The protesters chant and shout and, inevitably, a few throw stones. Then just as inevitably, the soldiers open fire with tear gas and water jets, lately including a putrid oil-based liquid that makes the entire area stink.
It is one of the longest-running and best organized protest operations in the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and it has turned this once anonymous farming village into a symbol of Palestinian civil disobedience, a model that many supporters of the Palestinian cause would like to see spread and prosper.
a) it need not be inevitable to initiate stone-throwing;
b) stone-throwing is not a peaceful protest, nor civil disobedience; it is violence.
c) moreover, stone-throwing is but practice and preparation for tossing molotov cocktail firebombs and grenades - that is the real inevitability.
and I first missed this idiotic statement by some bishop-or-other who calls himself an "Elder":
The retired Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu, also on the visit, said, “Just as a simple man named Gandhi led the successful nonviolent struggle in India and simple people such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King led the struggle for civil rights in the United States, simple people here in Bilin are leading a nonviolent struggle that will bring them their freedom.”
UPDATE
Palestinian teenager shot in clash, dies of wounds
An Israeli hospital says a Palestinian teenager shot in a clash with Israeli troops has died of his wounds. Jerusalem's Hadassah Medical Center says the youngster died of gunshot wounds. His name and exact age were not immediately known, but the hospital said Tuesday he was born in 1994.
The Israeli military said the boy was one of three attackers who on Monday night hurled Molotov cocktails at a guard post near a Jewish settlement in the West Bank.
See what I mean?
================
Ruthie L. suggested I seek out previous reports on the Hareidi demonstrations recently in Jerusalem to compare.
For example, AP:
27/06/2009ABC:
Police turned water cannons on a raucous demonstration by Ultra-Orthodox Jews Saturday...Police said they made 24 arrests and one 6-year-old boy was slightly hurt by a stone thrown by protesters. Four officers were lightly hurt as well.
In a major standoff near City Hall, several hundred Orthodox protesters in traditional black suits hurled rocks, garbage and glass bottles at police for several hours.
11/7/09
Police, Ultra-Orthodox Jews Scuffle in Jerusalem
On Saturday, hundreds of ultra-Orthodox demonstrators flooded an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood near the parking lot, screaming "Shabbes," the Yiddish word for Sabbath, and occasionally lobbing rocks at police. Officers, some in riot gear, shoved them back as they tried to break through a security cordon...
And VOA:
04/7/09
Religious Jews have rioted in Jerusalem on the Jewish Sabbath for the second straight week. Thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews took to the streets of Jerusalem, throwing stones and scuffling with police.
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And in case you want to practice your civil disobedience, or just your stonethrowing, here:
Register for Transportation to Friday September 4th Demonstration Against the Wall
Bil'in
Contact Ilan preferably by phone 03-6482749 and only if you must - try 052-4-655520 (but not by SMS!)
For a ride from Tel Aviv:
Departing 11:30 from Levinsky park (North West of the central bus station) near the green container at the Hagdud Haivry parking lot Please come a few minutes earlier. We may not be able to accommodate late registrants and late arrivals
!! IMPORTANT !!
Please let us know as soon as possible if you can bring a car and take into consideration cultural differences in the choice of clothing
Newcomers and those requiring more information are invited to contact Dan at 050-7851465
Transportation from Jerusalem requires additional coordination after registration
Please register as early as you can to ensure a place in the organized transportation and ease the organizing process
New! A consultation hotline has been established concerning sexual and gender harassment within the framework of political activity. We'd be happy to listen, consult, provide information and think together about every uncomfortable incident or experience.
If you are not sure, call! 0543479616
The hotline is intended for women, men and others, and operates every day 17:30-19:30
To arrange a personal support and listening session on activist trauma, burn-out and recovery:
t-team@riseup.net, 03-5187095
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