Dozens suffer from tear gas inhalation during Bil'in weekly protest

13/02/2009

by Bil’in Popular Committee

The residents of Bil’in gathered again today after the Friday prayer in a protest joined by international and Israeli activists and groups. The protesters carried Palestinian flags and banners calling to stop crimes against civilians, break the siege on Gaza and stop settlement building.

The protest left from the center of the village, calling for national unity and resisting the occupation, and headed towards the apartheid wall which is built on Bil’in’s land. An Israeli army unit was situated behind the wall and prevented the crowd from going through the gate, the army fired tear gas canisters to disturb the crowd, causing dozens to suffer gas inhalation. Some were shot with rubber coated steel bullets.

The popular Committee against the wall is still encouraging people to continue resisting the wall and the occupation despite the results of the recent Israeli elections, because all of the parties are Zionists with colonialist goals.

The popular committee is inviting all Palestinians and solidarity groups to join a central protest next Friday Feb. 20th marking the fourth anniversary of Bil’in’s popular resistance against the Wall and settlement building.

In other hand, Bil’in’s Youth Club organized a volunteer day to clean the streets of the village, paint murals on the walls and plant some trees.