Palestinians in Beit Jala protest against Separation Wall route

Palestinians protesters organised a candlelight demonstration on Thursday night to protest against an Israeli court ruling allowing parts of the Separation Wall to be built in the Wadi Cremisan neighbourhood of Beit Jala.

The decision clears the way for Israel to confiscate hundreds of acres of local land for the Wall.

Khalil Ganger, a member of the Beit Jala municipal council, told the Palestinian newspaper Al-Quds, “In addition to confiscating huge areas of land, many residents are also threatened with expulsion.”

A number of Beit Jala municipal council members, anti-Wall and anti-settlements activists took part in the demonstration.

Ganger called on national and international human rights organisations to prevent the confiscation of Palestinian land under Israeli “imagined security threats.”

Residents of Beit Jala, a majority Christian city, petitioned the Israeli court demanding a change to the route of the Wall. The court overturned the petition and the route of the Wall will now prevent Christian students from studying at the Cremisan Monastery.