Al-Walaja in the News!

This morning on NPR, Lourdes Garcia-Navarro reports from Al-Walaja, the West Bank village I wrote about on Monday, where Dr. Mazin Qumsiyeh is part of the group organizing demonstrations against Israel’s wall now being constructed.

This is a map of the village’s position in the West Bank. Al Walaja is next to Jerusalem, just to the northeast of Bethlehem, surrounded by the (blue) Israeli West Bank settlements of Gilo, Har Gilo and Betar Illit – where Israel is currently completing their wall (the dotted red circle), which, as you can see, is being built to completely surround the village. Since the land belongs to the village, Israel’s wall confiscates their land.

Take four minutes to listen to Lourdes Garcia Navarro’s coverage of their story: http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=133071551&m=133071539

And, if you are in the Denver area, plan to come hear Dr. Mazin Qumsiyeh give a firsthand account of what is happening in Al Walaja and other places in the West Bank:

Sabeel-Colorado Film and Lecture Series
Sunday, March 6, 3-5 pm
At Montview Presbyterian Church, 1980 Dahlia, at the corner of Montview and Dahlia in Park Hill

Photo shows Al-Walaja resident Sheerin, with pepper-spray on her face, being detained by Israeli soldiers during a peaceful demonstration against the wall December 23.