Elderly man, two kids injured in West Bank settler attack

Date: 10 / 10 / 2008  Time:  17:22
Nablus – Ma’an –

Illegal Israeli settlers injured six Palestinians as they harvested their olive trees near the illegal Israeli settlement of Brachah.

Medical sources at Radefia hospital told Ma’an that six residents of the village south of Nablus suffered bruises, fractures and wounds after settlers assaulted them. Among the victims were two children and an elderly Palestinian man.

Hospital officials identified the two injured children as eight-year-old Hesham Fayez Fathi Mansur and 12-year-old Madeeha Nassar Rashed Mansur.

70-year-old Fathi Rasheed Mansur, as well as Ibtisam Naasar Rasheed and Manal Wasfi Rasheed Mansur, both 30, were also injured in the attack.

A Palestinian Authority (PA) official responsible for village affairs told Ma’an that “dozens of illegal Israeli settlers” attacked the Palestinians.

The official, Ghassan Daghlas, said the settlers “beat and threw stones at the residents” of the village on Friday.

Israeli occupation troops suppress a nonviolent demonstration near Bethlehem

Friday October 10, 2008 18:59 by IMEMC News

Israeli occupation soldiers dispersed international, Israeli and Palestinian activists who assembled in a protest against the wall in the village of Al-Ma’sara near Bethlehem on Friday afternoon.

The protest started after the Friday noon prayer in the village and headed towards the construction site of the wall.

However, Israeli occupation troops halted them and prevented them from continuing towards the wall, and showered them with tear gas and concussion grenades. No injuries were reported.

The villagers of Al-Ma’sara and the neighboring villages have been organizing weekly protests in the past two years in bid to stop the construction of the wall on their land, which is the main source of income for most of the villagers.

14 wounded in Bil’in’s Weekly nonviolent Protest

Friday October 10, 2008 14:25 by George Rishmawi - IMEMC News

At least fourteen protestors were wounded by Israeli occupation forces in the village of Bil’in near the West Bank city of Ramallah Friday afternoon.

The residents of Bil’in accompanied by international and Israeli human rights activists marched following the Friday prayer towards the gate in the fence in an attempt to go to their land to harvest the olive trees.

Israeli occupation troops operating at the gate prevented them and showered them with rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas.

Four were moved to the hospital for treatment as their wounds were moderate, while the others suffered light injuries and were treated by field medics.

The protestors carried signs condemning the wall and fence Israel is building on the village’s land, while others carried ladders and tools they use to harvest the olive trees.

The olive harvest started in the early hours of the morning in the village; however, due to the wall the villagers could not harvest the trees behind the wall.

As a result of the construction of the wall in Bil’in, the village lost nearly half of its land. The Israeli high court ordered the army to remove the wall in a way that would allow the villagers to retrieve almost half of the confiscated land, however, the court ruling is still not implemented.

Dozens choke in Bil'in as Israeli occupation soldiers fire teargas at demonstrators

Date: 10 / 10 / 2008  Time:  16:48
Bethlehem – Ma’an –

Dozens choked on teargas at a Bil’in demonstration against the illegal Israeli Land-Grab, Apartheid Wall on Friday, participants said.

Israeli activists joined the Palestinian protesters “in solidarity with the villagers,” especially farmers during their harvest season.

Demonstrators toured the streets, condemning Israel’s construction of the barrier. Soldiers reportedly stopped the protestors as they reached the wall of the gate and farmers attempted to cross toward their land to collect olives.

Troops launched tear gas and percussion grenades at the demonstrators, leading to dozens of inhalation injuries.

Israeli occupation forces repress demonstration against the wall in Al-Ma’sara

Date: 10 / 10 / 2008  Time:  13:51
Bethlehem – Ma’an –

The Israeli occupation army dispersed international, Israeli and Palestinian activists during a protest against the separation wall in the village of Al-Ma’sara near Bethlehem on Friday afternoon.

The demonstration was in protest of the construction of the wall on village lands, and when the group began its march towards the construction site, Israeli occupation troops halted them and prevented them from continuing towards the wall.

Sound bombs and tear gas were used to disperse the group. No injuries of detentions were reported.

Olive harvest for Ni'lin farmers aborted by Israeli occupation forces

Date: 10 / 10 / 2008  Time:  12:24
Bethlehem - Ma'an -

Israeli occupation forces prevented several Palestinian farmers accompanied by Israeli peace activists from harvesting olives near the village of Ni’lin west of Ramallah.

The farmers were accompanied by at least 100 Israeli peace activists, who came to assist in the harvest. In the past, international and Israeli presence during the harvest season has allowed many Palestinians to perform "regular" tasks they would otherwise be prevented from carrying out by Israeli forces.

Despite claims that the Israeli Civil Administration, which maintains control over the Palestinian West Bank, has coordinated with Palestinian authorities, there have been several incidents where Israeli troops have prevented farmers from reaching their land.

According to some of the peace activists, Israeli occupation forces used tear gas and sound bombs to disperse the group, which was heading towards Ni'lin village lands. No injuries were reported.