Today, July 23, 2010, Israeli occupation forces arrested today the former vice-president of the European Parliament, Louisa Morgntini, as well as other international solidarity activists. As a result of the clashes that followed the repression of the weekly march against the Wall and the settlements, some activists sustained light injuries and dozens suffered from suffocation as a result of tear gas inhalation.
***image2***The participants in the march raised Palestinian flags, and pictures of Abdullah Abu Rahma, the coordinator of the popular committee against the wall and the settlements, and of Adeeb Abu Rahma, a member of the local committee. Both activists are currently in prison as punishment for their participation in the popular struggle against the Wall. The crowd chanted slogans condemning the policy of occupation, settlement, the siege on Gaza as well as the evictions and deportations from Jerusalem. The march demanded an end to the arrests and the release of all detainees in Israeli jails.
The demonstrators marched from the village towards the wall, where the military force of the occupation was stationed behind concrete blocks behind the Wall. When the demonstrators attempted to cross the razor wire sealed gate of the Wall in order to reach their lands isolated behind the Wall, the military fired sound bombs, tear gas and rubber coated metal bullets at them from all directions. A 30 year old solidarity activist was shot in the head with a tear gas canister. Louisa Morgantini, former vice-president of the European Parliament and others were arrested but released after a couple of hours.