Kim Bullimore
More than 1200 Palestinians, Israelis and international activists peacefully demonstrated on April 28 in the West Bank village of Bili'in against the Israeli state's continued construction of the illegal Apartheid Wall.
The wall cuts the village off from most of its land. According to the Israeli peace group, Gush Shalom, the confiscated Palestinian land will be used to expand further the illegal Israeli colony of Kiryat Sefer, which has already been built on land confiscated from surrounding Palestinian villages.
The demonstration, which was attended by members of the Israeli parliament, as well as Palestinian Authority minister Fares Kadura and former PA presidential candidate Mustafa Barghouti, was attacked by Israeli occupation forces. Knesset member Mohammed Barakeh of the Hadash party, along with other peaceful demonstrators, was injured when rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades exploded next to them. Another Knesset member, Abdel Malik Dehamsha, was attacked by Israel occupation forces and thrown to the ground.
According to Gush Shalom, Israeli soldiers known as Mista'rvim (who go undercover disguised as Palestinian civilians) mingled with the peaceful protesters and were caught on camera throwing stones, providing the pretext for the Israeli occupation forces' brutal attack on the protest. When the Mista'arvim were exposed, the soldiers drew their guns and began to arrest the peaceful demonstrators, including two Palestinians and two Israelis.
According to the International Middle East Media Centre over 22 Palestinians and Israelis were injured, including three children under the age of 13. A number of Israeli and Palestinian activists were also detained.
Despite the violent attack on the demonstration, 150 peaceful demonstrators were able to reach the construction area of the wall and halt construction briefly.
From 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly, May 11, 2005.
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