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Israeli soldiers attack peaceful demonstration%AM %29 %b %2003
author: monitor
summary
A peaceful demonstration organised to protest against the continued construction of the Israeli "security
fence" has been attacked by scores of heavily armed Israeli soldiers.
A peaceful demonstration organised to protest against the continued construction of the Israeli "security
fence" has been attacked by scores of heavily armed Israeli soldiers.
The protest was held at the fence in the northern West Bank
at Anin, near Jenin. Members of the Popular
Committees Against the Wall, the Palestinian National Initiative, The International Solidarity Movement (ISM) and more than 30 "Israeli activist against the wall" and the Israeli coexistence group Tayyoush participated in the demonstration, held in front of one section of the two meter high electrified fence.
The non-violent nature of the demonstration was shattered when the Israeli troops fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the unarmed demonstrators. Six people were wounded,
including Thomas Bacon from Texas and Andrew Dickie from Scotland who was shot in the thigh and abdomen; another
American, one Israeli and two Palestinians had to receive
medical treatment.
Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, the secretary general of the Palestinian National Initiative who participated in the
demonstration and made a speech reported, "The
soldiers attacked us after we hung a map of the apartheid
wall on the fence itself. The map shows how the Israeli
government is stealing even more land from the Palestinians
with the construction of this supposed security wall.
However, we are not even permitted to demonstrate
peacefully without coming under attack".