***image1***Upwards of 150 residents of Niâlin marched against the Apartheid Wall, which cuts off 2500 dunums of village land. Protestors set out after Friday prayers, joined in solidarity by international and Israeli activists.
Carrying Palestinian flags, demonstrators called for national unity and an end to the national crisis. Youth also carried pictures of those that have been arrested in Niâlin, as well as pictures of Mohammed Othman, demanding their immediate release. Some of the prisoners from Niâlin have been held for months without trial.
When protestors arrived at the isolated land, waiting military jeeps fired a barrage of tear gas. This did not deter demonstrators, who challenged Occupation forces and moved to the area of the Wall which is made up of fence and barbed wire. There they faced more tear gas, including high-velocity rounds (which can cause serious injury) and 64 rounds fired at once from jeep-mounted launchers. As a result, 20 people were treated by the Red Crescent medics over the course of the demonstration.
Responding to soldiersâ attacks, youth hurled back tear gas at groups of soldiers and jeeps, pushing them out of the area on a number of occasions. Near the end of the four-hour protest, soldiers entered through the gates and pursued protestors through the fields. They were unable to catch anyone, however, and youth blocked their advance.
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Report and photos Ahmad Mesleh – Niâlin Youth Center