Palestinian shot at West Bank protest

[ProgressiveMuslim]

Bethlehem - Ma'an - A Palestinian was injured at the weekly demonstration against Israel's separation wall in the West Bank village of Nil'in, according to a statement from the local Popular Committee.

A 27-year-old protestor was shot just above the knee and was taken immediately to a Ramallah hospital. He was undergoing treatment and his situation was stable late Friday evening.

The demonstration ended half an hour after this incident. More than 150 residents of Ni’lin, international and Israeli activists attended the protest, the statement said.

After the Friday prayer, demonstrators marched toward one of the gates, chanting slogans against the confiscation of Palestinian land and called for an end to Israeli military occupation and justice for the Palestinian people.

When the demonstrators reached the gate and started climbing the under-construction wall, a small number of soldiers arrived in a jeep and started shooting large quantities of tear-gas canisters into the crowd, the statement said. After the crowd dispersed, clashes erupted, with youths throwing stones and soldiers using live ammunition against the demonstrators, the activists said.

Simultaneously, the main entrance of the village was closed down by Israeli forces, preventing anyone from either entering or leaving.

After about one hour, a large number of soldiers entered from two sides and started chasing the demonstrator towards the village, using large quantities of live ammunition.

“Preventing people to enter our village and the use of live ammunition will not discourage our people to attend our peaceful struggle and claim our legitimate rights," said Ibrahim Ameera, Popular Committee coordinator. "Ni’lin will serve as a model for the Palestinian struggle and it will duplicated all around Palestine in order to resist the occupation and its racist, violent policies.”

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