Demonstration in Beit El violently attacked by Israeli forces
31st October 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus team | Ramallah, Occupied Palestine
The recent escalation of force used in the occupied Palestinian Territories was clear yesterday, Friday 30th October, when clashes broke out at Beit El near Ramallah. The demonstration was met with extreme violence by the Israeli occupation forces, leaving 15 people injured by live ammunition, 8 people injured by rubber-coated steel bullets, and 4 medics injured by pepper spray. The use of lethal weaponry against civilians at demonstrations, in situations where the Israeli forces are not in immediate mortal danger, reveals the reality of what Benjamin Netanyahu, on 16th September, described as, “the war on stone-throwers”.
Video footage from the demonstration shows an Israeli military jeep speeding towards a group of young Palestinians and striking one of them. A soldier then hit the injured youth with his gun and stamps on his head. Medics attempted to give aid to the youth but were prevented from doing so and assaulted by Israeli soldiers. Journalists (clearly marked as ‘Press’) trying to film the incident were also harassed.
Medics assaulted by Israeli forces while attempting to administer aid (Photo credit: Mohannad Darabee, ISM)Medic injured by teargas inhalation after being targeted by Israeli Forces (Photo credit: Mohannad Darabee, ISM)Medics attempting to administer aid amid excessive teargas (Photo credit: Mohannad Darabee, ISM)Medic suffering from teargas inhalation (Photo credit: Mohannad Darabee, ISM)Journalists harassed by Israeli Forces (Photo credit: Mohannad Darabee, ISM)Demonstrator at Beit El, “the war on stone-throwers” (Photo credit: Mohannad Darabee, ISM)(Photo credit: Mohannad Darabee, ISM)Ambulances targeted with teargas (Photo credit: Mohannad Darabee, ISM)Resident suffering from teargas inhalationExtreme use of tear gas
