"We stay here like the roots of the olive trees" -- Friends of Freedom and Justice, Bilin

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October 9th 2010-10-08 On the first Friday demonstration of the olive harvest, two journalists were injured and dozens suffered from tear gas and rubber bullets in Bil'in. The Bil'in Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements organized the weekly demonstration against the illegal apartheid wall on the first Friday of the olive harvest. Many international solidarity groups, Israeli peace activists and Palestinians from other towns participated. The demonstration began after midday prayer and lasted two hours. Demonstrators held the Palestinian flag as well as posters for the release of Bil'in political prisoners. Some of the demonstrators held a banner with the phrase "We stay here like the roots of the olive trees." On the way to the gate the demonstrators chanted slogans against the wall and the settlements in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan, and against the Israeli house demolitions in Hebron today, which killed two people while still inside their homes. When the demonstrators reached the gate, they were unable to enter their land to collect their olives. The military shot rubber bullets and tear gas. The soldiers subsequently entered the gate to try to arrest the demonstrators but they were unsuccessful as a result of other demonstrators' intervention. Two journalists were injured. Abas Al Momani was injured in the back by a tear gas canister. Haron Amaira suffered from extreme tear gas inhalation. Dozens of other demonstrators suffered from breathing tear gas poison.\