Israeli Army Attacks Peaceful Protesters at Wall!

Israeli Army Attacks Peaceful Protesters at Wall!

Israeli soldiers and Border Police attacked over 300 Palestinians and 30 internationals at the "separation fence" in the Tulkarem region today, throwing teargas, percussion grenades and beating the nonviolent protesters with batons. One American, Bruce Groeneveld from Washington, has been forcefully detained and remains in custody of the Israeli Army.

At 11:30am on Thursday, November 13, Palestinians from Tulkarem and surrounding villages together with International Solidarity Movement and the International Women's Peace Team marched towards a gate in the wall outside of the village of Baka Sharqia, waving Palestinian flags and chanting "The Wall Must Fall." Members of the Swedish Parliament were also present. Within minutes of starting the peaceful march, Israeli Forces fired percussion grenades and teargas into the crowd. Due to the Israeli Army's violent response, the demonstrators dispersed and regrouped several times in order to continue the nonviolent protest, each time sustaining more injuries. Israeli soldiers attempted to arrest one Jewish-American volunteer over five times, but were unsuccessful.

During the arrest attempts soldiers beat a Welsh volunteer leaving a seven-inch welt on his back, hit an American bruising his arm, repeatedly kicked an Irish man, pulling out a clump of his hair. The 73-year-old Welsh man was also hit with a baton. Several Palestinians and internationals were hit by scalding teargas canisters shot from rifles including: 2 Danes aged 65 an 67, and a Welsh man aged 73.

Two Palestinian women were hit by tear gas canisters, causing burning and several others were also beaten by soldier's wielding batons.

Today's violent response by the Israeli Army towards peaceful opposition to the Wall and the ghettoization of the West Bank is yet another indication that even nonviolent resistance to the Occupation will not be tolerated. Despite this intolerance, Palestinians and internationals will continue nonviolent action against the Wall in the Tulkarem region.

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