Two International Peace Activists Injured in Bil'in Weekly Protest

Friday June 27, 2008 17:21 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News

On Friday, villagers from Bil'in, located near the central West Bank city of Ramallah, marched in their weekly nonviolent protest against the illegal Israeli wall built on the village's land. They were supported by international and Israeli peace activists.

Bilin - Photo by IMEMC Hitham Al Khateb - File 2008

Protesters carried banners demanding the removal of the Israeli wall and settlements and calling upon the international community to help Palestinians retain Jerusalem. They demanded that the Israeli army stop killing Palestinian civilians and an end to the use of live ammunition against Palestinian civilian protestors.

Residents of Bil'in have been demonstrating every week for the past three years. The protests started after the mid-day Friday prayers were finished in the mosque, villagers from Bil'in, along with Israeli and international peace activists, marched towards the separation Wall which separates the village from its land.

Immediately after the protest reached the gate of the Wall, soldiers showered the protestors with tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets. Two internationals peace activists were injured; Shown Burg from the US and Shown McCurry from Ireland in addition, scores of protesters were treated for gas inhalation.

Moreover an outpost built by the popular committee in Bil'in on the village's land near the settlement of Matityho East, which is built on the village land, was ransacked by settlers who tried to set the outpost on fire and stole equipment as well.

For the past month the Israeli Army prohibited the villagers from staying for the night in the outpost. The outpost was built to protect the land and the olive trees from the settlers and the Israeli Army.

In related news the Israeli army released on Thursday Tarek Mohammd Tafuik Al Kathib from Bil'in after they held him for one week for taking part in the weekly nonviolent actions.

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