Commemorating the battle of al-Qastel, Palestinians from the village of Nabi Saleh confronted the Israeli army protesting the continued colonial violence and land expropriations. Villagers commemorated the battle of al-Qastel of 1948, famous for the steadfastness and heroism of Palestinian resistance fighters led by ‘Abd al-Qader al-Husseini against Zionist militias. However, al-Husseini fell in battle, and the ensuing defeat enabled Zionist troops to raid the nearby village of Deir Yassin, committing a heinous massacre. The memory of the heroics of al-Husseini and his men, including a man from Nabi Saleh, keeps inspiring the villagers who are still resisting Israeli occupation and brutality. Protesters made their stand on the mountain overlooking the village’s al-Qaws spring which was expropriated by Israel for the benefit of the settlers. Even though the youth refrained from hurling stones, soldiers still fired long-range tear gas canisters, one of which missed a local journalist by the width of a hair. The range and velocity of these canisters, when hitting the human body, may result in serious injuries and even fatalities.

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