About 150 people set out from Ni'ilin today, aiming to disrupt the destruction of the village's ancient olive groves by heavy machinery. The army, which apparently noticed demonstrators from afar, had stopped work of the bulldozers in part of the wall trajectory closest to the village, but kept construction going in two more remote locations.
Demonstrators split into two groups – one, larger group, heading towards the large contingent of border police and soldiers, trying to get to the bulldozers through them, but was met with great force, which included the use of live rounds by the army. Another, smaller group of about twenty, tried making it to the bulldozers from around the soldiers through the valley.
An Israeli photographer seconds after being shot
Though it was spotted and despite being shot at with teargas and rubber-coated bullets, the smaller group managed to get very close to the bulldozers, forcing them to withdraw for about half and hour. Soldiers tried to arrest a Palestinian demonstrator and then, unsuccessful, shot volleys of teargas, causing numerous fires. People who tried putting off the large flame, were repeatedly shot at, and eventually pushed back. Teargas and rubber-coated bullets continued to be fired at protesters as they were making their way into the village. At some point, already about a kilometer from the bulldozers and when absolutely no confrontation was taking place, a border policeman shot an Israeli photographer with a rubber-coated bullet from a distance of about ten meters. She was hit in the upper thigh and evacuated to the hospital.
Demonstrators running away from soldiers shooting live rounds inside the village
The larger group was eventually pushed back into the village. The soldiers then went into the village, shooting rounds on rounds of live ammunition. The villages infirmary, clearly marked as such, and several homes were hit.
Thirteen were wounded during the demonstration
The village's physician presenting live ammo and spent bullet cases gathered near his clinic
