The Friends of Freedom and Justice (FFJ) in Bil’in, near the central West Bank city of Ramallah, reported Friday that at least ten protestors suffered the effects of tear-gas inhalation after Israeli soldiers fired dozens of gas bombs at them during their weekly nonviolent protest. This week’s protest carried the message of “Israeli Blood Diamonds”, as consumers spend billions of dollars annually on diamonds crafted in Israel, while the Palestinians call for boycott.
“Palestinians, Israelis and internationals marched together up to the gate of the wall, facing large amounts of tear gas before the soldiers went in through the gate and chased the protesters some hundred meters towards the village”, the FFJ reported.
The FFJ said that Israel is considered the world’s largest exporter of diamonds, while at the same times practices genocide, apartheid, extrajudicial executions against the Palestinians and confiscates their land to build Jewish-only settlements.
“Today the villagers carried t-shirts and posters asking to boycott Israel’s diamond industry. About 100 demonstrators went up to the gate, carrying out the message, in a non- violent manner”, the FFJ said. “Another message was solidarity with the Palestinians in Jerusalem, facing eviction from their homes and constant violence from Israeli settlers taking over their houses”.
The army responded by firing tear gas at the residents, and even chased the residents and the peace activists while heading back to the village, and fired more gas at them. Dozens received treatment after inhaling gas fired by the army; at least ten suffered heavily and could not breathe.
The gas bombs also caused fires as they were fired at dry lands and at the sides of the roads. The fire spread fast among olive trees while the residents tried to extinguish it. The residents managed to control the fire and extinguish it.
Updated From
Bil’in: One Injured As Troops Attack Anti Wall Protest
Brian Ennis – IMEMC & Agencies, Fri, 25 Jun 2010 16:24:57
A Palestinian man was injured on Friday after being shot by Israeli troops during the weekly nonviolent protest against the wall in Bil’in village central West Bank.
Israeli and international supporters joined the villagers of Bil’in after the midday prayers and headed to the wall that separate villagers from their lands.
Protesters demanded the halt of Israel’s polices targeting the Palestinians of East Jerusalem and the halt of settlement activity in the city and in the rest of the West Bank.
As soon as the people got to the gate of the wall soldiers fired rubber-coated-steel bullets and tear gas at them.
50 year old Radwan Yassin, a university teacher, was hit with the rubber coated steel bullet in his hand; dozens suffered effects of tear gas inhalation.
