2nd anniversary of weekly non-violent Bilin demonstration against illegal wall: 1500 attend

Friday February 23, 2007 18:24

by Polly Bangoriad - IMEMC & Agencies

On Friday the village of Bil'in, near the West Bank city of Ramallah, celebrated the second anniversary of the civil non-violent resistance of the illegal Israeli wall and settlements being built on the village land.

Al Jazeera image of today's protest

The village of Bil'in started the weekly demonstrations two years ago in protest against the construction of the illegal wall. Since then, demonstrations have been a weekly activity attended by the villagers, and international and Israeli supporters.

This week's protest commenced after a British circus group performed in the village, and a photographic exhibition was displayed.

1500 protestors marched all the way to the gate in the wall, where they were met by Israeli soldiers. Protestors threw rotten eggs and paint filled balloons at the troops. On their part, Israeli soldiers showered the protestors with tear gas and rubber coated bullets, and even attacked them with a water cannon.

Medical sources in the village reported that eight people were injured by rubber bullets. Among them were Iyad Bornat, Issa Samdier, and Ibraheem Bornat. Another ten were treated in the village by the Palestinian Red Crescent for gas inhalation. Among those were three journalists, two Palestinians and one Israeli.

According to Abdul Abu Rahmah, the local co-ordinator for the Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements, the Israeli soldiers also directed the water cannon at the TV crews of Qatari based satellite channel Al Jazeera, and the American channel CNN.

Jonathan Pollak, an activist with the "Anarchists Against the Wall" group was sentenced to 3 months imprisonment on Sunday afternoon, which will be implemented if he is convicted of a similar charge again. Pollak was sentenced after he was convicted together with 10 other activists for blocking a road in Tel Aviv in protest at the construction of the wall