One injured scores suffered tear gas inhalation at an anti wall protest near Bethlehem

Saturday February 20, 2010 06:03 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC NEWS

Israeli Forces aggressively dispersed a peaceful demonstration of Palestinians protesting the construction of the Israeli apartheid wall through their land at Al Ma'sara village near Bethlehem city on Friday afternoon.

file 2009

Approximately 100 Palestinians and 20 internationals and Israelis gathered to protest against the construction of the illegal barrier. The demonstration took place with the participation of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine for their 41st anniversary. The Barrier is built on the land of the villagers of Al Ma'sara and will block the residents from their farmland. They have already lost more than 350 hectares of land to a nearby Israeli Settlement.

Men and women of all ages gathered after the Friday prayer and marched through the main road of the village and this week they decide to march on the road where settlers used. Where the organizers of The Popular Committee against the Wall in Al Ma'sara gave speeches.

The demonstrators then walked toward their land at which time Israeli soldiers in a jeep approached, exited and began firing tear gas and throwing concussion grenades into the group. The group quickly dispersed and the soldiers chased them into the village and continued firing tear gas at the demonstrators. One of the participators 18 years injured and scores suffered.

bethlehem | non-violent action | news report ghassan at imemc dot org