The inhabitants of the village of Budrus have been struggling consistently against the Separation Fence since December 2003. Theirs is a popular struggle, encompassing all the villagers, men and women, young and old, of all political affiliations. they have chosen the path of non-violent resistance, with remarkable persistence and resolution, despite the violent reactions of the army. As a result, they acquired significant achievements, and the course of the Fence was almost completely moved to the 1948 border line. The present discord is about 2 fields which the state of Israel wants to confiscate for the construction of the Fence. Our partnership with the people of Budrus started with a joint demonstration last March. Since then our ties have grown tighter.

Last week, in the course of the popular demonstrations against the last wave of the confiscations and the renewal of the construction work, IDF and the Border Patrol used massive against the inhabitants of Budrus. Dozens were injured and the village was put under curfew several times. Border Patrol jeeps have been driving through the village alleys, being rude and spreading threats. In addition, the villagers received unequivocal messages, threatening bloodshed if the demonstrations continue.

In the face of the resolution of Budrus's people to continue their resistance against the Fence so long as it claims their land, and the fear that the occupation forces are aiming to break by force, we decided to organize a large delegation on behalf of Ta'ayush, and join their demonstration on Tuesday, September 28. The choice of a work day decreased the number of people able to join, but was necessary for the people of Budrus. We wanted to express our solidarity both with the struggle for their lands and with their basic right for protest against the occupation and against the Fence.

On Tuesday we, about 40 Israelis, reached the village at noon. There we met dozens of villagers preparing for the demo and a few dozens of International activists. The people of Budrus decided to demonstrate this time within the village, in the courtyard of the school, which overlooks the the disputed trajectory of the Fence. They did not want the demo to reach the olive groves in order to avoid confrontation with the Border Patrol on a day without any construction work. To them, the main message was to demonstrate their resolution to continue their activity in spite of the army's threats. As usual, we accepted the decision of the local organizers.

Slowly there gathered about 300 villagers, men, women and youth, and we marched to the designated place. There, opposite us, near the first row of olive trees, stood a small number of Border Patrol policemen. There were speeches and slogans. some, Israelis and Palestinians, directed their words at the Border Patrolers facing us. So we stood for about an hour, under a blazing sun, in a particularly hot day, until the organizers of the demo announced its end. As the demonstrators started to disperse there occurred an altercation with the Border Police, which quickly turned to stone throwing, answered with tear-gas and shock grenades. It immediately became clear that the Border Patrol had jeeps waiting in and around the village, and those started to drive through the streets and alleys, closing escape routes for the demonstrators. In between the thunder of the shock grenades and the waves of tear gas, people were running in the narrow alleys, with the Border Patrol policemen chasing them and entering houses to extract hiding demonstrators, curse and beat up some locals. It soon transpired that they were looking mainly for Israelis; most of the international detainees were quickly released. The Border Patrol policemen gathered 16 Israeli demonstrators, 2 internationals and 2 Palestinians - one of them, Mansur Mansur, is a known activist against the Fences from the village of Biddu, and the other, Rami Mustafa, taken from his home, in Budrus.

The chase of the Border Patrol led to the arrest of nearly half of the Israeli demonstrators. The rest gradually gathered in a safe place nearby. We collected information and decided on a course of action. The message of the  hunt for Israelis seemed clear: the authorities of the occupation wish to prevent expressions of solidarity between Israelis and Palestinians. It proved us right in our decision to come to Budrus in spite of the inconvenient timing, not allowing us to mobilize many demonstrators. Apparently, the occupiers believe that our modest support may help the struggle of the people of Budrus.

Meanwhile, the detainees were held on hill close to the village, where they waited for about 2 hours until they were transferred to a police station in the settlement of Beit Aryeh. When we learned that they were taken there, the rest of us left Budrus. Those who had to get back, returned to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and the rest went to the police station to wait for the detainees and help them. Some other activists also joined. At the same time, we started mounting public pressure, through the press and Knesset members, as well as legal aid. At the police station in Beit Aryeh they started to interrogate the detainees. Very soon it became clear that there was a different tratment to the different detainees: whereas the Israelis were accused of breaking an order declaring the area "closed military zone" (although we were never presented with such an order), then the palestinians were accused of throwing stones, an accusation involving arrest. The internationals were quickly released out. the accusations against the Palestinians were totally unfounded. Mansur Mansur kept to a non-violent behavior throughout the demonstration, and stood out as a vocal yet calming persona, whereas the other, Rami Mustafah, was ill that day, and did not attend the demo at all.

When it was announced to the Israelis that they will be released in exchange fora commitment not to enter Budrus during 15 days, they decided not to sign anything as long as the Palestinians were in danger of arrest (4-8 days we were told). We remembered the bitter experience of previous demos, at the end of which Israelis were released after a few hours of detention and a short questioning, while the Palestinians were being cursed, beaten and arrested for several days. The struggle against Apartheid ought to continue in police stations, even if we cannot always succeed. In addition to solidarity among the detainees, there were some demonstrators who  volunteered to testify on behalf of Mansur, and attest to his non-violent behavior throughout the demo.

Eventually, all of these pressures worked. Shortly after our lawyers came to the police station, all were released around 23:00. Rami Mustafa was released on bail, and may have to stand trial, but we have many witnesses to attest to his non participation in the demo, let alone throw stones in it.It is a small, though significant, victory of solidarity over the Apartheid of police and legal system.

The Struggle in Budrus and in the rest of the villages that re directly hit by the Fences will continue in the near future. We will continue to keep in touch and to follow up, and we shall not forsake our partnership.