This Friday the demonstrations against the Wall and the settlements across the West Bank were dedicated to the ongoing struggle of the Palestinian prisoners. The protests have supported the brave hunger strike of the prisoners and called for international solidarity.
Al Ma’sara: occupation forces prevented citizens and peace activists from reaching the territory captured by the occupation authorities in the village Al Ma’sara, south of Bethlehem, and suppressed the weekly march organized by the Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements after Friday prayers at noon. A solidarity delegation of German professors and students from the University of Birzeit participated in the weekly march. A number of speakers underlined their resolve to continue the popular resistance until the restoration of their rights, which the occupation had robbed from them and called for support to the steadfastness of the Palestinian political prisoners and solidarity wide with them.
Bil'in: Dozens of citizens and international activists suffered suffocation after inhaling tear gas as the Israeli military repressed Bil'in's weekly protests against Israeli colonization and the apartheid wall, which was launched under the title “Full support of the prisoners”. The Popular Committee Against the Wall in Bil'in commented in a statement that the occupation soldiers fired rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at the protestors and sprayed the demonstrators with skunk water as soon as the protest neared the areas of 'Mahmeyyet Abu Laimun', which the ongoing protest have gained back from Israeli confiscation behind the Apartheid Wall, the occupation forces attacked the protestors and injured dozens of people. Many suffered from suffocations and large areas of agricultural land were burned. The statement pointed out that the clashes with the occupation forces have resulted in damage of the forehead of the military and the car was sprayed people with water waste. The statement from Bil’in appealed to the international community to act immediately to stop the oppression of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, and to end the policies and practices, such as the ban on family visits, the ban on meetings with lawyers and the prohibition of access to education as well as the practice of solitary confinement, strip searches and the policy of administrative detention. The Committee reaffirmed that it will continue its protests and rallies to support the steadfastness of the prisoners in their struggle to achieve their demands.
Nabi Saleh: the occupation forces suppressed the weekly protest of Nabi Saleh , which was held in solidarity with the prisoners in the Israeli prisons and as part of the celebrations of the International Labor Day. The military fired sound bombs, tear gas and rubber bullets at the protestors. As soon as the protest left the village and neared the village lands that are threatened with confiscation, the occupation force targeted the march and caused dozens of injuries through suffocation. However, the youth of the village resisted the military with their stones.
Beit Ummar: an activist from the town of Beit Ummar, north of Hebron, was wounded in the hand by the occupation forces as they repressed once again the weekly protest against the apartheid wall and settlements.
The occupation soldiers prevented dozens of activists and farmers from access to the area of Kherbet Al Kutlah adjacent to the settlement of 'Karmi Tsur', situated north of the town. Soldiers attacked the marchers with batons and sticks, injuring a number of them. Many carried away bruises and Ahmed Abu Hashim (45 years) had to be transferred to hospital for treatment.
The local spokesperson commented that the ongoing resistance in Beit Ummar comes in the context of resistance against the Israeli settlement policy and the ongoing occupation that includes preventing farmers from accessing their land near the settlement of 'Karmi Tsur' on the grounds that they declared it a 'closed military zone'.