n/t

[oberliner]

6. Better than shooting the protesters with rubber bullets and tear gas nt

[ProgressiveMuslim]

8. Do you believe the Palestinians are entitled to any civil protest against the occupation of their

land?

[oberliner]

11. Absolutely

See my comment to your other post on this thread.

[Violet_Crumble]

10. So that's a Yes from you...

Maybe you also think women should be locked up at home because that's better than them being mugged and raped? Because that's the sort of fucked up justification for banning people from protesting the occupation that you just gave....

[oberliner]

12. Women should not be locked up at home

I certainly would condemn any society that would call for women to be locked up at home, or to be allowed to travel only with a male relative or anything of that nature.

I would think there would be regular condemnation from the UN and non-stop protests from progressives around the world if such draconian limitations were placed on women in any country around the world.

[Violet_Crumble]

13. Then don't use that sort of argument about the protests n/t

[ProgressiveMuslim]

14. But it's OK to lock down a mixed gender civilian population for their own good?

[oberliner]

15. Can you explain what you mean by that?

How does the decision mentioned in the OP constitute "locking down" a civilian population?

[ProgressiveMuslim]

16. It means their area will sealed up on Fridays. You know what it means.

No media. Lots of IDF though, I'm sure.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

7. Yes, Oberliner? Do you agree with this ban?

[oberliner]

9. Banning protests is never a good thing

But as I mentioned above, it's better than shooting protesters with rubber bullets and tear gas.

Of course, this all could be avoided entirely with a two state solution along the lines of what is outlined in the Geneva Initiative.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

17. Ban them or shoot them. Are they the only 2 alternatives?

[ProgressiveMuslim]

18. Any reply?

[oberliner]

19. Negotiate a two-state solution

An independent Palestinian state is the answer.

[Tripmann]

20. Oberliner, your 'lesser of two evils' perspective does not hold up

It's not a case of 'violate their rights for their own good' because firing rubber bullets and tear gas at them is a DECISION.

We had protestors killed by plastic bullets in my country and, trust me, any attempt to lock down protestors 'for their own protection' just in case someone took the DECISION to fire plastic bullets at them would have resulted in an international uproar.

[oberliner]

22. Yes, the whole thing is very ugly - the occupation needs to end

The sooner the better.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

21. No other options for tomorrow? Such as: IDF stay home!

They don't have to shoot anyone if they don't show up.

[oberliner]

23. Non-violent protests ought to be encouraged

The whole situation is only going to make things worse and push peace further away.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

24. Are you characterizing these protests as violent?

[oberliner]

25. I've not been to them myself so I can only go from what I read

Various sources have indicated that stones have been thrown at Israeli forces by the protesters at some of these protests. That would be violent in my view.

If no stones were thrown at Israeli forces, then that would be non-violent.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

27. Another way to keep the soldiers safe from harm would be to have not not show up...

a better alternative than military closure or shooting, don't you think?

[ProgressiveMuslim]

26. Live reports from Jewish Voice for Peace show demonstrations better attended than ever.

http://theonlydemocracy.org/2010/03/live-from-the-only-democracy-part-2-an-opposite-impact/