, ▁conce ived ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁Palest ini ans ▁going ▁peace fully ▁to ▁the ▁separation ▁bar rier ▁in ▁protest ▁for ▁their ▁right ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁the ▁homes ▁from ▁which ▁they ▁had ▁been ▁driven , ▁or ▁had ▁fled . ▁ ▁In ▁early ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁Gaz an ▁journalist ▁M uth ana ▁al - N aj jar , ▁whose ▁family ▁originally ▁ha iled ▁from ▁Sal ama , ▁pitch ed ▁a ▁tent ▁near ▁the ▁border , ▁where ▁he ▁stayed ▁for ▁over ▁a ▁month , ▁while ▁others ▁began ▁plant ing ▁o live ▁tree ▁seed lings ▁in ▁the ▁area . ▁He ▁and ▁others ▁tried ▁to ▁keep ▁the ▁protest ▁una ff ili ated ▁with ▁Ham as ▁or ▁any ▁other ▁political ▁group , ▁but ▁were ▁over ru led ▁when ▁Ham as ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁protest ▁by ▁mass ▁mobil ization ▁of ▁Gaz ans ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁march . ▁Rec ruit ment ▁included ▁calls ▁on ▁television , ▁local ▁media , ▁social ▁media ▁and ▁by ▁word ▁of ▁mouth ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁protest . ▁Ham as ▁reported ly ▁planned ▁to ▁keep ▁the ▁peace ▁by ▁having ▁its ▁security ▁personnel ▁dress ▁in ▁civil ian ▁clothes ▁and ▁move ▁among ▁the ▁protest ers ▁to ▁ensure ▁no ▁violence ▁would ▁occur . ▁It ▁gained ▁support ▁from ▁Gaz an ▁intellect uals ▁like ▁A te f ▁Ab u ▁Sa if ▁and ▁gradu ates ▁of ▁Gaz an ▁univers ities , ▁who ▁are ▁said ▁to ▁have ▁drawn ▁insp iration ▁from ▁the ▁example ▁of ▁Martin ▁Luther ▁King ▁and ▁Mah at ma ▁Gand hi . ▁ ▁By ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 8