Solidarity Movement Update
Twelve-year old Ibrahim Ghazi Beit-Ilo was hit in the neck by shrapnel
from a live bullet following a peaceful protest march against the
Apartheid Wall in Bil'in today. He underwent surgery at the Ramallah
goverment hospital and the shrapnel was successfully removed. Another
16 people were injured by shrapnel from exploding tear gas and sound
bomb cannisters or were beaten with military truncheons. Two Israeli
protestors were arrested.
The, 600 protestors, comprising Palestinians, Israelis and
internationals, Palestinian flags flying, marched behind political and
religious leaders . Palestinian Legislative Council members Kayes
Abu-Leila and Mohib Awad, Israeli MKs Mohammed Barakeh and Dov Hanin,
Taysir Tamimi a Muslim religious leader and village leaders marched at
the head of the protest from the Bil'in mosque to the massive razor
wire fortifications that divide the village from its agricultural
lands. When they arrived they were met by fully armed Israeli soldiers
in battle dress and border police.
The focus of the protest was a symbolic breach of the wall created by
placing two ladders across the first razor wire fence. Using the
ladders as a bridge, a group of protestors moved into the next line of
wall fortifications. As they crossed they were attacked by tear gas and
sound bombs.
The army turned on the massed demonstrators who were chanting "No to
the Wall." Soldiers fired tear gas and sound bombs into the crowd,
which began to retreat. As the marchers moved back toward the village,
soliders penetrated into the village olive groves, gassing the
retreating protestors. One gas cannister was fired at the ambulance
parked on a hill distant from the wall and soldiers penetrated into the
edge of the village where another tear gas cannister was shot into a
house, injuring grandmother, Intisar Burnat.
The villagers of Bilin have lost more than 50% of their agricultural
lands to the Apartheid Wall. The Israeli government illegally
expropriated their lands without compensation. Although the seizure of
the lands was done in the name of security, in fact, research has found
that corrupt army planners eased the transfer of Bilin's land to a
billionaire Russian real estate mogul who belongs to the Lubavitcher
Hassidim. Bilin lands are now the site of the illegal settlement of
Modin Elit.
Adeeb Abu Rahma -beaten on the leg
Basem Ahmad Issa -rubber bullet in the back.
Zohdiya Ali Alkhatib -teargas
Mohammad Alkhatib -beaten and leg injury
Naser Abu Rahma -shrapnel from a sound bomb in the hand
Ahmad Mohammad Hassan -rubber bullet in the leg
Oz Marinov -hit in the ankle by a sound bomb
Amir Sidi -wounded in the forhead by shrapnel from a sound bomb
R. - foot cut by razor wire
G. and L. - beaten with truncheons
Ends