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Palestinians commemorate 40th anniversary of Land Day

Palestinians across the occupied West Bank on Wednesday gathered to commemorate the 40th anniversary of “Land Day.”

The first Land Day, on March 30, 1976, saw thousands of Palestinians take to the streets in protest of the confiscation of thousands of acres of Palestinian land in the northern Galilee region of Israel. During the protest, six demonstrators were shot dead and over 100 were wounded.

Forty years later, Palestinians are still taking to the streets in protest of massive Israeli land grabs.

So far this year, Israeli authorities have announced the confiscation of more than 500 acres of Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank’s Jordan Valley area, in preparation for illegal Israeli settlement construction.

Yousef Sharqawy, a well-known Palestinian activist told Mondoweiss that this year’s Land Day was very important due to Israel’s “bold” confiscation of land in the Jordan Valley. (Photo: Abed al Qaisi/Mondoweiss)
Yousef Sharqawy, a well-known Palestinian activist told Mondoweiss that this year’s Land Day was very important due to Israel’s “bold” confiscation of land in the Jordan Valley. (Photo: Abed al Qaisi/Mondoweiss)

Yousef Sharqawy, a well-known Palestinian activist, told Mondoweiss during a march in the West Bank city of Bethlehem that this year’s Land Day was very important due to Israel’s “bold” confiscation of land in the Jordan Valley.

“The international community condemned this land grab, but Israel has continued anyway, so it is important we keep making our voices heard,” Sharqawy said. “If Israel continues they will split the West Bank in half, connecting the Jordan Valley to Jerusalem and Palestinians will be confined ever more.”

In addition to several land grabs, Israeli forces have demolished half as many Palestinians homes in the first few months of 2016 as they did in all of 2015, according to United Nations documentation.

The UN added that last month saw the most home demolitions in one 30 day period than any other since the UN started its documentation in 2009.

In the occupied West Bank district of Bethlehem, Palestinians dedicated this year’s Land Day to the tens of bodies of Palestinian children being held by Israeli forces.

Ahlam al-Wahish, a director of the Palestinian Women’s Union, said Israeli forces have been holding the bodies of 16 Palestinian minors from Bethlehem since the First and Second Intifadas.

“We are here because of Land Day, and these kids on our shirts and our signs died on Palestinian land,” al-Wahish said. “They are all of our children and they gave their lives for this land.”

Around 200 marchers were in attendance, with more gathering as the march made its way through the city. (Photo: Abed al Qaisi/Mondoweiss)
Around 200 marchers were in attendance, with more gathering as the march made its way through the city. (Photo: Abed al Qaisi/Mondoweiss)

Around 200 marchers were in attendance, with more gathering as the march made its way through the city.

Several groups of internationals in town for next week’s Bethlehem Marathon were also in attendance. (Photo: Abed al Qaisi/Mondoweiss)
Several groups of internationals in town for next week’s Bethlehem Marathon were also in attendance. (Photo: Abed al Qaisi/Mondoweiss)
Protesters carried fake coffins draped in Palestinian flags, marching toward Israel’s separation wall. (Photo: Abed al Qaisi/Mondoweiss)
Protesters carried fake coffins draped in Palestinian flags, marching toward Israel’s separation wall. (Photo: Abed al Qaisi/Mondoweiss)
Unlike many protests in the occupied West Bank, women and children were more than welcome on Wednesday and took part in the commemoration. (Photo: Abed al Qaisi/Mondoweiss)
Unlike many protests in the occupied West Bank, women and children were more than welcome on Wednesday and took part in the commemoration. (Photo: Abed al Qaisi/Mondoweiss)
As protesters made their way to Israel’s separation wall a few miles down the street, Israeli forces opened a garage-like gate in the wall and began shooting rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas at protesters. Israeli soldiers and the open gate can be seen here in the background. (Photo: Abed al Qaisi/Mondoweiss)
As protesters made their way to Israel’s separation wall a few miles down the street, Israeli forces opened a garage-like gate in the wall and began shooting rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas at protesters. Israeli soldiers and the open gate can be seen here in the background. (Photo: Abed al Qaisi/Mondoweiss)

In a statement commemorating Land Day, PLO Secretary General Saeb Erekat called on the international community to intervene against Israel’s “apartheid” policies.

“On this day we salute the heroic Palestinian people wherever they are and once again we call upon the international community to take action against Tel Aviv’s racist colonization policies, including its racism against Palestinian citizens of Israel,” Erekat said.

When the sun began to set, adults and children gathered together and headed back, as older youth stayed to continue clashing with Israeli forces. (Photo: Abed al Qaisi/Mondoweiss)
When the sun began to set, adults and children gathered together and headed back, as older youth stayed to continue clashing with Israeli forces. (Photo: Abed al Qaisi/Mondoweiss)
Medics rushed to one young man who was shot with a rubber-coated steel bullet in the leg. (Photo: Abed al Qaisi/Mondoweiss)
Medics rushed to one young man who was shot with a rubber-coated steel bullet in the leg. (Photo: Abed al Qaisi/Mondoweiss)
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This morning on Palestinian Land Day, the Stop the JNF Campaign and National Lawyers Guild (NLG) together submitted a regulatory challenge to the IRS requesting an investigation into the charitable status of the Jewish National Funds (JNF) on grounds of discrimination and contravention of U.S. policy.
Please consider signing the petition to amplify calls to the IRS to revoke the JNF’s tax-exempt status! We need signatures to pressure the IRS to investigate!
PETITION – http://org.salsalabs.com/o/641/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=19467