Activists smash, cut holes in Israel's separation wall

A group of activists used sledge hammers to break a hole in part of the separation wall near the Palestinian town of Bir Nabala northeast of Jerusalem.
 
Activist Abdullah Abu Rahma told Ma'an that dozens of people managed to make a 10-meter hole in the wall and crossed into Jerusalem.
 
Another group of activists cut tens of meters of barbed wire surrounding Israel's Ofer detention center south of Ramallah.
 
The activists then hung Palestinian flags on the damaged sections of the fence.
Activists also cut barbed wire near the village of Bilin and damaged an Israeli gate in the area before moving it to the center of the village.
 
One participant, who wished to remain anonymous, told Ma'an that the actions were organized by popular committees and are among a series of events due to take place.
 
An Israeli army spokeswoman said Israeli forces had located the damaged sections of the wall and repaired some of them.
 
In October, activists twice cut through sections of Israel's separation wall in Abu Dis, leading to clashes with Israeli forces who fired rubber-bullets and tear gas at local Palestinians.
Israel began construction of the separation wall in 2002, and when completed some 85 percent of the barrier will run inside the occupied West Bank, annexing some 13 percent of the total territory.
 
In 2004, the International Court of Justice ruled that sections of the wall violate Israel's obligations under international law, and called on Israel to cease all construction and demolish the sections already completed.
 
Israel has continued to build the wall, which when complete, will be twice the length of the 1949 Armistice Line.