29th December 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah Team | Nabi Saleh, Occupied Palestine
On Friday 27th December, during the weekly demonstration in Nabi Saleh, Israeli forces raided the town with a “skunk” (chemical) truck, fired large amounts of tear gas canisters and shot rubbed-coated steel bullets at unarmed protesters. Five people were injured by rubber-coated steel bullets and one woman was shot at extremely close range.
Shortly after the demonstration began, Palestinian and international activists attempt to march towards the local spring which has been stolen by a nearby illegal settlement. Israeli forces responded by firing stun grenades, tear gas canisters, skunk water and rubber-coated steel bullets at the protesters. They then proceeded to raid the village, spraying houses and cars with skunk water. In one Palestinian home, part of their garden caught on fire when a tear gas canister was shot in their fruit trees. Many protesters were forced to seek shelter in houses while Israeli border police entered the village shooting rubber-coated steel bullets at those left on the streets. One protester, Manal Tamini, was shot by four rubber-coated steel bullets in both of her legs
The village of Nabi Saleh has demonstrated against the theft of their natural spring by the nearby Halamish settlement and the occupation in general since December 2009. Israeli forces violently suppress the weekly Friday protests by shooting tear gas canisters, skunk water, sound bombs, rubber-coated steel bullets and even live ammunition at protesters. Two people have been killed, Mustafa and Rushdi Tamimi, and many others severely injured.