Since demonstrations began in Ni'ilin about two months ago, over a hundred olive trees were burned in fires ignited by teargas projectiles shot by the army. Thousands of trees more, the only source of income left for many of villagers, are expected to be uprooted or left on the secluded part of the wall.

A demonstrator arguing with an officer, seconds before being attacked. Pictures by Dan Seltzer

Trying to illustrate the theft of the villager's land and livelihood, about 200 Palestinians, Israelis and internationals carrying olive branches tried holding a peaceful vigil along the settler roadside. Though the road was not block, and it was made very clear to the soldiers there was also no intention to try and do so, the protesters were immediately assaulted with teargas and rubber bullets and pushed back into the village, where barricades where erected on the main road to prevent the army from invading.

A makeshift barricade

One of the paramedics accompanying the demonstration, Salah Khawaja,  was hit so badly by teargas that he collapsed and could not return to the village. While on the ground he was violently dragged and beaten by soldiers, which only worsened his condition. Khawaja was subsequently arrested by soldiers carrying a stretcher and pretending to provide him medical aid.

Both the assault on Khawaja and his arrest are grave breaches of international humanitarian law, strictly and explicitly forbidding the harming of medical personnel. He currently remains under arrest, and can be help for eight days without even being brought before a judge.

Just last Friday a group 22 Israeli medical volunteers from “Physicians for Human Rights” wanting to participate in a free medical day in Ni'lin to provide free health-care to villagers, where stopped and detained for about two hours at the Ni'lin checkpoint. One of the doctors reported hearing the soldiers say that this was done to punish Ni'lin for the continuing demonstrations.

During the four days of siege and curfew ambulances were frequently prevented from entering the village, denying needed medical care from the villagers, even forcing one woman in labor to give birth at home, without any medical supervision.

Four other people other than Khawaja were injured after being hit with rubber coated bullets

Video by Israel Poterman