For the second day in a row, on the 5th July, the village of Ni’lin remained under siege by the Israeli army, in an attempt to suppress the inhabitants fierce resistance to the stealing of their land due to the construction of the apartheid wall and the expansion of nearby settlements.
The army has set up check points on all roads, allowing no one to enter or leave the village. Starting from eight o’clock in the morning the army have been carrying out continuous invasions, shooting tear gas and rubber bullets at people who happened to be in the streets.
Despite the army’s attacks the Popular Committee of the village decided to carry out another non-violent demonstration, the seventh this week. The aim of today’s demonstration was to fly kites decorated with the Palestinian flag over the settlements built on the land of the village, to state that not only the land but also the air is Palestinian. Before the demonstration could reach it’s destination it was met with tear gas and rubber bullets.
Meanwhile the army had once more invaded the village in force, bringing bulldozers to break through the barricades set up in the streets. During the following hours youths attempted to drive them out by throwing stones. The army responded with immense shooting. Tear gas was fired into houses, and at least one home was set on fire. When the army finally pulled back eleven people where left severely injured, one of them a young boy shot through the throat. His situation is as of now unknown.
According to the army the blockade of the village will continue for at least another seven days. The village’s small medical center is in danger of running out of medicine, and there is also a lack of gas and other vital supplies. Further demonstrations in protest of the situation, and stealing of the village’s land are planned for the coming week.