Three Israelis were arrested during a protest against the West Bank separation fence near the West Bank village of Bil'in on Friday.
Israel Defense Forces troops fired tear gas at demonstrators. The army said that the soldiers used the gas because the demonstrators burned tires. However, not one burning tire was found at the site, and no stones were thrown at the soldiers.
The protesters were demanding the release of Abdullah Abu Rahma, head of the popular committee of the village. One Israeli protester was arrested.
MK demands panel discuss police violence against fence protesters
MK Zahava Gal-On, who heads the Meretz-Yahad party, on Thursday called for a Knesset committee meeting to discuss cases of Border Police violence against anti-fence protesters in Bil'in.
She asked Knesset Interior and Environment chairman Raleb Majadele (Labor) to convene the panel immediately in the wake of a Haaretz investigation indicating that Border Policemen have falsely accused demonstrators of violence. Three judges have harshly criticized the behavior of the Border Policeman after watching videotapes that implicated them.
Gal-On, responding to the Haaretz story, asked that Public Security Minister Gideon Ezra, Border Police commander Major General Hussein Faras and head of the Justice Ministry's police investigations, Herzl Shviro, take part in the meeting.
"Apparently violence and brutality against demonstrators continue to run wild without interruption within the police, along with a culture of cover-ups and lies," MK Gal-On said.
Major General Faras said Thursday, "I will not tolerate and am not willing to forgive Border Police troops that have violated the law."
The protests against the construction of the West Bank separation fence near Bil'in, which have taken place every weekend with the participation of dozens of Israelis and hundreds of Palestinians, resumed Thursday.
Six anti-fence protesters were lightly wounded Thursday during clashes between demonstrators and security forces near the West Bank villages of Bil'in and Budrus.
Five of the protesters were Palestinian, and an Israeli was hurt by a rubber bullet.
Soldiers fired rubber-coated bullets at the protesters after they burned tires and threw stones at the troops, the Israel Defense Forces said.
Several dozen Palestinians and Israeli left-wing activists were demonstrating near Bil'in and Budrus, although the area has been declared a closed military zone
