This week's demonstration was marked by a return to past strategy on the army's side, and an escalation of the attempt to suppress the voice of dissent in Bil'in. As protesters marched towards the wall, they had spotted the usual provocative presence of border policemen inside the built up area of the village. From afar, they had also noticed that the line of soldiers isn't by the gate, but rather on the road about a hundred meters from the wall. As the march came closer it became obvious that razor wire was stretched across the road to prevent passage.

Demonstrators who walked around the wire were pushed and shoved by the soldiers using their shields, and hitting people with batons. This did not help, and a short while, most demonstrators managed to get to the gate, were even more soldiers were waiting. At this point the army started making arrests and kept beating people, trying to disperse the demonstration. Concussion grenades were also thrown directly at demonstrators, who were sitting on the ground.

After about forty minutes of this, in which no stone was thrown, the demonstration started dispersing. A teargas grenade thrown at the dispersing protesters, triggered some stones, and was followed by a massive and indiscriminate shooting of rubber coated steel bullets and teargas projectiles.

Soldiers arresting popular committee member Mohammed Khatib

Seven people were injured during the demonstration, including one journalist, who was hit by a teargas projectile near the eye. Three of the injured demonstrators were hospitalized at Sheikh Zaid Hospital in Ramallah, and were later discharged.

Soldiers arresting Kobi Snitz

Police who arrived at the scene later on refused to take three of the four detainees into custody, saying they will not be able to charge them with anything. Instead letting the three go back to the village, the army kept them, hands cuffed behind their back, until the police left. At that point an army captain ordered to forcibly put Shai Pollak, one of the three, inside a military jeep, banging his head against it in the process. Inside the jeep his eyes were blindfolded, and he was further abused. He was dropped off the jeep in the pouring rain, at a checkpoint a few kilometers away.

The two Palestinian detainees, Ratib Abu Rahme and Mohammed Khatib, were kept around short time longer, and then, instead of being allowed to return to their village, were taken to the same checkpoint, blindfolded as well.

The forth detainee, Kobi Snitz, was taken to the police station, where he was accused of a falsified charge of assaulting a soldier. He was remanded, and will be brought in front of a judge Saturday night.