Your photo rather gives the game away, doesn't it? The Palestinian teenager running away from the teargas has a large sling in his hand.

The weekly demonstrations currently being held in several areas across the west bank can, i can argue, be considered non-violent. True there are some who choose to use slingshots and stones, but please put this in context before you pass judgement. In the case here, illegal settlers, from an illegal settlement, on Nabi Salih land, have continued to advance, taking more and more land. Recently an Israeli court even acknowledged Nabi Salih ownership of a piece of agricultural land and spring, but settlers and soldiers continue to deny them access to it. Each week men women and children peacefully march until physically prevented from doing so by batons, beatings, tear gas, 'rubber' bullets, live ammunition and arrest, their weekly attempt to reach their own land is nothing short of courageous. Only after this israeli violence do some respond with stones. The soldiers are in armoured vehicles, are wearing helmets and have guns. Those who throw stones risk being shot, arrested then, or later in night time raids, and held in prisons miles away, indefinitely, without charge.

Picture gives an idea of the situation. Army terrorising a village. Nonviolent protests in West Bank often involve stone throwing kids, normally only after being shot at. What begins as a peaceful demonstration often descends into the kind of chaos glimpsed in the picture.

That "teenager" is in his mid 20s.

If a military force was kicking me off my land I think I'd want to do something considerably stronger than throw stones.

I think they are being remarkably constrained if they are just throwing stones. They are facing a massive military machine with unimaginable weapon power, for fuck's sake. And people complain about *stone throwing*!?!?