IOF quelling of peaceful march harms tens of Palestinians, foreign activists

 [ 06/11/2010 - 07:19 AM ]

RAMALLAH, (PIC)--

Tens of Palestinians and a number of foreign solidarity activists suffered breathing difficulties on Friday when the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) fired teargas canisters and stun grenades at them in Bilin and Ma'sara villages' weekly marches.

Local sources reported that participants in both marches in Bilin, Ramallah district, and in Ma'sara, Bethlehem district, chanted slogans denouncing the racist, separation wall and the Balfour Declaration on its 93rd anniversary.

The marchers raised Palestinian flags and placards condemning the Balfour Declaration while chanting national slogans calling for shunning internal differences and sticking to Palestinian constants and resisting occupation.

The demonstrators, who included tens of foreign and Israeli activists, also called for the release of all detainees in Israeli occupation jails.

Three Injured at an-Nabi Saleh Anti-Wall Protest

Friday November 05, 2010 18:06 by Ane Irazabal - IMEMC & Agencies

At least three civilians were injured and many others treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation on Friday, after Israeli troops violently suppressed the weekly anti-wall protest at the village of Al-Nabi Saleh in the central West Bank.

Israeli and international supporters joined the villagers and marched towards the lands that were confiscated behind the illegal Israeli Land-Grab, Apartheid Wall..

This week, the march coincided with the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration.

According to Palestine News Network, Israeli soldiers closed down the village in the early morning and as soon as protesters reached their lands, stationed troops fired tear gas, rubber-coated steel bullets and sound bombs at them.

After the protest, several people were treated for different ailments. An unnamed American supporter was hit with a gas bomb in her leg, 16-year-old Imad Nidal was hit in the arm with a tear gas bomb and 21-year-old Maha Hussen was taken to hospital after troops fired tear gas into her home while she was inside. In addition, dozens were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation.

A local cameraman, Bilal al-Tammemi, was also assaulted while other journalists were forced to leave the village.

Tear Gas to Silence the Protests in Bil'in and Ni'lin

Friday November 05, 2010 17:35 by Ane Irazabal - IMEMC & Agencies

On Friday, a number of civilians were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation when Israeli troops attacked the weekly anti wall protests in the central West Bank villages of Bil’in and Ni'lin.

In Bil'in, international and Israeli supporters joined the villagers after the midday prayers and marched to farmers’ lands behind the Israeli wall, which were confiscated after the building of the illegal Israeli Land-Grab, Apartheid Wall.

According to Palestine News Network, when the protesters reached the gate of the wall, stationed troops fired tear gas and sound bombs at them.

The weekly action ended with clashes between local youth and the Israeli soldiers. Also, many people were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation.

Bil’in has been organizing weekly anti-wall protests for the past six years. Earlier this year, the Israeli High Court of Justice ruled in favour of the villagers and ordered the army to remove the wall built on their lands.

Following the court order, Bil’in farmers got back 750 dunums of the originally taken 1,500 dunums. However, the Israeli military still refuses to adhere to the court ruling.

Also in the village of Ni’lin, five civilians were treated for tear gas inhalation after the weekly anti-wall protest ended. The inhalation victims were treated at the local clinic.

Israeli Occupation Army Uses Tear Gas During The Anti Wall Protest in al-Ma'asara

Friday November 05, 2010 16:35 by Ane Irazabal - IMEMC & Agencies

On Friday, a number of civilians were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation during an Israeli attack on the weekly protest against the illegal Israeli Land-Grab, Apartheid Wall, in the village of al-Ma’asara, near Bethlehem.

Like every Friday, villagers along with international and Israeli supporters marched from the village mosque, after the midday prayer, towards the village lands where the Israeli occupation government is planning to build its illegal Land-Grab, Apartheid Wall.

However, Israeli soldiers stopped protesters at the village entrance, near the settler's road number 60. Then, troops fired tear gas to the protesters to force them back into the village.

According to Palestine News Network, a number of civilians were treated at the local clinic for tear gas inhalation.

Palestinian Teenage Boy Put Under House Arrest

Friday November 05, 2010 13:44 by Alessandra Bajec - IMEMC & Agencies

A 13-year-old Palestinian boy has been placed under five-month house arrest on suspicion of throwing stones at Israeli soldiers in the West Bank.

The teenager, named Karem, was detained in the city of Hebron in late September and spent six days in the Ofer Prison, an Israeli website quoted in Press TV reported. The boy has been sentenced to house arrest in his uncle's home and is not allowed to go to school.

Karem's grandfather noted: "If they decide that he violated the house arrest conditions, he may go to jail together with his uncle who signed the bail, and we don't want to take the risk."

The grandmother also highlighted that Karem's health reflects his mental state, affected by his days in jail.

Army Breaks Into Homes Of Two Nonviolent Protestors In an-Nabi Saleh Village

Friday November 05, 2010 11:24 by Ane Irazabal - IMEMC & Agencies

On Thursday night, Israeli soldiers broke into the homes of two brothers in Nabi Saleh village, near Ramallah, and warned them to not take part in the weekly protests against the illegal Israeli settlements and Land-Grab, Apartheid Wall..

Basem and Mahmoud at-Tamimi, members of the local Committee Against the Wall and Settlement Construction, were told that the village was declared "closed military zone", and any protest that takes place will be quashed, Ma'an News reported.

Nabi Salih, north of Ramallah, is bordered by an Israeli military post to the north and by the settlement of Halamish to the south. It is one of four popular villages that participate in the weekly non-violent protests against land grab, the annexation wall and settlements.

The protests, held on Fridays after the midday prayer, are usually met with excessive use of force by the army, with soldiers frequently firing rubber-coated bullets, gas bombs and rounds of live ammunition that lead to hundreds of casualties. Israeli soldiers dub the demonstrations as "illegal riots" to justify the use of excessive force against non-violent protesters.

With regard to Thursday's raid, an Israeli military spokeswoman told Maan News that she could not confirm home invasions in the village, but said she was aware of a "routine act" of patrol in the area overnight.

However, residents of Nabi Saleh stated that in recent months, night invasions have become more frequent, with occasional detention of individuals known to be active in non-violent resistance.

Clashes Reported In East Jerusalem

Friday November 05, 2010 11:18 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Palestinian sources reported that clashes took place, Thursday evening, between dozens of residents of Silwan, located south of the al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem, and Israeli soldiers invading the area.

Clashes were also reported in Ayyoub Well area and Ein al-Louza. No injuries were reported.

Local sources said that the army tried to force the residents out of their protest tent in Silwan.

Soldiers fired gas bombs and rubber-coated bullets at the residents while dozens of local youths hurled stones at military vehicles invading their neighborhoods.

On Wednesday, soldiers stormed Silwan and kidnapped five Palestinian children including two brothers.

The army claimed that the children were involved in throwing stones at Israeli soldiers and policemen. The children are between 13 and 18 years old.

The protest tent in Silwan was installed several months ago to oppose the demolishing of Palestinian homes in the city and the ongoing settler occupation of Arab homes.

On Thursday, the Jerusalem Municipality appealed Israeli courts to allow them to dismantle the large protest tent in Silwan immediately. The courts instated an eight-month delay on removing the tent.

The Jerusalem Municipality claims that the protest tent became a source of “inciting violence, clashes with the army and the settlers”, and “an act that disturbs the peace”.

In June this year, the court decided that the owners have until June 2011 to remove the tent that was described as “an illegal structure”.