Israeli Army Attacks Peaceful Protesters at Wall!
Israeli soldiers and Border Police attacked over 300 Palestinians and 30 internationals at the "separation fence" in the
Tulkarem region today, throwing teargas, percussion grenades and beating the nonviolent protesters with batons. One
American, Bruce Groeneveld from Washington, has been forcefully detained and remains in custody of the Israeli Army.
At 11:30am on Thursday, November 13, Palestinians from Tulkarem and surrounding villages together with International
Solidarity Movement and the International Women's Peace Team marched towards a gate in the wall outside of the village
of Baka Sharqia, waving Palestinian flags and chanting "The Wall Must Fall." Members of the Swedish Parliament were also
present. Within minutes of starting the peaceful march, Israeli Forces fired percussion grenades and teargas into the
crowd. Due to the Israeli Army's violent response, the demonstrators dispersed and regrouped several times in order to
continue the nonviolent protest, each time sustaining more injuries. Israeli soldiers attempted to arrest one
Jewish-American volunteer over five times, but were unsuccessful.
During the arrest attempts soldiers beat a Welsh volunteer leaving a seven-inch welt on his back, hit an American
bruising his arm, repeatedly kicked an Irish man, pulling out a clump of his hair. The 73-year-old Welsh man was also
hit with a baton. Several Palestinians and internationals were hit by scalding teargas canisters shot from rifles
including: 2 Danes aged 65 an 67, and a Welsh man aged 73.
Two Palestinian women were hit by tear gas canisters, causing burning and several others were also beaten by soldier's
wielding batons.
Today's violent response by the Israeli Army towards peaceful opposition to the Wall and the ghettoization of the West
Bank is yet another indication that even nonviolent resistance to the Occupation will not be tolerated. Despite this
intolerance, Palestinians and internationals will continue nonviolent action against the Wall in the Tulkarem region.