Action against the Separation Wall 12/11/05

Activists stood in Cornmarket today to protest against the illegal Separation Wall being built in Palestine by the Israeli government. The action was called to mark the International Day of Protest against the Wall that takes place on the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
A chained “wall” of protestors stretching 8 metres ( the height of the Separation Wall) spread out along Cornmarket. Each protestor wore a poster with an image of the Wall and information about its devastating impact on the people and the area.
Passers bye stopped to look at the posters, read the information, and sign petitions and wall protest placards. Many had been unaware of the scale of the Wall (which will be over 1,000km long, or the amount of land and resources that have been stolen from the Palestinians. They were surprised to find out that the Wall goes through the middle of Palestinian villages, and that it continues to be built despite a ruling by the International Court of Justice that it is illegal and that Israel must halt construction and dismantle the Wall. One girl was shocked to find out that Israeli soldiers shoot Israeli protestors as well as Palestinians.
The leaflets handed out reminded people that Britain, as a signatory of the 4th Geneva Convention is under obligation to ensure that Israel complies with the ICJ ruling. But above all that the Wall causes enormous suffering to the Palestinians and is a major obstacle to peace in the area.