Bil'in, al-Hadidiya, Deir Istiya and More.....

How many of us would put up with this sort of thing without retaliating or supporting those who do? This is just a small sample of the events that happened in Palestine this past week which didn't catch the attention of mass media. Similar atrocities are ongoing, day after day after day, endlessly hammering away at a population ignored by most of us, and hated by the rest because of the desperate measures some of them employ to defend themselves. I dream of the day when there will ever be an Israeli leader with the courage to do what is right and just and be supported by his countrymen for doing it. "You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one...."

Feb. 6 2008 "This morning two bulldozers and a number of military jeeps entered the community of al-Hadidiya and destroyed the homes of 18 people. Upon their arrival, people were ordered to leave their homes. The demolitions began immediately and no one was given time to remove their belongings.

The first home and sheep shed destroyed belongs to Omar Arif Sharat. The wrecking crew then moved on to the three homes that host the families of Muhammad Fahad Bani Odeh, Ali Muhammad Masleh Bani Odeh, Muhammad Ali Bani Odeh and demolished them together with their sheep sheds. Finally, the animal sheds belonging to Abdallah Hafez Yousef Bani Odeh and Abdallah Hussain Abdallah Abu Sharat were destroyed.

The people of al-Hadidiya have long been resisting a series of attempts by the Occupation authorities to expel them from their land to make way for the further expansion of the Roi, Bega’ot and Hamda settlements....."

Feb. 8, 2008 "On the 8th of February, around 70 Palestinian, Israeli, and international gathered in the village of Bil’in to demonstrate against the Annexation Wall. The illegal wall steals more than 60% of Bil’in village land. People marched peacefully to the gate in the wall, able to see their stolen land but not access it....."

Feb. 6, 2008 "At around 7.30 this evening settlers began stoning the home of the Sidr family, adjacent to Beit Hadassah settlement in Hebron’s Old City. Stones, some as large as bricks, were thrown first from the vicinity of an army post on a roof opposite the house, hitting the window of the bedroom where the homeowner was sleeping. Two male settlers aged around 25 were seen on the roof. More stones were thrown from the yard of the school inside the settlement, by 8 young men aged around 16-17. The brother of the homeowner was hit in the arm and leg by stones.

The army were present at their post on the roof throughout the attack and watched it take place. When the homeowner called out to them to intervene, six soldiers came to his home and the officer raised his fist and threatened to punch him....."

Feb. 4, 2008 "Ongoing invasions in Deir Istiya, suggests Israeli army training in villages has not stopped....."