Protesty w Bilin. Kreatywna walka bez przemocy

Abstrakt

The creation of barriers has always fueled emotions and led to heated debates. The case of the wall, which Israel began building in 2002 to isolate Palestinians living in the West Bank, was no different. This barrier took the form of a network of electric fences and concrete wall. In the wall, Israel created more than 70 checkpoints, most of which are usually closed. The sense of powerlessness against the construction of the wall and the desire to catch the attention of the international community inspired inhabitants of villages located in close proximity to the wall to start expressing their objection and taking regular actions. They turned to the methods of civil resistance well known to them from the past. Since 2005, the inhabitants of the village of Bil’in have grown up as action leaders. They have managed to draw the attention of global media and to persuade international activists and observers to participate in their actions. This form of regular protest came to be called the Bil’in model. The villagers were often referred to as Palestinian Gandhis as the basic principle set by the leaders of the protests was to conduct the campaign in a non-violent way. A characteristic feature of the demonstrations was the inclusion of creative forms of protest, which the protesters predicted would attract media attention. Creativity has become the trademark of the Bil’in protests. During the protests, which often took the form of events, the villagers used a range of symbolic works from styrofoam coffins and cages, to works symbolizing justice. There were references to well-known historical figures, films, and other current events in the world.  As a result, hundreds and even thousands of international activists visit the village each year.