‘Night confusion’: Palestinians’ new mode of protest

When the evening light filters through the olive trees, trucks arrive piled with tires, and young Palestinian men drag them onto roaring pyres.

The sky turns dark, the air becomes unbreathable and the wind blows toward the outpost.

Later, protesters start small fires and wave burning torches, lighting the hillside opposite the settlement with a terrifying wall of flames.

Some direct intense green laser beams are also aimed toward the settlement, others set off fireworks, the explosions echoing above.

The site lies 30 kilometers (19 miles) inside the occupied West Bank in a fertile olive and grape-growing territory for Palestinians around Nablus where nearby many Israeli settlements’ residents plan to extend their territory.

‘The night confusion’

Back in March 2018, Palestinians were organizing “night confusion” activities during the “return marches” in Gaza Strip. That spirit is now inspired by today’s locals in Beita, a town of around 17,000 Palestinians.
 

The locals aim to disturb Zionist settlers and force them to evacuate the outpost.

Palestinians say they will never allow them to stay on their own land.

The “night confusion” became a popular night protest activity when young Palestinians came up with a new, nonviolent resistance method. The latest tool of the activity was to direct powerful light, laser beams and flares at the outpost to disturb settlers and confuse the Israeli army.

These activities are an initiative on the part of the town’s young people away from the interference or support of any party and the events are funded by the young people themselves.

On the other hand, the night confusion activities are a continuation of the daily confrontations between young Palestinians and Israeli forces during their daily storming of the town.

Besides, the activities have attracted thousands from the area who do not take part regularly. A group of women, who have volunteered to prepare meals, drinks and water for the participants, and the press crews covering the confrontations, also take part in it.

The Beita residents say they will continue their efforts until the settlement outpost is removed from the top of Mount Sbeih. They say they’ll do it even if they have to resort to other means of struggle and confrontation.

Since the popular resistance began in May, six Palestinians protesting the Beita outpost have been killed by the Israeli forces, including two teenagers and two men in their late 20s, while hundreds have been wounded.

Source: Daily Sabah