Photo Shows Brutality of Attacks on Palestinians by Israeli Forces

Soldiers Attack Bil’in protest during Fifth Annual Conference, injuring a dozen civilians.

(BIL’IN, Israel IMEMC ) - This Friday protest marked the end of the Fifth Bil’in International Conference for Palestinian Popular Resistance, which began on Wednesday, April 21 with a full line-up of speakers including politicians, leaders of Popular Committees, Israeli activists, and international solidarity activists.

The conference continued through Thursday and Friday. After the final conference session on Friday morning, in which workshop groups reported on their conclusions in preparation for the conference statement, the conference participants gathered with scores of other Israelis, internationals, and Palestinians waiting at the mosque for the weekly demonstration.

Today’s demonstration was larger than normal in size, and lasted an especially long period of time. Serious injuries were sustained during the demonstration, and several participants were arrested. Present at the demonstration were local political figures, including Mustafa Barghouti, and international solidarity leaders such as Luisa Morgantini.

As is the case every Friday for the past six years, people gathered at the local mousque and headed towards the wall built on villagers’ lands. Protesters immediately were met by soldiers who fired sound grenades and smoke bombs. Demonstrators reported that soldiers showed no discrimination with their firing, shooting directly at the faces of the protestors, and no discrimination in their arrests, trying to arrest even journalists.

Several serious injuries were sustained. Imad Rizka, 37 years old, from Yaffa, was shot in the forehead with a tear gas canister. He was taken away immediately to Ramallah Hospital by ambulance. Rizka is well-known in Bil’in, as he comes to the village every Friday to demonstrate.

Soldiers fired a great deal of teargas from both sides of the fence. Demonstrators were forced to retreat, but among those who remained, several were arrested. Soldiers crossed the fence, advanced well into the village and detained five people, among them one local journalist.

One demonstrator from Italy, struck in the back by a tear gas canister; an Italian demonstrator who was shot in the arm with a new type of weapon; an Israeli activist; Um Samarra, 45, from Bil’in, who was hit in the leg by a tear gas canister; Haitham al-Khatib, cameraman, who was slightly injured; a Palestinian woman from Bethlehem who sustained a leg injury; and a Palestinian journalist named Abbas al-Momni.

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ElectroPig April 25, 2010 5:53 pm (Pacific time)

I wonder why they don't just kill them all and get it over with. It's not as though the last 40 years have been a surprise to anyone. Israel is going to expand until they completely take over all remaining parts of Palestine that they haven't already taken, and only a fool can't see this after 90% of Palestine has already been occupied. Perhaps they think that the world won't notice that they're murdering millions of people if they do it at a slower pace than the Nazis did?

michael April 23, 2010 11:10 pm (Pacific time)

this anti-semitic rag is not fit the bottom of a bird cage

Editor: How would you possibly stuff a computer into a bird cage?

gp April 23, 2010 7:11 pm (Pacific time)

They know what they are doing with these injuries. This Israeli was a peace activist and participating in the demos. This is the same type of attack as on Rachel Corie. They know how dangerous those canisters are and are aiming for head injuries.

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