Approximately 5000 residents, candidates to the legislative elections, Israeli and international peace activists marched on Friday against the Separation Wall in the village of Bil’in, near Ramallah.
Abdullah Abu Rahma, coordinator of the Popular Committee Against the Wall in Bil’in told the IMEMC that the procession took off after the Friday prayer in the village’s mosque.
"We marched towards the Separation Wall construction site, and the army met our peaceful procession with extreme violence", Abu Rahma reported, "dozens were injured after soldiers fired rubber-coated bullets and gas bombs; Israeli soldiers also hit several residents with baton".
One Israeli peace activist was also arrested.
The protestors attempted to reach an area which became isolated behind the Separation Wall, but the army was intensively present and used excessive violence against them.
After the soldiers attacked the peaceful procession, dozens of youths hurled stones at them, while others fist-fought with the soldiers while attempting to arrest them.
One Israeli soldier is reportedly injured after being hit with a stone.
"The people, and the candidates of different factions, and the independent candidates, proved that in spite of our differences we remain a united nation, joint in its struggle against the occupation and the annexation policy", Abu Rahma told the IMEMC.
Bil’in conducts weekly non-violent protests the construction of the Wall, it has continuous presence of Israel and international peace activists, who cooperate with the residents and conducted the peaceful protests against the Wall. Army always used excessive violence against the protestors and arrested dozens of them.
In several incidents, soldiers used live ammunition, and different sorts of ammunition which the army is "testing" for its military industries facility.
