International Encyclopedia of Revolution and Protest

Extract

Anarchists Against the Wall (in Hebrew: Anarchists Against the Fence) is an Israeli action initiative supporting the popular Palestinian struggle against segregation and land confiscation in the West Bank. The initiative started in April 2003 when farmers from the village of Mas'ha invited Israelis and internationals to establish a protest camp on their land, which was about to be confiscated for part of the Israeli government's Separation Barrier. Over four months the camp was visited by a thousand people and became a center of information and struggle against the occupation. The Palestinian non-violent campaign proliferated and the fluid group of Israel anarchists mobilized to support popular committees in villages including Budrus, Salem, Anin, Biddu, Beit Awwa, Deir Balut, Beit Surik, and Beit Likia. The presence of Israelis and internationals usually forced the army to avoid lethal repression, and forged an unprecedented binational alliance on the ground. In addition to demonstrations and human blockades, in several actions entire lengths of the fence were destroyed. Attacking what it described as a policy of ethnic cleansing, the group's direct actions intended “to open a gap in the wall of hatred and to provide with our actions a living, kicking alternative to the apartheid policy of the Israeli government.” It declared that “justice and equality are achieved by voluntary ... log in or subscribe to read full text