QALANDIA CHECKPOINT, July 9, 2011 (WAFA) –Palestinians and international activists Saturday demonstrated at Qalandia checkpoint between Jerusalem and Ramallah demanding removal of the checkpoint and the separation wall Israel is building around East Jerusalem.

Israeli soldiers fired tear gas at the protesters as soon as they started to march to the checkpoint from the Ramallah side. Protesters pelted the soldiers with stones and empty bottles.

Dozens suffered from gas inhalation while others were hit by rubber bullets fired by soldiers, who were present in large numbers at the checkpoint since the early hours of the day.

The protest at Qalandia checkpoint was the first in a series of week-long activities Palestinians and internationals who managed to get into Tel Aviv airport the day before are planning to hold at various locations throughout the West Bank marking the seventh anniversary for an anti-wall ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The ICJ called in its July 9, 2004 advisory opinion on Israel to dismantle the wall or fence it was building deep inside the Palestinian Territory along the 'green line' and to compensate the Palestinians who lost their land as a result of the path of the wall and fence.

M.A.