Israeli forces attack weekly anti-Wall protest near Bethlehem

Monday July 12, 2010 17:46 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

Local sources reported that six Palestinian protesters sustained bruises when Israeli forces attacked an anti-Wall rally in Beit Jala with clubs and rifle butts.

Israeli Annexation Wall in Cremisan Monastery (photo from Da Mihi Anamas)

The protest began on Sunday afternoon after Christian prayers in the town of Beit Jala, near Bethlehem. Israelis, internationals and Palestinians gathered in the town center and began marching toward the Cremisan Monastery, where Israeli forces have been constructing the annexation wall on Palestinian land over the last several months.

As soon as the marchers got close to the site of the wall construction, through the middle of the Cremisan Monastery and Winery, Israeli forces gathered nearby began firing tear gas and concussion grenades – witnesses said the concussion grenades were not fired into the air, but were aimed directly at individuals, and hit 3 Palestinians.

After the tear gas and concussion grenades were fired, some Palestinian youth picked up stones and empty bottles and began throwing them toward the soldiers, who rushed toward the crowd and began randomly beating demonstrators, according to eyewitnesses.

At least six people were injured during the beatings.

bethlehem | the wall | news report saed at imemc dot org