The army attack Bil'in non-violent protest: six injured, one kidnapped

Friday March 14, 2008 14:01 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News

Dozens of residents of Bil’in, a village near Ramallah, took to the streets on Friday in their weekly demonstration protesting against the illegal confiscation of village land through Israel's continued expansion of the wall.

Israeli troops attack peace activist in Bil'in on Friday – Photo by IMEMC's Hitham Al Khateb

The residents were joined by many international and Israeli peace activists. Israeli troops manning the wall and the gate in the wall that cuts off the villagers from their lands showered the protesters with tear gas and rubber coated steal bullets as soon as the protesters arrived at a military blockade nearby.

In addition, when the protestors arrived back to the village, Israeli troops attacked them at the entrance of the village with rifle butts and batons. Eyewitnesses told IMEMC that soldiers also used sprayed the eyes of the peace protesters with pepper spray.

In total, six people were injured, among them a freelance European journalist known as Tom.

The other five were known as Iran, an Israeli activist who was shot in the leg by Israeli troops; Scern, from Israel, shot in the hand with a rubber-coated steal bullet; Cope, also from Israel, was attacked with pepper spray; Aiad Burnat was beaten up by the soldiers; in addition to Jake from the USA, who was beaten up and kidnapped by the army.

ramallah | non-violent action | news report ghassanb at imemc dot org