Saturday, May 5, 2012

Non-violent protests in solidarity with hunger-striking prisoners held in 6 W. Bank villages

 by IMEMC Staff 
Two injuries were reported, and dozens of cases of gas inhalation, when Israeli troops attacked non-violent solidarity protests in six Palestinian villages in the central and southern West Bank.
Photo By Rani Burnat - Bilin
Photo By Rani Burnat - Bilin
This week, the weekly Friday protests (held in villages located on the path of the Israeli wall) were in solidarity with Palestinian political detainees on hunger strike protesting ill-treatment and the use of administrative detention policies by their Israeli captives.

Protesters declared their solidarity with the prisoners on hunger strike, especially the prisoners Bilal Diab and Thaer Halahla for entering the day 67 of their open hunger strike. In Bil'in village, dozens of local youth have set up a tent in the center of the village, and are on day 15 of a solidarity hunger strike along with over 2,000 imprisoned Palestinians.

In the southern West Bank, villages of Al-Khader, Beit Omer and Al Ma’ssara, near Bethlehem city, organized anti-wall protests. Villagers were joined by Israeli and international supporters at all three locations.

Two Palestinians were injured another one arrested and many were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation when soldiers attacked villagers and their supporters at the village of Al-Khader.

Witnesses said that soldiers opened fire at them as soon as they left the village. Later troops invaded Al-Khader and took over roof tops of local homes and used them to fire at protesters.

In Beit Omer and Al Ma’ssara villages troops stopped the protests at the village entrances and used tear gas to force people back. Many were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation.

In the central West Bank, troops used tear gas and sound bombs to attack protesters along with their international and Israeli supporters at the village of Bil’in, Nil’in and Al Nabi Saleh.

Local sources reported that many protesters were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation. In Al Nabi Saleh village troops fired tear gas at residents’ homes causing damage.

In Bil'in village, near Ramallah in the central West Bank, dozens of cases of asphyxiation from gas marked in the weekly march which organized by the popular committee against the wall and settlements. A Norwegian Delegation and dozens of Palestinian, Israeli and international peace activists participated in the demonstration.

Upon the arrival of participants to Abu Lemon area they made some holes in the barbed wire, then they broke through it. The soldiers who were situated behind the concrete wall shot rubber bullets , stun grenades , tear gas and waste water mixed with chemicals towards the participants, which resulted in the suffering of dozens of participants from gas inhalation. All of them were treated by ambulance crews in the field .

Numerous tear gas canisters which were shot into the dry plants caused the burning of villagers' olive groves.
category west bank | non-violent action | news report
Photo By Rani Burnat - Bilin
Photo By Rani Burnat - Bilin
Photo By Rani Burnat - Bilin
Photo By Rani Burnat - Bilin
Rani Burnat - FFJ-Bilin
Rani Burnat - FFJ-Bilin
International Middle East Media Center

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