Bedouin families build massive “We Shall Remain” sign across from Israeli settlement

*** Resistance to demolition order met with dozens of Israeli soldiers storming their village ***

Faced with imminent demolition from the Israeli government, more than 50 Palestinian Bedouin families announced today that they refuse to be removed from their land. Instead, they plan to stage a peaceful “sit-in” to protect their ancestral homes from being forcibly turned into Jewish-only settlements, and are calling on people from across Palestine and around the world to join them.

In an unprecedented act of resistance, the Pope Mountain community, so-called because this area was gifted to the Holy See by Jordan in 1964, yesterday erected a massive 100 by 30 meter message with rocks, on their land in the West Bank, reading: “We shall remain.” Three hours later, dozens of Israeli forces stormed the village with military vehicles and destroyed the stone monument.  

Atallah Mazaraa (42), a community leader, father of 5, who was born on Pope Mountain, said:

"We say to anyone listening that we will remain. We will save our children from a future with no home. We’re here to stay, because there’s no other place for us. And we ask the rest of the world to join and defend us.”

The community has heard that demolition of their homes might be imminent, as soon as Tuesday, despite a community-secured injunction from the Israeli High Court freezing demolition until April 30th. They believe the only sure way to protect their homes is by using their bodies and innovative acts of resistance to block impending bulldozers. What’s happening on Pope Mountain is the latest in a tide of demolition orders handed out by Israel, which have increased since President Trump took office.  For decades, Israeli settlers have been occupying Palestinian land.

Now all eyes are on the fate of this community, which is not only defying Israeli demolition, but standing in the way of Israel’s controversial E1 settlement plan to connect Ma’ale Adumim to Jerusalem. If Pope Mountain is demolished, and the E1 plan goes ahead, many governments have warned that it will put the two-state solution at great risk.

Um Mohammad (77), prominent figure of the community, said:

“I've been here for 77 years, my roots are here and I will not be uprooted from my ancestral land. Here’s where we belong, here’s where we stay. Enough is enough.”

Fadi Quran, youth movement leader and Avaaz senior campaigner, who was at the meeting of the community, said:

“I am witnessing Pope mountain light a fire of hope for my generation of Palestinians who have spent years watching ancestral homes illegally ripped from our families. And they’re inspiring the whole world, with over 800,000 people from every country pledging their solidarity with this brave community. ”

Last month, hundreds of thousands of people from all over the planet joined an Avaaz campaign calling on the European Union and the International Criminal Court to act to urgently stop the destruction of Pope Mountain.

Today, the community pronounced it will rebuild the monument, and their resistance will continue until the occupation’s plans to wipe them off their land are stopped, and they achieve freedom.

For journalists: Send an SMS message to +970597599446 receive updates on future actions.

Photographs: https://www.flickr.com/photos/avaaz/sets/72157679493626133

For interviews with the community please contact:

Fadi Quran, Senior Campaigner Avaaz: fadi@avaaz.org , +972597599446
Atallah Mazaraa, Jabal Al-Baba community representative, +972599826639