top
Palestine
Palestine
Indybay
Indybay
Indybay
Regions
Indybay Regions North Coast Central Valley North Bay East Bay South Bay San Francisco Peninsula Santa Cruz IMC - Independent Media Center for the Monterey Bay Area North Coast Central Valley North Bay East Bay South Bay San Francisco Peninsula Santa Cruz IMC - Independent Media Center for the Monterey Bay Area California United States International Americas Haiti Iraq Palestine Afghanistan
Topics
Newswire
Features
From the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature

Four Demonstraters Shot and Wounded in Ni'ilin, Palestine Protest

by Eric Blair
At the weekly protest of the construction of the Apartheid Wall four villagers were shot with live bullets and three protestors were hit with teargas canisters.
640_2008summer_274.jpg
Ni'ilin, Palestine faces the loss of over half of its land to the Apartheid Wall. This will further impoverish the villagers. It is part of the Israeli plan to destroy Palestine by making life impossible for the Palestinians.

Every Friday Ni'ilin villagers are joined by Israeli and international activists to protest against the Wall's construction. Over one hundred people gathered for an open air prayer in one of the village's olive groves. After prayer the crowd marched to the area where the wall is being built across their land. Villagers began breaking down the razor wire barrier along the construction zone. Soldiers arrived in a jeep and began firing tear gas into the crowd. The demonstrators were forced to retreat. As they retreated, other soldiers positioned in the olive groves attacked them with more tear gas. A international activist (from Sweden) was hit in the stomach with an extended range tear gas grenade. Youth threw stones with slings and villagers and supporting activists tried all day to again walk towards the Wall.

In addition to tear gas, concussion grenades, and rubber coated steel bullets; Israeli forces opened fire throughout the day with live bullets. The Israeli Army uses a special low powered bullet, formerly claimed to be non-lethal. The bullets, however, have killed several Palestinians, and are commonly used by snipers at demonstrations in Ni'ilin.

According to the Palestinian Red Crescent four young men were taken to the hospital after being shot with live bullets.
The first was shot in the left thigh as the crowd ran from approaching soldiers. The second was shot in the right calf and loaded into the same ambulance as the first. The third was shot across the lower back and had to be taken away in a private car. The fourth was shot just above the right knee late in the day.

Additionally, a young boy was hit with an extended range tear gas canister. The child was hit in the lower leg.

The last injury of the day was a Red Crescent Medic, also hit with a tear gas canister. The medic was shot in the right buttock.

The protest continued until dusk, when the soldiers withdrew from the area of the village. The were followed into the night by many protesters. When the army was gone a family on that edge of the village invited everyone over for tea. It had been an intense day for all involved.


For a good video of those shot see:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0Mjjul1aPc
§
by Eric Blair
640_2008summer_225.jpg
Friday Prayers in a village olive grove.
§
by Eric Blair
640_2008summer_227.jpg
March to the Apartheid Wall.
§
by Eric Blair
640_2008summer_229.jpg
The man leading the march to reclaim their land is shot in the leg latter in the day.
§
by Eric Blair
640_2008summer_237.jpg
This military razor wire stops villagers from getting to their land and the construction site of the Wall. The Wall will permanently block access to half the villages land and annex it to the Israeli settlement seen here, also on the villages land, stolen earlier.
§
by Eric Blair
640_2008summer_239.jpg
A Palestinian youth throws a rock at an army jeep driving on the path of the Wall.
§
by Eric Blair
640_2008summer_244.jpg
Villagers have crushed down the barbed wire and attempt to barricade the road and Wall construction.
§
by Eric Blair
640_2008summer_245.jpg
A demonstrator faces the soldiers who prepare to shoot tear gas. This young man was shot in the back later in the day.
§
by Eric Blair
640_2008summer_246.jpg
Soldiers seen through the barbed wire of occupation.
§
by Eric Blair
640_2008summer_247.jpg
Tear gas shot toward the village.
§
by Eric Blair
640_2008summer_248.jpg
A medic runs through tear gas.
§
by Eric Blair
640_2008summer_250.jpg
Demonstrators and tear gas, the Swedish activist on the far left was hit by a tear gas grenade half an our after this picture was taken. She was wounded.
§
by Eric Blair
640_________________________.jpg
Photo by a friend. Soldiers shoot at a Palestinian protester.
§
by Eric Blair
640_2008summer_259.jpg
Villagers use slings to throw stones at the soldiers.
§
by Eric Blair
640_2008summer_260.jpg
A Palestinian has just thrown a stone at the soldiers.
§
by Eric Blair
640_2008summer_265.jpg
People take covr as soldiers advance firing teargas, rubber coated steel bullets and live ammunition.
§
by Eric Blair
640_2008summer_267.jpg
One man is shot through the thigh. He ran from the soldiers until he fell to the ground.
§
by Eric Blair
640_2008summer_278.jpg
The ambulance rushes to pick up the next person shot moments later.
§
by Eric Blair
640_2008summer_279.jpg
Medics, journalists and friends gather around the second person shot. He was hit in the lower leg.
§
by Eric Blair
640____.jpg
Thanks to a friend for this photo. The third person shot was hit across the lower back. Like the other two the bullet went in and out again. Thy were taken to the hospital but were able to come home at night. The third person shot was not so lucky. The bullet went in and stayed. He remained in the hospital for surgery.
Add Your Comments
Listed below are the latest comments about this post.
These comments are submitted anonymously by website visitors.
TITLE
AUTHOR
DATE
(A)Aaronlove
Fri, Apr 24, 2009 10:41AM
Josh
Fri, Mar 13, 2009 2:25PM
Kate
Thu, Mar 12, 2009 3:22PM
Eric blair
Sun, Mar 8, 2009 4:13AM
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!

Donate

$155.00 donated
in the past month

Get Involved

If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.

Publish

Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.

IMC Network