West Bank protests grow as the massacre in Gaza continues

The entire West Bank was once again mobilized on Friday, with tens of thousands of people coming out to protest the Occupation’s ongoing slaughter of the people of Gaza. Many of the demonstrations were met with intense violence and repression from Occupation forces, resulting in several injuries.

***image2***In Ni’lin, some 300 people participated in the village’s weekly demonstration. The rally began in the centre of the village, and then moved towards the Apartheid Wall, where protestors held their midday prayer on the land. Occupation forces disrupted the prayer, however, by firing tear gas, sound bombs and rubber bullets into the crowd. Clashes between villagers and Occupation forces continued into the evening, with five villagers being injured by rubber bullets. Similar events occurred in the village of Bil’in, where five more people were injured by rubber bullets during the weekly demonstration. One of the people who was injured was a cameraman for Al Jazeera.

In Hebron, several demonstrations were held throughout the district, including in the H2 section of the old city, as well as in several surrounding villages. Some 30 people were injured in these demonstrations, as a result of repressive force used by the Occupation.

***image3***Meanwhile, in Ramallah, Jenin, Tulkarem and Burqa, thousands of people took to the streets to demonstrate in solidarity with the people of Gaza. No injuries were reported from these protests. In Bethlehem, the village of Al Masra was also moblized, as was Deheisha refugee camp. Demonstrators clashed with Occupation forces, but no injuries were reported.

Jerusalem was also the site of several clashes, which were initiated by Occupation forces preventing anyone from reaching Al Aqsa mosque for their Friday prayers. Checkpoints were placed around the mosque, and even those with Jerusalem ID cards were turned away. Furthermore, the Occupation had closed the entrances into Jerusalem the night before, so Palestinians from the West Bank with permits to enter the city were barred from doing so.