Friday's weekly peaceful demonstration against the illegal Wall in Bilin village, near the central West Bank city of Ramallah saw excessive Israeli army violence, seven injuries, and the abduction of four people.
Among those abducted was member of the Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlements, Mohammed Khatib. Opposition to military violence against children was the focus of the protest, following the murder of 10-year old Abir Aramin earlier in the week. Protesters carried banners urging the military to stop targeting children.
Israeli troops started firing multiple rounds of tear gas at the retreating crowd and some youths responded with stones. When soldiers opened the gate in the wall and walked through, some activists took the chance to walk through with them but were violently abducted.
Three Israeli activists, along with Mohammed Khatib, were released several hours later having sustained cuts and bruises. Soldiers continued to attack the peaceful protesters with sound bombs, tear gas and rubber bullets. Four people were shot with rubber bullets and one local youth, Sagi, was beaten on the head with a baton and taken to hospital. Many others suffered from severe tear gas inhalation.
