Hundreds of residents, Israeli and international peace activists protested against the Separation Wall in the village of Bel’in, west of Ramallah, soldiers fired rubber-coated bullets and gas bombs at the protestors; 17 residents were injured.
Most of the wounded residents suffocated after inhaling gas, and received first aid, several residents were hospitalized.
The Israeli army claimed that the residents hurled stones at the soldiers, and Molotov cocktails, and that soldiers only ‘anti-riots’ weapons.
Several Palestinian Legislative Council members and representatives of the Palestinian factions also protested along with the residents and peace activists.ÂÂ
The protestors were peacefully protesting, chanted slogans against the Wall, and the Israeli policies of land grab, and carried a scale in reference to the advisory decision of the High Court of Justice considering the Wall illegal.ÂÂ
The High Court ruled on 9-7-2004, that the Wall which Israel is constructing in the Palestinian territories is a violation to the International law, and demanded Israel to halt the construction, and compensate the residents who were harmed by the constructions, including residents of east Jerusalem and the surrounding areas.
