Saturday 8 May 2010

One injury, dozens of suffocation cases, six detainees in Bil’in anti-wall march

[ 08/05/2010 - 08:12 AM ]

RAMALLAH, (PIC)-- One Palestinian citizen was injured, dozens suffered tear gas suffocation and six others were detained at noon Friday when the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) attacked the weekly anti-wall protest at the village of Bil'in, central West Bank.

The villagers and international activists set off toward the wall carrying Palestinian flags and calling for national unity against the Israeli occupation and land confiscation. They also stated their refusal of all military measures to close the village and prevent citizens and activists from organizing protests.

When the protest reached the wall, IOF troops were seen stationed behind concrete blocks. The wall gate that leads to the usurped Palestinian lands was already closed and encircled by barbed wire.

The troops immediately fired teargas grenades which caused fire in the olive groves. A protester was shot by a teargas canister and he was transferred to Ramallah for medical treatment.

The anti-wall march took place for the second consecutive month despite the Israeli government’s decision to close the wall’s perimeter and the site of weekly protests, and declare them a closed military zone.

In the village of Ma’sarah near Bethlehem on the same day, the citizens and activists challenged the Israeli measures and went on two marches against the segregation wall.

Israeli troops installed a barbed wire checkpoint to stop villagers from reaching the stolen lands, but the villagers along with their supporters managed to pass the military checkpoint and reach the agricultural areas.

Soldiers tried to stop protesters by using batons but some, including a group from France, broke through and spent time in one of the fields.

A similar protest took place yesterday in the village of Nabi Saleh, northwest of Ramallah, where the IOF troops reportedly used batons to beat the protestors and fired tear gas grenades and rubber bullets at them.

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