<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Occupied Palestine | فلسطين]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[occupiedpalestine]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/author/hajarhajar/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[International activists target of Bil&#8217;in&nbsp;raid]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p><img src='https://occupiedpalestine.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/123705_345x230.jpg' alt='' /><br />
April 4, 2011</p>
<p>RAMALLAH (Ma&#8217;an) &#8212; Israeli forces entered the central West Bank village  of Bil&#8217;in on Monday morning, searching homes and harassing residents,  reportedly in search of international solidarity activists who often  remain in the area to document rights violations.</p>
<p>A spokesperson  for the local popular committee said the raid began at 1:30 a.m. and  lasted approximately an hour. The official said the homes of village  residents Ali Birnat and Khamis Abu Rahma were targeted and searched.</p>
<p>Local committee members attempting to document the raid were prevented from accessing the scene of the searches.</p>
<p>An Israeli military spokeswoman did not immediately return calls seeking comment.</p>
<p>Groups  of solidarity activists have for the past year stayed frequently in the  village, which hosts the longest running weekly protest, gathering from  tens to thousands in support of demands to remove Israel&#8217;s separation  wall from village land.</p>
<p>The prominent popular resistance  committee in the village has organized a yearly conference on popular  non-violent resistance, and gained international support for their  ongoing initiative.</p>
<p>During the early years of the protests  international solidarity activists would join the demonstrations in an  effort to mitigate the use of violence against the villagers. The use of  high-velocity tear-gas canister launchers have caused death and injury  to residents, and solidarity activists say an international presence  witnessing and documenting the action often reduces the use of force.</p>
<p>Once  activists left the village at the close of the protests, particularly  during 2009 and 2010, Israeli forces would enter and detain teens they  said were throwing stones at the soldiers attempting to disperse the  protest, and later targeted protest leaders for detentions.</p>
<p>Activists  began staying overnight in the village to document the overnight arrest  campaigns they said were being used to intimidate villagers, who have  also launched court actions against the confiscation of land carried out  through the construction of the separation wall.</p>
<p>Sixty percent  of the village lands now stand on the far side of the wall, and are  largely inaccessible but for a gate that opens twice a day allowing  farmers to tend crops, without the use of heavy machinery or equipments.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=375329">Source</a></p>
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