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Photo of Gary Davis, by Active Stills

by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News Report post

Israeli soldiers attacked, Friday, the weekly nonviolent protest against the Annexation Wall and settlements, in Kufr Qaddoum village, near the northern West Bank city of Qalqilia, and kidnapped an international solidarity activist.

Hundreds of residents, Israeli and international supporters marched against the illegal Wall and Israel’s illegal settlements, and in support of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, subject to frequent attacks carried out by Israeli soldiers and settlers.

The Media Office of the Popular Committee in Kufr Qaddoum reported that the army kidnapped Gary English, a 50-year-old solidarity activist.

Media Coordinator, Morad Eshtewy, said that as the protesters started marching, some protesters uncovered an ambush attempted by undercover forces of the Israeli army who hid in an old Olive Press building. The soldiers then left the building and hid behinds some olive trees.

As the protesters arrived at Palestinian orchards Israel intends to illegally confiscate from the residents, the army attacked the protesters and kidnapped Gary English, before taking him to a police station in Ariel illegal settlement.

Also on Friday, soldiers attacked nonviolent protesters in several parts of the West Bank, including in the villages of Bil’in and Ni’lin, near the central West Bank city of Ramallah, Beit Ummar near Hebron, in addition to Al-Ma'sara and Al-Walaja near Bethlehem.

Israel’s use of excessive force against the nonviolent protesters led to dozens of casualties, including fatalities, as Israel is trying to force the residents and their supporters to stop their protests against Israel’s illegal Annexation Wall and its illegal settlements.

On Friday, dozens of Israeli settlers and fully uniformed armed soldiers broke into the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, and attacked several residents including women.

A woman who was trying to film the attack was also attacked and harassed by the soldiers who wanted to force her away, and to take her camera.