On June 18th, 2010, Israeli occupation forces injured three demonstrators and arrested three international solidarity activists during the village of Biâlinâs weekly Friday protest against the Apartheid Wall and settlement expansion. In addition, dozens of the demonstrators suffered as result of inhalation of tear gas during the clashes.
During the demonstration, the participants raised Palestinian flags and banners condemning the policy of occupation and settlement construction. Many also demonstrated against the demolition of Palestinian houses in Jerusalem and called for the halting of arrests, the release of all prisoners, and an end of the siege on the Gaza Strip.
The demonstrators marched in the streets of the village chanting slogans of national unity, calling for overcoming differences, and affirming the need to uphold the Palestinian cause and the resistance to the occupation regardless of the attempts of the Israeli occupation forces to suppress popular resistance through violence.
The march headed towards the area of the Wall where the occupation forces were already hiding behind the concrete blocks of the Wall. The demonstrators attempted to cross the gate of the Wall, which was closed with barbed wire. However, the occupation forces prevented the people from crossing into their confiscated lands by firing stun grenades, metal bullets rubber-coated and tear gas at the demonstrators and chasing them to the outskirts of the village.
During these clashes, three demonstrators were injured: 14-year-old Muhammad Maher Yassin sustained injuries after a tear gas canister hit his face, his 21-year-old brother Jasser Maher Yassinâs leg was injured when a tear gas canister hit his leg, and 21-year-old Yassin Muhammad Yassin also sustained injuries during the attack.
Israeli occupation forces also arrested a handful of demonstrators: 25-year old Tal Shapira, 22-year-old Jal Likasi, and an unidentified British girl. Moreover, dozens of people suffered from asphyxiation and significant portions of agricultural land burned as a result of the firing of tear gas during the protest.
The Popular Committee against the Wall in Bil’in has denounced the formation of the Israeli commission to investigate the crimes that occurred during Israelâs attack of the Freedom Flotilla since it ignores the demand for the formation of an international commission. The Popular Committee also demanded that the international community should exert more pressure on their governments to form an international commission.
In addition, the central management of Ofer prison continues denying the coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Wall in Bil’in, Abdullah Abu Rahma, from visiting his family. This is because of the interview he gave to Al-Jazeera during the court hearing on May 5th, 2010. As a result, Abdullah Abu al-Rahma has been detained in Ofer prison since October 12th, 2009 without the right to receive visits from his family.