Christians demonstrate against wall in Beit Jala
The fight over land in the predominantly Christian Palestinian town of Beit Jala has been fought on the ground and in the Israeli courts for years, with Christian leaders at the head of Palestinian efforts.
The picture posted by Deacon Fadi Abu Sa’ada on his Facebook page Aug. 30 spoke volumes, and the image of medics helping a nun injured by Israeli tear gas raised anger among Palestinians.
Demonstrations after Sunday mass have become the norm in this Bethlehem-area town. The anti-Israel rallies are a protest against Israeli efforts to confiscate property to make room for the wall. The Israeli wall, cutting deep into Palestinian land, is said to have a security aim — to protect Israel — but in fact it is dividing land that belongs to Palestinian Christians. While Israel unilaterally annexed East Jerusalem, for Palestinians, the land on both sides of the wall belongs to them.
