Troops Use Tear Gas To Suppress Bil’in’s Village Anti Wall Weekly Protest

Friday April 02, 2010 17:29 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News

The villagers of Bil’in, central West Bank, along with international and Israeli peace activists protested the illegal Israeli Land-Grab, Apartheid Wall, which the Zionist state built on villager's lands.

As has been the case since the inception of the protest, villagers today were joined by Israeli and international supporters and marched, after the midday prayers, towards the lands Israeli took to build the wall.

As soon as the protesters reached the gate of the wall, that separates farmers from their lands, troops stationed there fired tear gas and rubber coated steel bullets at them. Dozens were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation.

The Israeli court ordered the army to remove the wall built on Bil’in's lands two year ago. The army started to reroute the section of the wall there only two month ago.

Last month the Israeli army announced the villages of Bil’in closed military zones every Friday for six months. The order forbids Israelis and international supporters from getting inside the villages on Friday or they will face arrests and deportation. The village of Bil'in has been staging these Friday Protests since 2005.

Villagers Protest The Israeli Wall In Dair Istiya In Northern West Bank

Friday April 02, 2010 17:10 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News

Local politicians joined the villagers of Dair Istiya in northern West Bank in their protest against the illegal Israeli Land-Grab, Apartheid Wall, on Friday.

People marched from the village towards their lands Israeli is planning to take over to construct the wall there. Joining the villager was Mustafa Al Barghouthi, a local MP.

Israeli occupation soldiers stopped the people before they reached the illegal Israeli settlers road nearby. Local organizers delivered speeches demanding the halt of the wall and settlement construction on their lands.

The protest ended peacefully shortly thereafter.

Dozens Treated For Tear Gas Inhalation At The Nil’n Anti Wall Protest

Friday April 02, 2010 17:04 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News

Dozens for protesters were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation when Israeli occupation soldiers attacked the anti wall protest in the village of Nil’in central West Bank.

Villagers along with Israeli and international supporters conducted the midday Friday prayers at villagers lands near the Israeli built wall.

Later the crowed marched towards the wall and local youth hanged the Palestinian flag on top of the wall.

Troops then fired tear gas and sound bombs at the protesters, dozens were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation.

Local youth hurled a number of tear gas bombs back at the soldiers. witnesses said that some soldiers suffered effects of tear gas inhalation.

One Detained, Journalists Injured, Cars Damaged As Troops Attack Anti Wall Protest Near Bethlehem

Friday April 02, 2010 16:33 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News

One international supporter detained by Israeli occupation forces, three journalists were injured and cars damaged by military fire at the weekly anti wall protest at Al-Ma’assara village near the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem.

About 200 villagers along with Israeli and international supporters marched from Al-Ma’assra village on Friday after the midday prayers. People were on their way to lands owned by local farmers the army is planning to take over, in order to build the illegal Israeli Land-Grab, Apartheid Wall. Troops stopped the crowed at the village entrance using a barbed wire checkpoint.

Local organizers delivered speeches at the checkpoint in both Arabic and English; as the protest was about to end local youth hurled couple of stones at troops. Solders responded by shooting sound and tear gas bombs at the crowed. Troops also attacked journalists covering the event.

Moussa Al-Sha’er, photojournalist for AFP, Abed Al-Hashlamon, EPA, and Amer Amed, a camera man for Pal-Media were lightly wounded. Two cars sustained damage due to the army fire. One of the cars are owned by Dr. Mazin Qumsiya, a local organizer.

Troops also detained two international supporters; half an hour later one of them were released while the other was taken to a police station in a nearby illegal Israeli settlement.