Screening of "Bil'in Habibti"

Host: Boston University: Students for Justice In Palestine!

Come see a screening of the documentary, "Bil'in Habibti" directed by Israeli activist and filmmaker Shai Pollak. Bil’in is a Palestinian village that is struggling to exist. It is fighting to safeguard its land, its olive trees, its resources… its liberty. By annexing close to 60% of Bil’in land for Israeli settlements and the construction of Israel’s separation wall, the state of Israel is strangling the village. Supported by Israeli and international activists, Bil’in residents peacefully demonstrate every Friday in front of the “work-site of shame”. And every Friday the Israeli army responds with violence, both physically and psychologically.

Bil’in residents have continued to withstand these injustices despite the frequent night raids of Israeli soldiers in the town followed by an increasing number of arrests of inhabitants and of activists. But now, the army has toughened the oppression by systematically arresting members of the Bil’in committee in charge of organizing the non-violent resistance actions. The aim of the arrests is to discourage Bil’in residents and reduce their resistance to the occupation. The villagers confront the Israeli army with creative, weekly demonstrations and direct actions. The army replies with arrests, teargas and bullets. Armed with a camera, the Israeli director Pollak comes to Bil'in as an activist. During his stay, he witnesses Bil'in as it turns into the symbol of resistance against the safety fence and the Israeli occupation.

Comments afterwards by Ian Chinich, A Jewish American Activist and a BU student who spent a month and a half living in the village of Bil'in.

**Free to attend, open to the pulic**