Soldiers Attack Bil’in’s Weekly Protest

One Palestinian was injured, and dozens of protesters suffered the effects of tear gas inhalation, after Israeli soldiers attacked peace activists participating in the weekly nonviolent protest against the wall and settlement, in Bil’in village, near the central West Bank city of Ramallah. The army also attacked nonviolent protests in Ni'lin and Nabi Saleh.

Photo By Rani Burnat

The Friends of Freedom and Justice Committee in Bil’in reported that resident Ahmad Burnat, 18, sprained his knee while avoiding military fire, while dozens of protesters suffered the effects of tear gas inhalation.

The protest started after residents conducted Friday prayers at the local mosque in Bil’in. They marched carrying Palestinian flags and chanting slogans calling for the end of the occupation, the destruction of the illegal apartheid wall, and the liberation of all political prisoners held by Israel. Most importantly, they chanted for unity and the liberation of occupied Jerusalem.

As the protesters arrived at the Abu Lemon national reserve, soldiers based behind the concrete Annexation Wall fired rubber-coated metal bullets, concussion grenades, and gas bombs at the protesters before spraying them with toxic water leading to dozens of injuries.

Later on, clashes took place between local youths and Israeli soldiers; the youths hurled stones and empty bottles at the soldiers and the army fired more gas bombs and rubber-coated metal bullets.

Also on Friday, soldiers attacked weekly nonviolent protests against the wall and settlements in the nearby villages of Ni’lin and Nabi Saleh.

Soldiers further attacked the weekly nonviolent protests in Sousia, near Bethlehem. The army fired tear gas bombs at the protesters leading to several injuries.

It is worth mentioning that, this week, the Israeli army handed 58 home-demolition orders to families from Sousia to make way for new illegal Israeli settlement construction in the area.

Photo By Rani Burnat