Prime Minister Salam Fayyad also joined the protest. However, the Israeli forces left no stone unturned to thwart the planned rally. They declared the West Bank village of Bil’in a closed military zone.
Ratib Abu Rahmeh, member of the Bil’in Popular Committee Against the Wall, said that the Israeli soldiers closed all the entrances leading to the village since early Friday to thwart the rally.
Abu Rahmeh said, “a large contingent of Israeli forces raided the village on early Friday and threatened to take suppressive measures against the residents if the rally was held.”
He added that Israeli soldiers erected military checkpoints on roads leading to the village.
Abu Rahmeh said that the soldiers manning the checkpoints around his village barred vehicles of hundreds of Palestinian, including Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, foreign and Israeli peace activists.
The official added that the passengers “were forced to use alternative roads, walk through mountains to enter the village by avoiding Israeli checkpoints.”
The Israeli Army confirmed the move and said that the closing of the village came after “information of Palestinians’ intention to organize a huge rally.”
In Al-Mi’sarah, Ni’lin and Nabi Saleh, several peace activists suffered from gas inhalation when Israeli soldiers used tear gas to disperse the protesters. The Palestinian sources said that the Israeli soldiers also fired rubber-coated metal bullets and stun grenades to subdue the protesters. No injuries were reported.
