This week in Bil'in, after almost two solid years of at least one demonstration a week, over a hundred people took part in the weekly demonstration. In addition to protesting the wall and the occupation, this week's demonstration was also held in solidarity with Maan News Agency photographer, Fadi Al-Arouri, who was shot with live ammunition in the stomach and groin during a Special Forces invasion to Ramallah recently. Fadi is hospitalized in Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv, and is still unconscious.
A Palestinian demonstrator expressing solidarity with wounded Photographer Fadi El-Arouri
Marching towards the wall, demonstrators noticed border policemen taking positions inside the village for no apparent reason other than provoking stone throwers. A few cameramen who tried to film them where attacked with teargas and concussion grenades, but the demonstration managed to continue towards the gate in the wall.
After a short argument at the gate and the habitual declaration of the area as a closed military zone, a group of demonstrators tried dismantling the razor wire fortifications of the wall, as other kept arguing with the soldiers and chanting slogans.
Activists trying to dismantle a piece of the razor wire fortifications of the wall
At some point a small group of children started throwing stones at the soldiers, but was quickly stopped by local adults. This was immediately met with a barrage of teargas, concussion grenades and some rubber-coated steel bullets.
After a few minutes things came down, and the demonstration was able to gather in front of the gate again. The army, however, was set on escalating the situation, trying to invade the village with even more forces. As soldiers open the gate, Palestinians, Israelis and internationals immediately sat on the road to block the two jeeps from entering the village.
Demonstrators blocking army jeeps from invading the village
It took the army a good half an hour to clear the road, as activists were dragged away from the road, only to quickly return to it. Using concussion grenades, batons, shoves, punches and kicks, soldiers were finally able to clear the road, not before arresting one Palestinian, and breaking the leg of Spanish AP Photographer, Emilio Morenatti. His leg was broken after a concussion grenade was thrown directly at him.
About half an hour later the demonstration ended, and demonstrators started walking back towards the village. On their way they were attacked by a border police force that ambushed them, and started shooting rubber-coated steal bullets and teargas projectiles directly at them. One Israeli was hit by a teargas projectile in the shoulder and another was shot in the stomach with a rubber bullet.
The total injury count of the demonstration this week amounted to seven: four Palestinians, one AP photographer, and two Israeli anarchists.
Click here to watch a video from the demonstration.
