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Wounded Child In Nabi Saleh - Photo by: Baraa Hijazi

by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

Friday, February 22, 2013; Israeli soldiers attacked the weekly nonviolent protest against the Annexation Wall and settlements, in Nabi Saleh village, near the central West bank city of Ramallah, leading to several injuries among the protesters, and kidnapped a 13-year old child after wounding him in the leg.


The protest started from the village center as dozens of locals, Israeli and international peace activists marched in solidarity with Palestinian detainees holding extended hunger strikes in Israeli prisons, and chanted slogans against the occupation, settlements and Annexation Wall, and demanded the release of all political prisoners.

One child, identified as Waseem Mohammad Sahran, 13, was shot in the back by a rubber-coated metal bullet fired by the army, and was kidnapped by the soldiers who took him to a military tower installed near the village.

He was released later on, and was moved by Palestinian medics to a Yasser Arafat Hospital in the central West Bank city of Salfit.

As the protesters marched towards Palestinian lands illegally seized by Israel for the construction of the Wall and the illegal settlements, the army fired dozens of gas bombs and rubber-coated metal bullets, and sprayed the protesters with waste-water mixed with chemicals.

Army also fired gas bombs at a number of nearby homes.

One youth, identified as Mahmoud Tamimi, 19, and a 45-year old woman, identified as Halima Tamimi, were shot by rubber-coated metal bullets in their feet.

The Nonviolent Committee Against the Wall and Settlements in the village called comprehensive unity among all Palestinian factions, and for intensifying solidarity actions with all Palestinian detainees held by Israel.

In related news, several Palestinian nonviolent protesters have been injured in Al-Ma’sara village, near the West Bank city of Bethlehem, after the army attacked the weekly nonviolent protest against the Wall and settlements.

Mohammad Brejiyyah, media spokesperson of the Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements, reported that the soldiers violently attacked the protesters and prevented them from reaching the Wall.

He added that the army fired dozens of gas bombs, concussion grenades, and rubber-coated metal bullets at the protesters, and that several protesters were treated for the effects of teargas inhalation.

Also of Friday, the army attacked nonviolent weekly protests against the Wall and settlements in Bil’in and Ni’lin villages, near Ramallah, in Kufur Qaddoum, near Qalqilia, and in Hebron. At least 15 protesters, including journalists, have been injured.