Palestinian residents of Bil’in village, Israeli and international peace activists protested on Friday against the Israeli Annexation Wall, and the ongoing military offensive in Palestine and Lebanon that claimed the lives of innocent civilians in both countries.
Abdullah Abu Rahma, coordinator of the Popular Committee Against the Wall, told the IMEMC that the protesters placed Lebanese and Palestinian flags on their chests, raised black flags, and chanted slogans against the Wall and the continuous military offensive.
Upon arriving to the gate of the Annexation Wall, soldiers who were stationed there, announced using load speakers that the area is a “closed military zone”, and barred the protesters from crossing.
Soldiers fired gas bombs and rubber-coated bullets at the protesters, one resident was injured. Dozens of residents, and peace activists suffocated after inhaling gas fired by the army.
Also, troops fired gas bombs at orchards in the area in an attempt to push the protesters away. The bombs set several orchards on fire, Abu Rahma added, several olive trees were burnt.
“The protesters acted as fire-fighters and rushed to the burnt orchards in order to put the fire off”, Abu Rahma told the IMEMC, “45 minutes later, we managed to control the fire, but several Olive trees and grape-vines were burnt”.
In recent days, Israeli soldiers intensified the military blockade around Bil’in, and barred international and Israeli peace activists from reaching the area were local and international activists set up a caravan in one of the isolated orchards behind the Wall, several months ago.
The caravan was officially licensed by Bil’in village council since it is installed on Palestinian lands that belong to the village. The lands became isolated by the Annexation Wall.
Troops closed the three gates leading to the caravan area and barred entry. Locals and international peace activists are present at the caravan every day around the clock.
