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Five Injured in Bilin Weekly Demonstration
August 15, 2008
by Abdallah Abu Rahma, Media Coordinator, Bil’in Popular Committee
Today on the 15th of August 2008 after the Friday Prayers, the inhabitants of Bil’in, Israeli, and international peace activists participated in a demonstration against the wall. They raised Palestinian flags and signs with slogans that condemn the policies of the occupation. The slogans condemned the construction of the wall, the confiscation of Palestinian lands for the construction of settlements, the road closures, and the seizure of Palestinian villages, towns, and cities. The protesters also carried signs with slogans against the killing of innocent civilians, especially children.
The protest started from the centre of the village, and the protesters chanted similar slogans in addition to those that called for national unity. Upon arrival to the wall, the protesters while raising photos of the great Palestinian poet, Mahmud Darwish, and repeating chants of commitment to his philosophy.
Today, the protesters succeeded to arrive at the location of the wall, and they repeated chants and slogans against the occupation soldiers and their officers that command them to shoot unarmed civilians. Soon after, confrontations started and the soldiers started firing tear gas and rubber coated bullets at the protesting crowds. Such actions caused tens of injuries among them known: Bick Smith from Germany, Zaki Foster from United States, Inch from Portugal, Amjad Abo Rahma 15 years old from Bilin and another American Youth who refused to mention his name.
The IOF started to spray the demonstrators with toilet water mixed with chemical materials. Israeli sources mentioned that this water contains Aldurban riots, which smells so stinky. This developed material can’t be removed from cloths till being burned. It’s a new way of separating the demonstrators that the IOF recently use.
On a different note, athletic teams arrived this morning to the village’s stadium, to participate in the athletic tournament, “No for Wall, No for Constructing Settlements.” The tournament is organized by Bil’in’s Youth Club and co-organized by the Popular Committee to Resist the Wall.
In addition, a group of international supporters from Generation Palestine visited Bil’in in solidarity with its nonviolent resistance movement. The popular committee provided the group with a detailed explanation about the early stages of the struggle against the wall and its effects on the daily lives of the villagers. The group tried to visit the lands of Bil’in across the wall. However, Israeli soldiers refused them entry. The group also witnessed the remains of last week’s demonstration, as the location that still smelled like the skunk spray the Israeli soldiers sprayed the protesters with last week. Generation Palestine, expressed their deep concern of the oppressive occupation policies.
