Extraordinary conference in Bil’in
22/02/2006
Source : Gush Shalom
It was a unique sight indeed: the small and poor village of Bil’in played host to an international conference that was held according to all the established procedures. The event lasted for two days (20-21.2.06) and many of the participants spent the night in the village.
A big, colorful canopy, which usually serves for weddings, was put up in the courtyard of the local elementary school for the "Conference for the Joint, Non-violent Struggle against the Wall". It was packed by about a hundred Israeli peace activists, including members of Gush Shalom, and a similar number of activists from a dozen foreign countries. They were joined by about a hundred representatives from different parts of the West Bank and local inhabitants. With exemplary order, all the procedures of a regular international conference were observed: working files were distributed, congratulatory messages were read, workshops and general debates were held, proposals were voiced and future activities planned.
It was another original step in the struggle of Bil’in, which from its beginnings, a year ago, is marked by an almost incredible series of original and creative ideas. These were documented by the remarkable film of a local inhabitant, Emad Bornat, that was shown at the end of the first day.
Representatives from Jerusalem, Hebron, Tulkarm, Salfit, Mas’ha and other frontline localities along the wall reported on the local struggles, and members of solidarity organization in foreign countries presented their plans. Senior official of the Palestinian Authority - among them old and new Members of Parliament - took part in the discussions. The organizers also invited Hamas representatives, who gave their blessing to the initiative but excused themselves, owing to the pressure of the effort to set up the new Palestinian government. The opening speeches were delivered by Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, a former candidate for the Palestinian presidency, and Uri Avnery
On the second day, after the summing up of the discussions, all the participants set out on foot to visit the "outpost" which was set up by the villagers on their land, among the olive groves, only a hundred meters from the Modi’in Illit settlement. In order to get there, they passed through a hole cut in the fence by Bil’in youngsters.
Near the small building that was built "illegally" two month ago in a rainy night, an improvised small football field with goals had been prepared, and after a speech by the Palestinian Deputy MInister for Youth and Sports, Dr. Jamal al-Muhaisen, the first match took place. The local team, in blue shirts, played against the Betuniya team, in yellow shirts, achieving a 1:1 outcome. Several of the leaders of the Bil’in struggle played on the local team.
Immediately afterwards, the delegates - foreign, Israeli and Palestinian, including the Director of the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture, Khaled al-Khatib - planted olive saplings on the land that is torn from the village by the fence.
Some army Hummers and dozens of soldiers stood near the area, but did not interfere. Indeed, it was the first time that a demonstration in Bil’in passed without tear gas and bullets, and throughout the event, exemplary order was kept.
