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Serious Head Injury in Bil’in Today
23/04/2010
by Bil’in Popular Committee
Imad Rizka being led away from the protest. Photo: Hamde Abu Rahma
Today Bil’in closed their 5th annual international conference with a mass demonstration against the apartheid wall.
The protest was joined by the former vice president of the European Parliament, Luisa Morgantini; Mustafa Al Barghouti, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council and former presidential candidate and Hisham Abu Raya, a member of the People’s Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The European Commissioner for peace in the Middle East, Mark Otti and an EU observer, Thierry Vallat attended the protest.
The Israeli military used several seldom used weapons on the protesters, including sponge bullets and smoke bombs in addition to the usual tear gas and rubber bullets. The most serious injury of the day was 43-year-old Imad Zorqa, from Yaffa, was shot in the head with a tear gas canister and is currently hospitalized at Shaikh Zaid hospital in Ramallah.
There were a number of other injuries as well, including a 30-year-old Italian activist, Simon, who was shot in the hand; a 34-year-old cameraman, Abbas Al-momani, who was shot in the leg; the 34-year-old Popular Committee photographer, Haitham Al Khatib, who was also shot in the leg; 48-year-old Um Samarah, who was shot in the back; 22-year-old Majd, who was shot in the leg; and 27-year-old Dor, who was shot in the leg. A journalist, Mohib Al Burgagothi, an American activist and three Israeli activists were all arrested.
The conference in Bil’in, which started two days ago, was attended by more than 20 international and Arab diplomats, including Luisa Morgantini, and an EU observer, Thierry Vallat. In addition, the Palestinian Prime Minister, Salaam Fayad, and several members of the Palestinian Legislative Council also attended.
International activists from France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Ireland, the UK , Canada, Greece, Switzerland, the USA, Netherlands and Israel also joined the conference.
The conference ended with a speech by the former vice president of the European Parliament, Luisa Morgantini, confirming the hope that the joint popular resistance provides a way to stop oppression and land theft.
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