Editor's Note: Palestinians turned the tables on the Israelis when they started their own settlement in the occupied West Bank as a protest against Israel's plan to build new settlements in what they call the E1 area. One of the leaders of the Palestinian encampment, Mohammad Khatib told international media, "We are setting up a Palestinian village here where people will stay permanently in order to protect this Palestinian land." They named “Bab el Shams,” which means “Gateway to the Sun” in Arabic and the 20 large steel-framed tents provided temporary homes and a health clinic for the activists. This is an example of Palestinians' tradition of non-violent tradition against the Israel's bloody occupation and oppression for decades. RT News reports, "The site covers 4.6 square miles (12 square km) and backs onto East Jerusalem, where Palestinians want to establish their capital." The Israeli military attacked the new Palestinian settlement and tore it down. Israel's militarized thuggery with F-16 jets, war ships, missiles and bombs are no match for the courage, resilience and sacrifice of the non-violent movement of Palestinians to take back the land systematically stolen from them since 1947.

- Les Blough, Editor

Israeli troops evict Palestinian protesters from the scene in the controversial West Bank area known as E1 early on January 13, 2013.

Israeli troops have attacked Palestinians at a protest encampment consisting of four tents set up by activists at a site designated for new illegal settler units.

On Sunday, Israeli troops clashed with residents and activists who had set up the makeshift tents in the occupied West Bank to prevent the Tel Aviv regime from building new settler units.

Activists established the encampment on Friday to protest against Israel's plan to seize 124 acres (50 hectares) of land near the Palestinian village of Beit Iksa, located on the northwestern outskirts of al-Quds.

Saeed Yaqin, one of the organizers of the protest, stated that "the first thing we did was to tear up the order and throw it in the (Israeli) soldiers' faces. We and all the Palestinian people object and reject the (Israeli) military order."

"This is the first time since 1967 somebody's torn up a military order," he said.

"The land here is under occupation, and international law prohibits touching it," Yaqin added.

On January 17, Israeli police dismantled an encampment that was set up by Palestinians in the occupied West Bank on January 11 in protest against the Tel Aviv regime’s plans to construct a large settlement at E1 area near al-Quds.

The E1 project aims at connecting the West Bank settlement of Maale Adumim to East al-Quds, about six kilometers away. The plan will cut off the northern part of the West Bank from the south.

More than half a million Israelis live in over 120 illegal settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the West Bank and East al-Quds.

Israel’s annexation of East al-Quds is in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 242 and has never been recognized by the international community.

GJH/MA

Source: Press TV