Israeli Troops Suppress Non Violent Demonstrations in Bil'in and Ni'lin

12/12/2008

Source : IMEMC

The people of Bil’in statred a demonstration after Friday’s prayers that included international and Israeli activists, as well as a community from the Bethlehem district. The demonstrators raised Palestinian flags and rang bells for the anniversary of the first Palestinian Intifada that occurred in 1987.

The demonstrators marched inside the village, approaching the area where the wall is erected, but the Israeli soldiers stopped them from entering through the main gate. When the demonstrators approached, the Israeli soldiers shot tear gas canisters, sound grenades and rubber-coated bullets at the crowd, which caused many to choke, including Mohamad Basem, an eight year old child, as well as Baasem Abu Rahma, age 30, and Abed Hamamra, age 37.

The vilagers of Bil’in have been demonstrating against the wall, non stop, on a weekly basis, for the past three years. They have managed to reclaim half of the land that Israel had planned on confiscating for the construction of the apartheid wall.

Also, in the nearby village of Nil’in, during Friday prayers, on the lands near the construction area of the wall, Israeli soldiers surrounded the area in front of the demonstrators and shot tear gas while the prayers were still going on. The Israeli Army command called for more vehicles and units that, upon arrival, shot live ammunition and tear gas at the demonstrators. The excess tear gas created a massive cloud, causing many people to choke. Six young men were shot by live ammunition, among them a camera man from the International French Press (IFP), Abed Khabesa, who was shot with a tear gas canister while he was recording at the scene.