Hundreds of Palestinian residents, Israel and International peace activists protested on Friday against Israel’s annexation Wall in the West Bank village of Bil’in, near Ramallah, and expressed their support and solidarity with local and international journalists subjected to the continuous Israeli violations and attacks.
Abdullah Abu Rahma, coordinator of the Popular Committee Against the Wall, informed the IMEMC that the protest started by a speech welcoming the journalists and talking about the dangers and violations they are subjected to.
Mohammad Abu Rahma, member of the Popular Committee Against the Wal, member of Bil’in village council, spoke about the reporters, the dangers and violations they are subjected to during their coverage on incidents in Palestine and the protests against the annexation wall.
Mohammad Au Rahma added that that the documentations and footages provided the the journalists managed to acquit several residents and internationals in Israeli courts after the army claimed that troops were attacked by them during the protests.
Legislators Moheeb Awwad, and Waleed Assaf, head of the lands departments at the Legislative Council and several other senior officials and social leaders participated in the protest.
The journalists, Palestinian Photographers Committee and Palestinian Telecommunications were given symbolic awards for the efforts they conduct to report on the Israeli violations and annexation policies.
During the protest, the protesters carried a pyramid and placed on its different sides the pictures and names of six local and international journalists killed by the Israeli army.
The six journalists are;
1.Raphael Crello, killed in Ramallah on March 13, 2002.
2.Imad Abu Zuhra, killed in Jenin on July 12, 2002.
3.Isam Hamza Tillawi, killed in Ramallah on December 22, 2002.
4.Nazeeh Darawza, killed in Nablus on April 19, 2003.
5.James Muller, killed in Rafah on May 2, 2003.
6.Mohammad Abu Haleema, killed in the Nablus Balata refugee camp on March 22, 2004.
Troops violently attacked the peaceful protesters and fired at them injuring nine. Among the injured, two internationals from Italy and Germany.
One resident identified as Mahdi Awad, 17, was moderately injured in his arm and was transfered to Sheikh Zayid Hospital in Ramallah.
Following the protest, Israeli troops invaded Bil’in and fired gas bombs and robber-coated bullets, at several houses and at residents in the streets; six residents, including three children, were injured.
The injured residents were identified as Suleiman Waheed Yassin, 14, Ali Hamdan, 14, Mohammad Fares Yassin, 11, Khamees Fathi Abu Rahma, 23, Fu’ad Mohammad Samara, 20, and Ayid Khaleely, 32.
In a separate incident, the Israeli High Court decided to deport a Palestinian residents from the village, bearing Jordanian nationality to Jordan.
Isam Matar, 32, has been living in the village since several years; he is married and a father of one child.
