RAMALLAH, December 11, 2009 (WAFA)- Dozens of citizens, international peace activists were wounded Friday, 11 of them by bullets, as Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) opened fire and launched tear gas at three weekly demonstrations against the Israeli Apartheid Wall and settlements in the West Bank villages of Bil’in and Ni’lin west of Ramallah and al Ma’sara south of Bethlehem.
In Bil’in, approximately 150 Palestinian, international and Israeli activists gathered in village, marking the 22nd anniversary of the start of the 1987 Intifada and calling for the release of the village's prisoners arrested for their involvement in the non-violent demonstrations against the Wall and settlements built on land stolen from Bil'in.
Demonstrators gathered in the village after the Friday prayers and marched towards the Wall that is being constructed on their land.
Organised by the Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlements, activists raised Palestinian flags and banners condemning Israel's policy of settlement expansion and the recent arrest campaign conducted by the IOF against the residents of Bil'in.
Protesters chanted slogans calling for national unity and rejection of political differences, stressing the need to keep with Palestinian national principles. They expressed their determination to resist the occupation and continue the fight for the release of all political prisoners.
Demonstrators demanded the release of all Bil'in's detainees, including Abdullah Abu Rahma, coordinator of the Bil'in Popular Committee, who was arrested by Israeli military at 2am on Thursday and another leading activist, Adeeb Abu Rahma, who has been held for over five months in an Israeli prison.
When the march arrived to the Wall, demonstrators were confronted by the Israeli soldiers, stationed on the other side of the Wall. The army started throwing tear-gas bombs within minutes of the start of the demonstration and, after activists attempted to open the gate supported by barbed wire that separates the villages from their land, the Israeli soldiers escalated their violence and proceeded to fire stun grenades, tear-gas canisters and rubber-coated steel bullets at the crowd. Dozens suffered tear-gas inhalation as result.
The Bil'in Popular Committee against the Wall expressed their support to the recent initiative of Sweden and the Foreign Ministers of the European Union calling for the recognition of Palestinian state within it's 1967 borders, including occupied East Jerusalem as it's capital and their rejection of any other proposals compromising the 1967 borders.
As part of a recent escalation of political arrests in Bil’in, Abdullah Abu Rahma, a school teacher and coordinator of the Bil’in Popular Committee was arrested by Israeli soldiers. At 2am on Thursday nine Israeli military jeeps pulled over at Abdullah Abu Rahma’s home in the city of Ramallah. Soldiers raided the house and arrested Abu Rahma from his bed in the presence of his wife and three children. A previous raid targeting Abu Rahma on September 15, 2009 was executed with such exceptional violence, that a soldier was subsequently indicted for assault. In addition, undercover army units have invaded Bil'in at two occasions last week, searching for Abdullah.
His arrest is a part of an ongoing campaign conducted by the Israeli military against the residents of Bil'in and leaders of the Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements, in an attempt to discourage them from continuing their non-violent struggle. Since June 23, 2009, 31 citizens of Bil'in have been detained by the IOF
In Ni’lin, more than 150 citizens, international and Israeli activists attended today’s weekly protest against the Wall.
After the Friday prayer on the land, demonstrators marched towards one of the gates, chanting slogans against the seizure of Palestinian land and called for an end to Israeli military occupation and justice for the Palestinian people.
When the demonstrators reached the gate and started climbing the Wall, a small number of soldiers arrived in a jeep and started shooting large quantities of tear gas canisters into the crowd. After the crowd dispersed, clashes erupted between the soldiers and the demonstrators, with youth throwing stones and soldiers using live ammunition against the demonstrators.
Simultaneously, the main entrance of the village was closed down by Israeli forces, preventing everybody to either enter or leave the village.
After about one hour, a large number of soldiers entered the land from two sides and started chasing the demonstrators towards the village, using large quantities of live ammunition, wounding 9 of them.
One protestor (27 years old) was shot just above the knee and was taken to Ramallah hospital immediately. He is currently undergoing treatment and his situation is stable. The demonstration ended half hour after this incident.
Coordinator of the Ni’lin Popular Committee, Ibrahim Ameera, stated: “Preventing people to enter our village and the use of live ammunition will not discourage our people to attend our peaceful struggle and claim our legitimate rights. Ni’lin will serve as a model for the Palestinian struggle and it will duplicated all around Palestine in order to resist the occupation and its racist, violent policies.”
In Al Ma’assara, two citizens were beaten as the IOF attacked the demonstrators against the Apartheid Wall.
