Eight Palestinian residents suffered bruises and concussions during a protest against the Separation Wall in Beit Jala, near Bethlehem, after the soldiers attacked and clubbed the protestors their peaceful procession against the Wall.
The residents conducted their protests after Israeli bulldozers started to uproot orchards which belongs to the residents of Beit Jala, in the Everest Area, in order to construct a section of the Separation Wall.
Soldiers uprooted 85 Dunams of orchards which belongs to the residents.
The residents stood, on Sunday afternoon, in front of the bulldozers and created a human barrier in an attempt to stop the bulldozing, but the soldiers attacked them and hit several residents with batons and hit them with their weapons; eight were injured and received treatment by medial teams which were present there.
Also, soldiers detained Sami Awad, a Palestinian activist from Bethlehem, known for his peaceful activities against the Separation Wall, and activities regarding land defence.
Awad was severely hit by the soldiers while they were taking him to a military jeep, and was transferred to an unknown location; he was released hours after his arrest.
After clashing with the residents, military bulldozers resumed the work in the area and uprooted more trees.
Palestinian legislator Bishara Daoud, from Beit Jala, who participated in the protest, said that the Israeli procedures and the construction of the Separation Wall section in the area aims to annex Palestinian orchards near Beit Jala, especially in the Everest area in order to separate Har Gilo settlement, which was constructed on lands which belongs to the residents, from Palestinian areas there.
"This is the widest terrorist act carried out by military bulldozes against Palestinian orchards in order to annex them to the settlement" Daoud said, "We appeal the international community and human rights organizations to end the illegal Israeli practices which are killing any opportunity of a viable Palestinian State".
