10 injured in non-violent weekly protests Friday

Sunday June 19, 2011 08:22 by IMEMC & PNN

Ten civilians were injured as Israeli troops attacked the weekly nonviolent protests organized at a number of West Bank communities. This week, protests were reported in the villages of al-Nabi Salleh, Bil’in, and Nil’in in the central West Bank, as well as al-Ma’ssara in the south.

Bil'in protest (archive photo)

Seven civilians were injured and scores treated for tear gas inhalation as troops attacked the weekly protest in the village of Nabi Saleh, central West Bank. On Friday morning, villagers and their international and Israeli supporters gathered near land where Israel plans to build a new settlement. Troops attacked villages as soon as they started to march. The protest ended with clashes between local youth and troops that invaded the village.

Earlier on Friday, a group of officials from a number of EU consulates visited al-Nabi Salleh and watched the protest from a distance. Local sources said that the EU officials were shocked by the military way of dealing with the protesters.

Also in the central West Bank, in Bil’in village, one man was injured and many treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation when Israeli soldiers attacked the weekly protest against the wall. Bil’in villagers have been protesting at the wall for the past six years. International and Israeli supporters joined the villagers after the midday prayers. As soon as people reached the gate of the wall separating villagers from their lands, troops fired comical water, tear gas and sound bombs at them.

A group of young men decided to take a “shower” with the military chemical water to demonstrate their refusal to submit to the army attack. One man was injured when a tear gas canister hit him in his back. Olive trees near the wall were set on fire by the tear gas, and when local farmers and their supporters tried to stop the fire, soldiers attacked them with tear gas.

In the nearby village of Nil’in, protesters held the midday prayers near the Israeli wall and marched up to the gate separating local farmers from their lands. Troops fired tear gas at them and many were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation.

In the southern West Bank village of al-Ma’sara, near Bethlehem, villagers were joined by international and Israeli supporters to protest the Israeli wall being built in local farmers lands. As soon as the protesters reached the entrance of the village troops stopped them and did not allow them to get to the construction site of the wall. Soldiers later attacked protesters using rifle butts and batons, lightly wounding two villagers.

west bank | non-violent action | news report