The Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlements in Bil’in, west of the central West Bank city of Ramallah, has reported that Israeli soldiers assaulted the weekly nonviolent protest, causing dozens of Palestinian and international activists to suffer the effects of teargas inhalation.The Committee also denounced the abduction of Israeli human rights activist Ezra Nawi, who has been protesting the illegal Israeli Wall, colonies and occupation, in Bil’in, and was taken prisoner by the Israeli forces.
Nawi, of the Ta’ayush (Co-existence – Arab-Israeli grassroots movement) also received repeated threats by fanatic settlers and leaders of right-wing Israeli groups for his solidarity activities with the Palestinians.
The protesters marched from the center of the village, carrying Palestinian flags, pictures and posters calling for the release of Nawi, and all political prisoners, in addition to chanting for Palestinian national unity, and ongoing resistance against the illegal Israeli occupation, violations, colonies and the annexation of Palestinian lands.
Similar to previous protests, many Israeli and international peace activists participated in the protest.
The Committee said the protests will continue until the end of the illegal Israeli occupation, as Bil’in nears the eleventh year of ongoing popular protests against the Annexation Wall, colonies and the illegal Israeli policies in occupied Palestine.
It added that the Palestinian people will continue to reject, and resist, the Israeli polices aiming at forcing them out of their homes and lands, to replace them with illegal colonizers.
The Committee stated that extreme right-wing groups in Israel have been harassing and threatening various Israeli activists and volunteers of human rights groups, such as B’Tselem and Peace Now, for their field work in the occupied territories, exposing Israeli violations and abuse of basic Palestinian human rights.
In related news, the Red Crescent Society in Ramallah said its medics provided treatment to one Palestinian, who was shot with a rubber-coated steel bullet, and five who suffered the effects of tear gas inhalation, after the soldiers assaulted the weekly protest in Ni’lin nearby village.
