INDEPENDENT NEWS

International Solidarity Movement Update

Published: Sun 6 Jul 2008 11:14 AM
International Solidarity Movement Update
At five o'clock on the morning the 4th July, the Israeli army
declared the village of Ni'lin as a closed military zone and blocked
the three entrances to the village. The village was now under curfew.
The Israeli army prevented the Palestinians from entering and leaving
the village. The committee against the wall had planned a non-violent
prayer-demonstration, as every Friday, at twelve o'clock. Usually the
demonstration takes place at the construction-area of the wall but
because of the closed military zone today it took place close to one
of the roadblocks. 600 villages participated. 15 Israeli and
international activists joined the protests after they managed to
enter the village through the fields.
During the day 24 persons were injured by rubber-bullets, live
ammunition and tear-gas. Three homes were attacked by tear-gas and had
their windows smashed. Four Israeli activists were arrested while
leaving the village after the protests. One news reporter from AB News
was arrested while trying to enter the village.
The roadblock prevented workers from going to their job, villagers to
visit friends and family both inside and outside of Ni'lin, because
one of the roadblocks divides the village in two parts. The Israeli
army also stopped ambulances at the roadblock and prevented them to
pass even though there were people injured. One 65 year old woman
named Fayqa Hussni Khawaja was in need of hospital treatment, but
because of the roadblock could not go. Soldiers drove into town
several times to disturb the villagers. Boarder-police were also
present in the village.
The demonstration was one of the biggest in Ni'lin's history. Despite
the curfew, 600 villagers protested by joining the prayer-
demonstration. This was a peaceful protest against the collective
punishment of the village. The demonstration was attacked by sound-
bombs, tear-gas, rubber-bullets and live ammunition. The protests kept
on until about 6 o'clock in the afternoon.
The last two months 160 persons have been injured by rubber-bullets
and 300 have been severely effected by tear-gas during demonstrations
against the building of the wall, the settlements, the checkpoint and
the collective punishment of the village. Amongst these there are
children between 8 and 20 years.
ends

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