“If internationals want peace, they must come to Palestine and help with a demonstration,” said Rateb Abu Rahma at Thursday night’s lecture on Bil’in, a village on the West Bank.

Rahma, a Palestinian activist, and Israeli activist Kobi Snitz spoke on how they work together for peace.

Their main focus was on the farming villiage Bil’in. The people of Bil’in have been actively participating in a non-violent protest of a wall being built around the West Bank. Each week they come up with new, creative ways to protest. Some include chaining themselves to olive trees, creating clever art promoting peace made from rubber bullets and tear gas cans and a large snake made to represent the wall devouring their land.

“Armed resistance is a short-cut,” said Snitz. “Non-violent resistance is a lot harder.”

So far, they have had over 200 joint demonstrations with Palestinians, Israelis and internationals. One of these actually ended in a victory when their case made to the High Court ended in a ruling that the building of the wall was illegal.

Unfortunately, the wall is still being built despite the decision. According to Palestinians, the wall is acting as a cage for the those who live on the West Bank. It is seen as not separating Palestinians from Israelis; it is separating Palestinians from other Palestinians.

Rahma and Snitz said if nothing is done about this wall, there will most certainly be constant warfare between the Palestinians and Israelis. The activists of Palestine and Israel who are working together for peace are looking for people from other countries to come in and help.

They openly invite people to see and experience the wall for themselves. They said that through this outreach of knowledge, the message of Bil’in can be spread and the wall can come down.

Snitz offered advice on how to spread their message, saying, “Do meaningful stuff and tell people about it.”

Danielle Kahn can be reached at [email protected].