[News] Scores Injured as Israeli Troops Attack West Bank land Day Protests

[Anti-Imperialist News]

Scores Injured as Israeli Troops Attack West Bank land Day Protests
author Friday March 30, 2012 15:49author by George Rishmawi & Ghassan 
Bannoura Report post

http://www.imemc.org/article/63234

Thousands of Palestinians marked land day, on Friday, Palestinian 
sources said that 100 civilians were injured when Israeli troops 
attacked protesters in Ramallah and Bethlehem cities.

Marking the 36th anniversary of land day today Palestinians and their 
supporters marched for Jerusalem demanding an end to the Israeli 
occupation of the city. Protests were organized near the Israeli 
Lebanese borders as well as the borders with Jordan.

The Land day commemoration started in 1976, when Palestinian 
residents of the Galilee to the Negev protested Israel's plan to 
expropriate thousands of dunams of land for security and settlement 
purposes. Israeli military and police attacked the protests leaving 6 
killed, hundreds injured.

Today After the midday prayers, people marched from Ramallah city, 
central West Bank, towards Qalandiya checkpoint that separates 
Ramallah from Jerusalem.

Troops fired tear gas and sound bombs then later used rubber-coated 
steel bullets. 80 Palestinians were injured. Witnesses told IMEMC 
that among those injured were two Palestinian medics.

In Bethlehem 20 residents were injured, seven were moved to 
hospitals, when soldiers fired tear gas and sound bombs at land day 
protesters. The marchers were first stopped by the Palestinian 
security forces however they managed to reach the gate of the wall 
separating Bethlehem from Jerusalem. As protestors reach the gate, 
youth threw rocks and firebombs at the wall and the nearby military tower.

"We are here to tell the Israeli occupation that Jerusalem is 
Palestinian and will never forget it." One of the protesters told IMEMC.

Israeli troops responded by firing tear gas and sound bombs. A source 
from the Palestinian Red Cresent Society told IMEMC that one resident 
was hit with a tear gas canister in his back causing burns and bruises.

The wounded was identified as Yousef Sharqawi from Bethlehem. Another 
activist from the US was hit with a tear gas canister in his head and 
was transferred to the hospital for medical treatment. Field medics 
said his wound is moderate.



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