Photographer Injured, Dozens Suffered Tear Gas Inhalation in Bil'in, West of Ramallah
- Details
- Published on Monday, 23 April 2012 09:53
PNN
On Saturday, April 22nd, the cameraman, Ali Hamdan Abu Rahma (21 years) was hit and wounded by a tear gas canister, and was also detained for several hours for interrogation, in addition to dozens of Palestinians suffered tear gas inhalation in the weekly march that was organized by the Popular Committee Against the Wall and settlements in Bil'in.
The march came in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners on their hunger strike, Palestinian Prisoners' Day and the twenty-fourth anniversary of the martyrdom of Abu Jihad Khalil al-Wazir. A French delegation, people of Bil'in, Israeli and international peace activists participated in the march.
The march began after Friday prayers; the participants gathered in the centre of the village and headed to the liberated lands. The participants raised Palestinian flags and banners with the pictures of the prisoner leader, Marwan Barghouti, the oldest prisoner Karim Younes, the leader Ahmed Sa'adat, the prisoners Bilal Diab and Thaer Halahalh. The participants called for national unity, ceasing the Israeli occupation, the destruction of the Apartheid Wall and they also called for the release of the Palestinian prisoners.
Upon the arrival of participants to Abu Lemon area, they cut some of the barbed wire and they broke through it, the soldiers Who were behind the concrete wall shot rubber bullets, stun grenades, tear gas and they sprayed waste water mixed with chemicals towards the participants, which led to the injury of the photographer Ali Hamdan Abo Rahma and dozens of the participants were subjected to suffocation. Some of the participants threw stones towards the Israeli soldiers and the soldiers chased them in the fields and obstructed the work of photographers who were in the place.
A protest tent was set on the liberated territory; twelve citizens joined the prisoners on their hunger strike, protesting against the prison administration's policies and violations of the basic human rights in dealings with prisoners.
The member of the popular Committee, Basel Mansour, confirmed in a letter to the participants that this strike will continue in order to achieve the victory for our people and the rights of the Palestinian prisoners.
He also said that the issue of the prisoners is the issue of all Palestinian people, not only an issue of a prisoner or his family; therefore, the battle of empty intestinal (Hunger Strike) must be the battle of the Palestinian people. Mansour said that "We are in this battle not only standing in solidarity with the prisoners but we also fight side by side with them.
Mansour called that May 1st, will be a day of hunger strike in which all Palestinians inside, outside Palestine will participate in it.
