Protesters were attacked by soldiers as they opened and crossed the first gate in the Wall on their way to village’s lands.
Some hundred demonstrators – residents of the villages accompanied by their Israeli and international supporters – marched from the village’s center towards the Wall and the lands that are isolated behind it today, as demonstrators have been doing every Friday for nearly six years.
Demonstrators marching to the Wall. Picture credit: Oren ZivActiveStills
On arriving to the large yellow metal gate in the Wall, the first of three that villagers are required to cross in order to get to their lands, a few of the protester opened it and peacefully crossed it. Located between the razor-wire barricades that form the first part of the barrier and the electronic touch-sensitive fence, the demonstrators were immediately attacked with tear-gas by Israeli soldiers on the other side of the Wall.
Protesters tear-gassed after they crossed the first gate in the Wall. Picture credit: Oren ZivActiveStills
Visible from were demonstrators were being gassed at, the last raw of settlement houses still stands tall on land belonging to Bil’in. They also served to remind the people of the fact that Africa-Israel, a company controlled by Israeli Tycoon Lev Leviev and involved with building the Modi’in Illit settlement, submitted to international pressure and announced that it will no longer take any part in settlement construction earlier this week.
Thick clouds of tear-gas between the soldiers and demonstrators. Picture credit: Oren ZivActiveStills
While most demonstrators were forced to retreat due to the intolerable gas, a group of local youth stood its ground, and when soldier crossed the gate into the village, clashes began that lasted for over an hour.
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