Palestinian village decides to build on land 'liberated' by successful anti-fence battles

Ynet News- Following the IDF's dismantling of a separation fence running through Bilin, residents of the West Bank village have decided to adopt a new battle.

Ynet learned Tuesday that the Popular Committee of Bilin will replace its weekly anti-fence protests, which take place Fridays, with the construction of new structures on the land added to the village when the fence was dismantled Sunday.

Around 170 acres of land were added to the village with the removal of the fence, 130 of which are privately owned Palestinian lands.

It is on this land that the residents plan to construct a new neighborhood, called West Bilin. Organizers of the protests against the fence are still fuming, however, at the fact that some 330 acres belonging to the village remain inaccessible, because they lie to the west of the wall that surrounds nearby Israeli towns such as Modi'in.

"The popular protest has decided to adopt a new strategy," announced Mohammed Khatib, the leader of the Popular Committee. "The idea is to set facts on the ground and begin building homes on our lands located between the dismantled fence and the wall."

He claims the construction will replace Friday's protests, which have generated many violent clashes with security forces over the years.

"We will begin at first by building small rooms every Friday, on every plot of land belonging to the village, and finally there will be a park for the welfare of residents," he explained.

The construction has not been approved by Israel, and is considered illegal. However the residents are certain that demolitions will require orders from the court, which will embroil petitioners in a lengthy legal battle.

"These are our lands, we have liberated them and now we are determined to use them for our purposes," Khatib said.

Left-wing activists from Israel and the world plan to help the residents with their cause. Jonathan Pollak, an Israeli man who regularly attended the anti-fence protests, said it was "the right move" for residents.

He added that the IDF will not be able to prevent construction without using violence. "If the army prevents construction on Friday, we will come back and build on Saturday," he said. "It will become a war of attrition and we'll see who wins."