For Immediate Release:
1 May 2009
Residents gathered at 1.30 pm for a weekly demonstration near the village of Al-Ma’sara in protest of the Apartheid Wall that was built on Palestinian land in the villages of Al-Ma’sara, Um Salamouna, Jourat Ash-Sham’ah and Mrah Mu’ala.
Israeli forces began to throw sound and tear-gas grenades at the demonstrators, before arresting protesters at 2pm. Additionally, several of the arrested were severely assaulted by soldiers after their arrest.
The army arrested three members of the Al-Ma’sara Committee against the Wall and Settlements; Hasan Buriejieyah, Mohammad Buriejieyah and Mahmoud Sawahre. Additionally, Israeli forces arrested Mustafa Fuara; a resident of Al-Ma’sara, Azmi Ash-Shyukhi; a resident of Hebron, Haggai Matar; an Israeli solidarity activist and Tom Stocker, a British national volunteering with the Holy Land Trust.
Matar and Stocker were released on bail with conditions of not entering the West Bank for two weeks and must pay 1,500 NIS each as bail on Sunday.
The five Palestinians who were arrested remain in the Israeli prison in Gush Etzion.