The Palestinian National, Islamic political groups and local NGOs marched through the streets of the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem to protest at Israeli attacks on Gaza.
The rally started at the Nativity Church, in Bethlehem city center. Local school children joined the protest carrying banners demanding that Israel stops killing children in Gaza. Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip have so far killed 98 Palestinians since Wednesday.
The protesters marched towards the illegal Israeli wall that separates the city of Bethlehem from Jerusalem; local youths throw stones at a military watch tower.
Soldiers showered the boys with tear gas and live rounds injuring two. Medical sources at the Bethlehem public hospital told IMEMC that one of the boys suffered bullet wounds in his leg from live round while the other boy was treated for tear gas inhalation.
Palestinian MPs from Bethlehem city also took part in the demonstration. Fayiz Al Saqa, a Palestinian MP told IMEMC, ‘we are here to show support for our brothers in Gaza, we demand that the international community pressure Israel to stop its attacks on our people.’
Ferass Al Shomaly, a resident of Bethlehem, and his two children who took part in the protest said, ‘I am here as a father, the army is killing children in Gaza, I am here to show support and solidarity for our brothers in Gaza.’
Several similar marches were reported across the West Bank in the cities of Ramallah, Hebron, Nablus and Jenin on Sunday.
A general strike took place across the whole of the West Bank, to protest at the Israeli attacks on Gaza. Shops were closed in addition to municipal offices. Ahmad, a shopkeeper from Bethlehem said ‘no one can see what is going on in Gaza and not protest against it, what Israeli is doing in Gaza is a massacre.’
