Israel Defense Forces sources said Saturday a tear gas canister that killed a Palestinian demonstrator Friday at a protest against the West Bank separation fence was likely fired in violation of orders. Bassem Abu Rahmeh, 31, was killed during a protest in the West Bank village of Bil’in, a flash point for confrontations between soldiers and anti-fence protesters.
The Bil’in shooting occurred during a protest during which around 100 demonstrators hurled stones at soldiers and tried to destroy the fence, army sources said. Abu Rahmeh sustained severe chest injuries and was transferred to a Ramallah hospital, where he died of his injuries.
IDF officials who investigated the incident found the Armored Corps soldier who fired the canister apparently aimed directly at Abu Rahmeh from a distance of a mere few dozen meters. The IDF said Saturday that troops opened fire to disperse a violent, three-hour protest that was taking place in a closed military zone.
Ni\’lin youth show solidarity with political prisoners
Ni’lin villagers once again held a Friday demonstration against the illegal Apartheid Wall and in commemoration of Prisoner’s Day. Around 150 villagers, supported by Israeli and international solidarity activists, gathered after the prayer at the local clinic. Several demonstrators wore shirts urging solidarity with the thousands of Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails. Israeli forces stationed in the fields in the outskirts of the village started firing tear gas at the clinic even before the prayer was finished. The nonviolent demonstrators sought cover in the village from the gas, and retreated back towards the town center. However, Israeli soldiers also stationed themselves on the main street of the village. These soldiers started firing tear gas and live ammunition at the villagers gathered in the village center. Some of the village youth responded to this use of weaponry by throwing stones.
During the following hours, one male resident was hit by a fragment from a live bullet in his chest and 11 people needed medical treatment after inhaling large amounts of tear gas. Israeli forces also placed snipers on several roofs in the village, from which they shot at demonstrators near Ni’lin’s main street. Soldiers also attacked the Palestinian medical team inside the village and shot large amounts of tear gas at an ambulance.
At this Friday demonstration, the Israeli army once again shot extended range high velocity tear gas canisters. This is the same type of canister that was used to kill Basem Abu Rahme at a nonviolent demonstration in Bil’in on the same day. On the 13 March, American solidarity activist Tristan Anderson was critically injured after being shot in the head with a high velocity tear gas canister. Tristan is still listed in critical condition in a Tel Aviv hospital after undergoing three separate brain surgeries.
Friday, 17 April 2009, Bil’in Village: A resident has been killed by Israeli forces during a demonstration. Basem Abu Rahme, 29 years of age, was shot in the chest with a high-velocity tear gas projectile. He was evacuated to Ramallah hospital in critical condition, where he died of his injury. According to eyewitnesses, Basem was on a hill with several journalists to the side of other demonstrators. Soldiers opened fire from 40 meters, aiming directly with the tear-gas projectiles.
The tear-gas projectile, labeled “40 mm bullet, special/long range” in Hebrew has also critically injured American national, Tristan Anderson at a demonstration in Ni’lin on 13 March 2009 when he was shot in the head from 60 meters.
According Michael Sfard, the lawyer representing the village of Bil’in, “The Israeli supreme court has ruled 3 times that the route of the Wall is illegal and needs to be moved. However, to date not a meter of the Wall has been rerouted.”
Basem Abu Rahme is the 18th individual to be killed by Israeli forces during a demonstration against the Wall.
Basem Abu Rahme, killed by Israeli forces
High velocity tear gas canister which killed Basem
Photo taken of Basem Abu Rahme before he was killed by Israeli forces
December 28th, 2008:
Mohammad Khawaja, age 20
Shot in the head with live ammunition during a demonstration in Ni’lin against Israel’s assault on Gaza. Mohammad died in the hospital on December 31st 2009.
December 28th, 2008:
Arafat Khawaja, age 22
Shot in the back with live ammunition in Ni’lin during a demonstration against Israel’s assault on Gaza.
July 30th, 2008:
Youssef Ahmed Younes Amirah, age 17
Shot in the head with rubber coated bullets during a demonstration against the wall in Ni’lin. Youssef died of his wounds on August 4th 2008.
July 29th, 2008:
Ahmed Husan Youssef Mousa, age 10
Killed while he and several friends tried to remove coils of razor wire from land belonging to the village.
March 2nd, 2008:
Mahmoud Muhammad Ahmad Masalmeh, age 15
Shot when trying to cut the razor wire portion of the wall in Beit Awwa.
March 28th, 2007:
Muhammad Elias Mahmoud ‘Aweideh, age 15
Shot dead during a demonstration against the wall in Um a-Sharayet – Samiramis.
