June 13, 2009 - Weekly Demo in Bil'in


Dear Friends,
The weekly demonstration in Bil'in yesterday was pretty typical: Palestinians, Israelis and internationals gathering, chanting, marching peacefully and nonviolently to the wall to be met immediately by tear gas, rubber bullets and other assorted weaponry. Thankfully, there were no serious causalities. In the last 5 years, the Israeli army has killed about 20 nonviolent demonstrators throughout the West Bank, one recently from Bil'in. In Bil'in alone 1,300 have been wounded, including Tristan Anderson, an Oakland resident who is still in a Tel Aviv hospital rehabilitation ward, waiting for an operation to put his skull back on.


I've copied below the press release sent out by the organizers and I encourage you to go to their website which is pretty impressive. Among other things there is a video of yesterday's demonstration. At the end you can see Arla in the purple shirt gagging on tear gas.
Love,
Wendy


Press Release
Friday 12\6\2009

Two protesters were injured and dozens suffered from gas inhalation when Israeli troops attack the weekly protest in Bil'in village near the central West Bank city of Ramallah on Friday midday.

Residents of Bil'in and their international and Israelis supporters marched from the village center after the Friday midday prayers. They were joined by 40 members of the American group "Code Pink Women for Peace".

The protesters demanded the halt of the Israeli illegal settlements and the construction of the wall. As the protesters arrived at the wall, Israeli troops at the gate nearby fired barrage of sound bombs, tear gas and rubber-coated bullets from the Israeli soldiers.

Two protesters were lightly injured, Mustafa Al Khateeb, 17, and a Britsh activist. Meanwhile scores were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation
http://www.bilin-ffj.org/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

Thank you for you continued support,

Iyad Burnat- Head of Popular Committee in Bilin
co-founder of Friends of Freedom and Justice - Bilin

Email- bel3in@yahoo.com
Mobile- (00972) (0) 547847942
Office- (00972) (2) 2489129
Mobile- (00972) (0) 598403676
www.bilin-ffj.org

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