Palestinians in West Bank use Land Day to protest Israeli occupation

Palestinians have marched in the occupied West Bank to commemorate the Land Day, an annual event to mark the killing of six Palestinians by Israeli forces during mass protests at Israel’s seizure of their land in 1976, Press TV reports.

Large number of Palestinians in the village of Huwara participated in the demonstration on Monday, which was meant to stress that the Palestinians will always confront Israeli ethnic cleansing policies.

“The Land Day has a very important meaning to the Palestinian people. It’s the day of resistance against occupation; it’s the day of resistance against settlement and resistance for freedom,” said Mustafa Barghouthi, a leader of the Palestinian National Initiative.

“Palestinians all over the world are united today in one voice. Facing the world, we will cry that we have a right, an inalienable right in our land Palestine,” said Qais Abd al-Karim, from the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

The Israeli military boosted its presence in Huwara following information that the protesters were ready to go directly to the military checkpoint that separates the northern West Bank from the central and southern parts.

The march turned violent when the Israeli forces blocked the demonstrators’ access to the checkpoint.

“The rally is meant in the first place to tell the Israelis that we, the people of Palestine, will always fight for the sake of our land and rights. The world must know that the racist regime grabs our lands to build more settlements,” said Othman Dweikat, a member of the municipal council in the occupied Nablus.

The Israeli forces fired tear gas and stun bombs to disperse protesters after clashes erupted between the forces and the demonstrators. Dozens of protesters suffered suffocation due to tear gas inhalation.

Land Day has become an occasion where annual protests are held. Protesters say the event is a wake-up call and a reminder that Palestinians will always defend their land by all possible means in the face of Israeli occupation and violence.

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