Call for Action in Ras atTira.

Call for Action in Ras atTira.

At 8:00 this morning, a crowd of 20 Palestinians together with 15 Israeli and International activists gathered in a village called Ras atTira, in the Qalqilya district, to protest against the destruction and annexation of Palestinian land. At the site of the protest, there were three bulldozers destroying the farm land. Some of the Palestinians and activists peacefully protested against this theft of land by sitting in front of the bulldozers attempting to stop the destruction.

The protestors were harassed by two armed settlers who grabbed the protestors and threw them around. One of the settlers grabbed camera-related equipment from an Israeli activist and threw that down the hill.

Seven soldiers and four police showed up. The Israeli activists lodged a complaint regarding the armed settlers with the police officers. However, police did not act upon the complaint. One Israeli activist was arrested and later released.

Following discussions, IDF and police promised the Palestinian land owners that older olive trees would not be destroyed and when they are uprooted, they would be returned to their rightful owners.

An urgent call for peace activists to come to Ras atTira to protest and witness the destruction of the land is being made. A demonstration will be held in Ras atTira this Friday 6th March at 13:00.

Ras atTire, together with Ad Dab'a and Wadi'ar Rasha, is to be demolished and the inhabitants, displaced. Moreover, the inhabitants of two other villages, Arab ar Ramadin al Janubi and Arab Abu Farda, will be evicted from their homes and transferred to another area. If that is to go ahead, this would leave 1,500 inhabitants displaced.

The destruction in Ras atTire started on the 23rd February 2009.

ENDS

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