, where ongoing demonstrations against the Israeli separation barrier have garnered international attention, village residents, along with Israeli and international supporters, have injected the term with a radically different meaning. On December 24th, the people of Bil?in built their own ?outpost? on the western outskirts of their land. The one room concrete structure faces the adjacent Matityahu East section of the Modi?in Elite settlement, which, like the Bil?in outpost, lacks official Israeli authorization. However, despite their similar status under Israeli law, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) has continually targeted the Palestinian structure for removal.
Bil?in?s History of Resistance
The village of Bil?in is home to some 1600 residents. Located to the west of Ramallah, roughly six kilometers to the east of the ?green line? (the pre 1967 armistice line), Bil?in is a rural community that derives the vast majority of its income from agriculture. Land is thus of the utmost importance, not only for culture and identity, but for the community?s basic survival. Without their olive groves and fruit trees, many village residents would have no way to support themselves.
Unfortunately, in keeping with the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, land is exactly what is at stake. In January 2005 the Israeli government informed the village residents that, in order to construct the separation barrier, nearly 53% of Bil?in?s land, roughly 2000 dunams (575 acres), was slated for enclosure. The proposed path of the barrier loops deep into Palestinian territory, creating ample room for the development of Israeli settlements like Matityahu East. ?We?re sitting on stolen land,? noted Haitham Khatib, a Bil?in resident, ?they [Israel] began to build houses with no permission from the real owners.?
On February 20th, 2005 the people of Bil?in held their first demonstration against Israel?s separation barrier. Since then, Bil?in?s Popular Committee Against the Wall has organized weekly non-violent protests, which draw support from Palestinians outside of Bil?in as well as from international and Israeli activists. The creativity and joint nature of the demonstrations, along with the concomitant failure of the Israeli Army to prevent the protests have transformed Bil?in into an international symbol of resistance against Israeli occupation. ?We have something special here,? says Israeli activist Nadav Frankovich, commenting on Bil?in?s history of joint activism. ?It [Bil?in] is a symbol that more Israelis are identifying with.? Participants generally number in the hundreds and, despite the Israeli Army?s often violent reprisals, there seems to be little indication that attendance will dissipate.
Evolving Tactics: A Palestinian ?Outpost?
As the Bil?in community and its supporters have gained experience jointly resisting occupation, their tactics have grown increasingly sophisticated. On Wednesday December 20th, organizers placed a mobile caravan in close proximity to Matityahu East. Only 40 hours later, Israeli soldiers forcibly evacuated those inside and carted away the outpost. The community repeated the action a second time, bringing in an additional caravan. This time, however, the organizers also constructed a separate concrete building. When the IDF came to remove the mobile caravan, activists had already completed the permanent structure. According to Israeli law, in the case of the construction of a permanent edifice, the government must grant the builder 15 days to apply for a permit before they can bulldoze the building.
Both the community?s actions and the Israeli Army?s ongoing attempts to remove the outpost reveal the inequity of Israeli policy in the West Bank. Although every Israeli settlement is illegal under international law, even under Israeli law-- which often facilitates settlement growth-- Matityahu East lacks proper standing. The state itself recently admitted that the Israeli settlement construction taking place in Bil?in is ?partially illegal.? Although Matityahu East?s apartment complexes and paved roads have been under development for years, the permits were illegally issued after builders had already initiated construction. Technically, the illegal settlements on Bil?in?s land should have long ago been subject to the same 15 day limit as the Palestinian ?outpost."
?Separate and Unequal
Israel?s policy towards Bil?in is not based on any consistent philosophy of jurisprudence or established tradition of equal justice. Instead, in order to facilitate settlement growth, Israel has selectively enforced its laws based on identity. Bil?in is not the first Palestinian village to suffer under this system of selective enforcement. Israel officially maintains two disparate legal systems in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). In comparison to Israeli settlers, Palestinians in the OPT are beholden to a separate set of laws, they are tried under military courts, and they receive different punishments. By constructing a ?settlement? on their own land the people of Bil?in hope to expose the system of separate and unequal justice that characterizes Israeli law in the OPT.
As the events unfolding in Bil?in continue to attract media attention, the community?s resistance may potentially facilitate policy change. The settlement?s construction company has, for the time being, halted its work on the ?Green Park? neighborhood of Matityahu Elite, and on February 1st the Israeli Supreme Court will hear an appeal from residents of Bil?in regarding the route of the separation barrier. However, even if the court rules against the community, the people of Bil?in are determined to continue their resistance. ?Even if they knock this place down we will come back.? said Eyad Bournat, a resident of Bil?in. ?[We] will come back and rebuild it time and again, time and again, until the settlers leave our land.?
More information on the controversy surrounding Israel's settlements adjacent to Bil'in, see the recent Haaretz article:
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=662729
