Two hospitalised at Bil’in as IOF lash out

09/03/2007

Source : ISM

Two peaceful protesters today paid the price for standing in solidarity with the villagers of Bilin to protest the theft of their land when they were attacked and had to be carried to an ambulance for evacuation. Ben received a blow to the forehead from a rifle butt whilst a sound bomb was thrown at Jonathan’s foot, which exploded on his shoe leaving him unable to walk.

After the last two large demos, today’s march to the wall could be seen as an anti-climax, but the villagers of Bil’in were determined to maintain the momentum of their struggle and were not disheartened by the turn-out of around a hundred.

As has been the pattern in recent weeks soldiers reacted aggressively to the peaceful chanting and flag waving, and when a few stray stones came their way were quick to try and disperse the crowd with tear gas and sound grenades.

Large numbers of soldiers poured through the gate to remove those who remained and many were grabbed, pushed over and dragged along the ground merely for standing there.

Unable to control themselves the soldiers continued to use sound bombs and batons against the protesters. Iyad Burnat, a member of the popular committee in Bil’in who was hospitalised at the demo two weeks ago, was again targetted and beaten on his body. Eleven other protesters were shot with rubber bullets.