Army Shot Protestors While Protesting Against Wall

Army Shot Protestors While Protesting Against Wall
Friday, 27 February 2004, 9:07 am

Press Release: International Solidarity Movement
Four Palestinians Killed By The Army While Protesting Against The Wall Of Apartheid
The Israeli Army fired live ammunitions at unarmed demonstrators

[Biddu, Occupied Jerusalem] On the third day of protests against the Wall in the region of Biddu/Beit Surik, 4 Palestinians have been killed as a consequence of the Israeli Army repression. Since early this morning, the Israeli Army has shot rubber and live ammunitions and large amount of tear gas to the unarmed demonstrators in Biddu, killing 3 young Palestinians: - Zacharia Mahmoud Eid, 26 year old from Beit Iksa, - Mohamed Rayan, 26 year old from Beit Diggo - Mohamed Saleh Bedwan, 20 year old who got shot in the head by a rubber bullet. Another man named Abu Nabil Abu Eid died from a heart attack, provoked by excessive amount of tear gas. Eye witnesses from the ISM reported that snipers were shooting directly at the crowd. An ambulance was also shot in the back window early in the afternoon and 50 Palestinians are reportedly injured. The shootings are still going on.

The demonstrators have been attempting to stop the bulldozers from destroying more olive groves for three days. About a hundred olive trees have been uprooted since the beginning of the protests.

One Israeli female activist was reportedly arrested earlier this morning in Beit Surik. 3 young Palestinians were arrested by plain-clothed forces in the protesters crowd.

7 ISM Volunteers are still in Biddu to show solidarity with the villagers' struggle for their farmlands and to protest against the use of excessive violence to disperse the demonstrators.