February 2nd, 2007:
Taha Muhammad Subhi al-Quljawi, age 16
Shot dead when he and two friends tried to cut the razor wire portion of the wall in the Qalandiya Refugee Camp. He was wounded in the thigh and died from loss of blood after remaining a long time in the field without being treated.
May 4th, 2005:
Jamal Jaber Ibrahim ‘Asi, age 15 and U’dai Mufid Mahmoud ‘Asi, age 14
Shot dead during a demonstration against the wall in Beit Liqya.
February 15th, 2005:
‘Alaa’ Muhammad ‘Abd a-Rahman Khalil, age 14
Shot dead while throwing stones at an Israeli vehicle driven by private security guards near the wall in Betunya.
April 18th, 2004:
Islam Hashem Rizik Zhahran, age 14
Shot during a demonstration against the wall in Deir Abu Mash’al. Islam died of his wounds April 28th.
April 18th, 2004:
Diaa’ A-Din ‘Abd al-Karim Ibrahim Abu ‘Eid, age 23
Shot dead during a demonstration against the wall in Biddu.
April 16th, 2004:
Hussein Mahmoud ‘Awad ‘Alian, age 17
Shot dead during a demonstration against the wall in Betunya.
February 26th, 2004:
Muhammad Da’ud Saleh Badwan, age 21
Shot during a demonstration against the wall in Biddu. Muhammad died of his wounds on March 3rd 2004.
February 26th, 2004:
Abdal Rahman Abu ‘Eid, age 17
Died of a heart attack after teargas projectiles were shot into his home during a demonstration against the wall in Biddu.
February 26th, 2004:
Muhammad Fadel Hashem Rian, age 25 and Zakaria Mahmoud ‘Eid Salem, age 28
Shot dead during a demonstration against the wall in Biddu.
Soldiers fire on youth during a Friday demonstration. Villagers have refused to accept the new path of the Wall, resulting in weekly demonstrations and increasing army repression.
Last night youth from the village of Jayyous broke through the Wall in the village. A small group then proceeded to the site where the new path is being constructed, destroying and setting fire to building materials. Occupation forces responded by raiding the village, where they remained into the early hours of the morning.
At around six in the evening, a small group of youth from the village broke through a section of fencing near the south gate. Through the hole, they snuck across the village’s isolated lands to the site where the new path of the Wall is being constructed. There, they destroyed and burned materials before escaping back into the village.
Soldiers in the area responded by mounting a raid on the village. A total of 15 jeeps, 9 from the regular army and 6 from the Border Police, drove into the village. Youth threw stones at the invading jeeps, and soldiers fired back. Jayyous was placed under curfew from seven until midnight, and soldiers remained in the village until two in the morning, firing sound bombs and using vehicle loudspeakers to prevent people from sleeping.
The villagers of Ni’lin continued their struggle against the construction of the Apartheid Wall on their land with another weekly Friday demonstration on the 10th of April. After the mid-day prayer, around 100 villagers carried signs against the occupation and marched towards the construction site of the Wall. The nonviolent demonstrators split into two groups, but both groups were stopped by the Israeli army, who had already taken up position on the outskirts of the village. After villagers confronted the soldiers with speeches and chanting, Israeli forces opened fire with tear gas and sound bombs from about 20 meters away. Some of the village youth responded by throwing stones. Due to the large amount of weaponry fired by the soldiers, the demonstrators were forced to return to the village. The army placed snipers on the roof of a Palestinian residence inside the village and one young man was shot in his leg with live ammunition (0.22 caliber).
In addition to shooting live ammunition at the demonstrators , the army restarted firing high-velocity tear gas canisters. This type of tear gas hasn’t been used in Ni’lin since solidarity activist Tristan Anderson was critically injured after being shot in the head with a canister on the 13th of March. Almost a month later, Tristan Anderson is still listed in critical condition in Tel Hashomer hospital near Tel Aviv after undergoing three separate brain surgeries. These new high-velocity tear gas canisters have injured other Palestinians during nonviolent demonstrations in the West Bank, including a young man from Ni’lin who had his leg shattered when he was hit with this projectile in January 2009.
At this weeks demonstration, two Palestinians were hit and injured with high-velocity tear gas canisters. One man was hit in his back and had to be taken to the local clinic for treatment. The other villager was hit in his jaw with the canister and also in his hand when he tried to protect his face. He was taken to the hospital in Ramallah. Two medics, one international and one filmmaker were also hit with tear gas canisters, and 18 people suffered from tear gas inhalation and were treated by medics. Eight other demonstrators were also shot by Israeli forces with rubber-coated steel bullets.
