A week after Hamas’s attack on Israel, after eight days of war, Friday was marked by prayer and a massive call to demonstrate. The Old City of Jerusalem was cordoned off, barricaded and in the West Bank, from north to south, the situation was explosive. In all, eleven Palestinians were killed on Friday, by the Israeli army or settlers.
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With our correspondent in Ramallah, Alice Froussard
As we leave Ramallah, there are burning tires and thick black smoke. Cars are honking, some young people are whistling, others are watching.
Like Ahmad, 33 years old, who explains to us this usual ball, the confrontations at the checkpoint with the Israeli army. “ There, you see, these young men, they are just throwing stones. Opposite, there are the Israelis. They come down from the top of the hill and fire tear gas, but also live ammunition. There are also snipers there. Sometimes young people throw fireworks. We usually use them for parties, but here, it’s to resist the occupation “, he explains.
The desire to be heard
Below, rescuers wait for the injured. An ambulance rushes off, heading to the nearest hospital. The faces freeze. Sometimes there are deaths, not this day, but there is anger and a desire to be heard, explains another resident who wishes to remain anonymous.
“ It’s simple, you know, Palestine is the West Bank and Gaza. The Gaza Strip is under attack. Those who are dying right now are children, women, they are civilians. So why are people here? They try to support them. This is the most they can do here, as options are limited in the West Bank “.
Everyone speaks of a political vacuum, of an absent Palestinian authority. Of an abandonment of Western capitals. We haven’t expected anything from them for a long time, they point out.
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