6 Years of Resistance against the Wall: PHR-Israel Board Members Prof. Rafi Walden, Dr. Hassan Mathani and Founder and President Dr. Ruchama Marton to Attend.
To commemorate 6 years of struggle, and as an act of solidarity and protest against the Occupation, this Saturday February 19, 2011, Physicians For Human Rights –Israel (PHR-Israel)'s mobile clinic, will hold a medical day in the village of Bil'in. PHR-Israel's Mobile Clinic has provided medical care for Palestinians living under occupation for more than 20 years, A team of approximately 30 affiliated physicians, nurses, pharmacists and translators are expected to participate in the medical day.
Six years ago, on February 20th 2005, bulldozers showed up in the village of Bil'in where the separation wall was supposed to be built and started uprooting olive trees. At the same day, the first demonstration against the Wall was held in the village. Under the pretext of security, nearly half of the lands of the village were confiscated by Israeli authorities in order to extend the Israeli settlement of Modi’in illit. Today, almost 6 years after the resistance and nearly 4 years after the High Court of Justice ruled that the location of the Wall running through Bil'in was illegal, the path of the Wall is finally being moved.
PHR- Israel condemns the lethal use of force employed by the Israeli army, including tear gas and rubber bullets against demonstrators. The harsh force used against demonstrators, frequent night raids and arrests, and harassment of activists protesting the Wall, are carried out in order to silence the voices of non-violent resistance against the Wall and against the Occupation.
Dr. Ruchama Marton, President and Founder of Physicians For Human Rights: “Physicians For Human Rights-Israel are visiting Bil'in to show the residents Bil'in, to show ourselves, and the whole world that we support their non-violent struggle, a struggle characterized by consistent Army violence against civilians. The use of live ammunition, rubber bullets, the mass arrests of local leaders and minors in the middle of the night will not stop the struggle for freedom or our call to return the confiscated lands of Bil'in to their people”.
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