Israeli forces further construction of apartheid infrastructure in Ni’lin

from International Solidarity Movement

Israeli forces invaded the village of Ni’lin to clear a path for the new road plan meant to restrict movement of residents. The army monitored while bulldozers uprooted olive trees for the new road. When the village responded to their destruction, the army fired ‘Saruch’ teargas at the children that were coming home from school. The demonstrators were also shot at with teargas and live ammunition when they gathered to protest against the construction of the Apartheid Wall and new road.

Early morning on Monday 16th of February, the Israeli army accompanied bulldozers to uproot olive trees for a new road in Ni’lin. Shortly thereafter, at around 8am, 25 military jeeps invaded the village and set up a road block in the main street.

Around 11.30am, residents along with international solidarity activists met to protest against the destruction of Ni’lin’s land. Israeli occupation forces responded to the demonstration in the main street by firing ‘Saruch’ teargas.  A jeep chased demonstrators to the town centre, where soldiers got out and fired sound bombs and tear gas. During this time four Saruchs were fired at two international activists while they were filming on the roof of a building along the main street.  Even though people were a great distance away from the army they were firing Saruch gas canisters down the main street almost injuring villagers and the many school children on their way home from school. A group of school girls, whose homes where behind the military road blockade, had be accompanied by internationals.

The army came down the main street as far as the town centre, firing teargas and sound bombs. A sound bomb was thrown at an ambulance carrying an injured man, shattering the window of the ambulance.

The demonstrators proceeded to the olive fields, where they were fired upon with rubber coated steel bullets, teargas and live ammunition. Despite protests from workers at the medical clinic, the army occupied the roof of the clinic and a new school that is under construction to shoot at demonstrators.

Around 4.30, the army began to withdraw from the olive fields and village to the checkpoint. When residents went to see the damage, the army fired teargas from the main street forcing people to run away.  Fifteen individuals were injured; 4 with rubber bullet, 10 from tear gas and one was hit by the “Saruch” tear gas canister in his face, breaking his jaw broken and damaging his teeth. The demonstration ended when the army withdrew back to the check point at the entrance of the village.

Ni’lin has been demonstrating against construction of the illegal Apartheid Wall since May 2008. Clearing a path for a new road in Ni’lin will give the occupation the means of completely controlling the movement of residents. Currently, access to Ni’lin is available through road 446, a road also used by settlers from nearby settlements. The occupation intends to build a new road that goes through a tunnel which can be effectively blocked off with just one military jeep. The new road will simultaneously allow for control of movement and the sterilization of road 446 for Israeli-only use. Construction of the Apartheid Wall is considered illegal according to a ruling from the International Court of Justice. 

For video, go here.