New weapons used in Bil'in and 5 injured during the weekly protest

02/01/2009

by Bil’in Popular Committee

In another demonstration today in Bil’in Palestinian, international, and Israeli activists carried Palestinian flags and flags for all of the Palestinian political parties as an invitation for national unity and abandonment of internal fighting in order to resist the Israeli occupation. The demonstrators also carried symbolic coffins representing Palestinian children and citizens killed during the Israeli attacks on Gaza. Posters of Ehud Olmert, Tzipi Livni, Ehud Barak and George Bush saying "Enough killing, vampires!" were carried as well.

Protesters marched through the streets of the village singing national songs and chanting condemnation of the brutal Israeli attacks on Gaza. The protest continued to the Israeli Annexation Wall in an effort to go through the gate and reach the land confiscated behind it. Soldiers were standing behind concrete blocks and used a new weapon called "the scream" which sends subsonic waves that seem to affect the inner ear and cause bodily imbalance. The army then fired teargas, causing dozens to suffer gas inhalation, and a round of rubber bullets. The Israeli army also used another new weapon which fires round green balls filled with liquid and also contain 0.5cm diameter steel bullet. This green bullet breaks on contact.

Hamza Sulaiman Yasin, 16, Abdallah Mohammad Yasin, 16, and Mohammad Ahmad Hasan, 16, were shot with this weapon and were taken to Sheikh Zaid hospital in Ramallah. Mohammad Yasin, 14, and Abdallah Ahmad Yasin, 17, were also injured during the protest.