19 February 2011 | Bethlehem Solidarity
Seven people were arrested yesterday in An Nabi Saleh during the weekly demonstration against the occupation and settlements. After the Israeli army invaded the village two Palestinians, four Israelis and one international were arrested. They are still held by Israeli forces, and we are told that the two Palestinians were separated from the rest during their ride to Binyamin police station. This does not bode well for them and could mean that they are being sent to Ofer on the account of the soldiers’ false testimonies.
The weekly march through the village of Nabi Saleh was slowed down by army threats to open fire. Soon enough they shot tear gas canisters at the protesters, invaded the village, made some arrests and attempted many more.
Close to the end of the day the youth of An Nabi Saleh came to reclaim their village. The army responded with an immediate tear gas attack. Later on, the army used massive amounts of tear gas on the entire village and brought the “skunk” water tank to spray the center of the village with foul-smelling water. This “skunk” water leaves any place it is fired at unfit for living for about a week and still smelly for many weeks after. The soldiers and their vehicles were warded off by a “rain” of stones, and the clashes finally ended at sundown.