26 June 2011 | The Palestine Telegraph
Israeli occupation forces started Sunday dismantling a section of the Separation Wall near the village of Bil’in in the northwest of Ramallah in accordance to the decision issued by Israeli supreme court about four years ago.
Witnesses told local sources that Israeli soldiers fired tear gases and rubber bullets at hundreds of Palestinian citizens who gathered to celebrate these historical moments-the dismantling of the wall-leaving several suffocation cases.
Residents of Bilin town will regain 1200 dunums out of 2300 seized by Israeli authorities for settlements construction, noting that the total area of Bil’in is 4ooo dunums.
The decision came as a result of the continued popular resistance against the Israeli Wall for more than six years . Villagers used to join weekly rallies toward the Separation Wall, which isolated them from their own lands. Most of them were victims to Israeli gunfire during those peaceful protests .
It’s noteworthy that Israel began building the Separation Wall in the West Bank in June 2002 in an attempt to protect its illegal settlements from military attacks lunched by Palestinian fighters to defend their lands and properities from Israeli ongoing confiscations.