Palestinians tear-gassed during West Bank protests
Activists face off against Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank on 10th anniversary of separation barrier.
Palestinian, Israeli and foreign activists faced off against Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank village of Bilin where they marked 10 years of protest against Israel’s separation barrier.
Hundreds of Palestinian activists organised a protest demanding Israel to open several roads it prevents them from passing through south of West Bank.
In what has become a weekly ritual, the activists marched on after the Friday prayers towards the barrier which cuts villagers off from their fields.
Israeli forces secured the area and set up checkpoints ahead of the protests.
Palestinian youths with slingshots aimed stones at border police posted along the wire-topped concrete wall and the police fired tear gas to disperse them, AFP journalists at the scene said.
One protester wearing a gas mask was seen hurling a smoking gas canister back at the Israelis.
At least one demonstrator was arrested, another was seen being taken away by ambulance after a blow to the head and several suffered tear gas inhalation.
In January 2011, a woman protester, Jawaher Abu Rahmah, died after inhaling tear gas. Her brother Bassem Abu Rahmah died in April 2009 after being hit on the head by a tear gas canister.
One of the organisers told Al Jazeera that they have been preparing for several demonstrations one of which will also protest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the area.
Bilin demonstrations
The weekly Bilin demonstrations, which began in February 2005, are billed as non-violent but frequently turn into clashes between rock-throwing youths and Israeli forces firing tear gas, rubber bullets or live rounds.
Israel says the barrier is designed to prevent attacks, but the Palestinians say it is an “apartheid wall” that carves off key parts of their promised state.
When the 709km barrier is complete, 85 percent of it will have been built inside the West Bank.
In the southern West Bank city of Hebron, meanwhile, there was a violent protest on a different anniversary, that of the massacre of Muslim worshippers by a Jewish settler.
Demonstrators threw stones and powerful firecrackers at Israeli soldiers and border police, who responded with rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades.
There was no report of Palestinian casualties but the Israeli military said two border policemen were slightly injured.
At least 29 Palestinians were shot and killed by Israeli settler Baruch Goldstein while praying the Fajr (dawn) prayers on Februry 25, 1994 while dozens, including women and children, were injured.
Hebron’s main street was partly closed to Palestinians afterwards and later declared a “closed military zone,” restricting Palestinian access to residents of the immediate area – and then on foot only.
Hundreds of Palestinians marched after Muslim prayers on Friday to demand the reopening of the street, whose closure has had a domino effect throughout the central commercial district.
Demonstrators threw stones and powerful firecrackers at Israeli soldiers and border police, who responded with rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades.