Bil'in protester dies after inhaling tear gas

[freepalestine]

Bil'in protester dies after inhaling tear gas
Published today (updated) 01/01/2011 11:41
http://www.revleft.com/vb/images/ViewDetails/Eng-1.jpg http://www.revleft.com/vb/images/ViewDetails/Eng+1.jpg






RAMALLAH (Ma’an) – A Palestinian woman died Saturday morning after suffering intense tear-gas inhalation during an anti-wall rally in Bil’in on Friday, medics said.

Palestinian medical sources in Ramallah said 36-year-old Jawahir Abu Rahmah, from Bil’in, died at Ramallah medical compound. Abu Rahmah inhaled large amounts of tear gas fired by Israeli forces who forcibly dispersed a non-violent rally protesting the separation wall.

The local popular committee said doctors fought through the night to save Abu Rahmah's life. She was diagnosed as suffering from poisoning caused by the active ingredient in the tear-gas, and did not respond to treatment, the committee said in a statement.

"We are shocked and furious for Israel's brutality, which once again cost the life of a peaceful demonstrator. Israel's lethal and inhumane response to our struggle will not pass. In the dawn of a new decade, it is time for the world to ask Israel for accountability and to bring about an end to the occupation," said committee member Mohammed Khatib.

Abu Rahmah's brother Bassem was killed in April 2009 by a tear gas canister fired at his chest by an Israeli soldier during a village demonstration.

Friday's rally was attended by Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. Organizers said more than 1,000 demonstrators attended the final protest of the year calling for an end to Israel's land confiscations.

Israeli forces met the protest with tear-gas canisters, hitting one teenager in the face and sending him to hospital. Military officials said they were unaware of injuries, and that around 250 participated in the protest.

An Israeli military spokeswoman said the area was declared a closed military zone in advance of the protest "in an effort to prevent an escalation of the violent and illegal riot" that the village hosts weekly.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=347087

[freepalestine]

Child, Paramedic Wounded By Army Fire During Nabi Saleh Weekly Protest

Saturday January 01, 2011 03:14 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

As dozens of residents and international peace activists held their nonviolent weekly protest against the Annexation Wall in Nabi Saleh village, near the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Israeli soldiers violently attacked them and fired rubber-coated metal bullets and gas bombs leading to several injuries.
http://www.imemc.org/attachments/dec2010/bilinprotest.jpg (http://www.revleft.com/vb/../attachments/dec2010/bilinprotest.jpg)
Protesters marching to the Wall in Bil'in- Photos By Hamde Abu-Rahma



Eyewitnesses reported that soldiers fired dozens of gas bombs at the protesters, and that one child, identified as Islam Al Tamimi, was hit by a gas bomb in his foot, while a paramedic identified as Nariman Al Tamimi, was hit by a gas bomb in her shoulder.

Dozens of residents were treated for the effects of teargas inhalation but did not require hospitalization.

Furthermore, Israeli soldiers attacked resident Abdul-Hakim Awad and repeatedly kicked and punched him as the army attacked a protest in support of the Palestinian detainees at the Ofer Israeli prison.

One home was partially burnt due to army fire, and an elderly man suffocated by smoke resulting from the fire. The man is in his eighties, and has been already receiving treatment for respiratory and other health issues.

The army sealed all of the entrances of the village since early morning hours Friday, and prevented the reporters from entering it.

Also on Friday, dozens of residents were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation after the army attacked the weekly nonviolent protests in Al Ma'sara village, near Bethlehem, Bil'in and Ni'lin villages near the central West Bank city of Ramallah.

The protesters called for national unity among the Palestinians and their factions, and chanted slogans against the illegal Israeli Annexation Wall, settlements and the ongoing Israeli violations against the residents, their homes and their lands in Jerusalem and the rest of the occupied territories.

http://www.imemc.org/article/60323

[freepalestine]

Jawahir Abu Rahmah was diagnosed as suffering from poisoning caused by the active ingredient in the tear-gas, and did not respond to treatment. She was the sister of Bil'in activist, Bassem Abu Rahmah, who was shot dead by the IOF with a high velocity tear-gas projectile during a demonstration in the village on April 17th, 2009.

FErDPdMzWjY

ZLLpdn-0SeY

[freepalestine]

Army investigating death of Bil'in protester
Published yesterday (updated) 01/01/2011 23:45
http://www.revleft.com/vb/images/ViewDetails/Eng-1.jpg http://www.revleft.com/vb/images/ViewDetails/Eng+1.jpg






RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- The Israeli army said Saturday it would investigate the death of a Palestinian woman who died after inhaling tear gas fired by Israeli forces at an anti-wall protest in Bil'in on Friday.

Palestinian medical sources in Ramallah said 36-year-old Jawahir Abu Rahmah died at Ramallah medical compound. Abu Rahmah inhaled large amounts of tear gas fired by Israeli forces who forcibly dispersed a non-violent rally protesting the separation wall.

The local popular committee said doctors fought through the night to save Abu Rahmah's life. She was diagnosed as suffering from poisoning caused by an active ingredient in the tear gas, and did not respond to treatment, the committee said in a statement.

An Israeli military statement issued Saturday evening said Palestinians initially reported that Abu Rahmah was released from hospital Friday and died at home. "Subsequently the Palestinians changed their version of events, claiming that she died in the hospital," the statement continued.

A military spokesman did not immediately know who the Palestinians quoted in the statement were, but said he would look into it.

Bil'in popular committee spokesman Jonathan Pollak said the statement was a "shameless lie aimed at distorting reality."

Abu Rahmah arrived at the hospital unconscious and doctors were unable to revive her, Pollak said. She did not die because of a lack of medical treatment, but because Israeli forces used a lethal tear gas banned in several European countries, he added.

Abu Rahmah's brother Bassem was killed in April 2009 by a tear gas canister fired at his chest by an Israeli soldier during a village demonstration.

Friday's rally was attended by Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. Organizers said more than 1,000 demonstrators attended the final protest of the year calling for an end to Israel's land confiscations.

Israeli forces met the protest with tear gas canisters, hitting one teenager in the face and sending him to hospital. Military officials said Friday that they were not aware of any injuries.

For almost six years, the village of Bil'in has been the site of weekly protests against the wall, which was deemed illegal by the International Court of Justice in 2004.

The village is known for its creativity. During past protests, demonstrators have worn Santa Claus costumes (http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=249567), remade (http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=214301)an Israeli cell phone commercial and dressed up (http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=260947)as creatures from the Hollywood blockbuster Avatar who struggled against colonialism on another planet.

Israeli soldiers regularly use force to shut down the demonstrations, often detaining residents and foreign activists participating in the rally.

The non-violent movement has spread to other villages across the West Bank, who now hold their own weekly anti-wall rallies. Meanwhile, Bil'in has seen a sharp increase in violence and repression since protests began in 2005.

Israeli forces carry out regular night raids in the village, protest organizers have been jailed and thousands have been injured by tear-gas, sound bombs, rubber-coated steel bullets and at times, live ammunition.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=347236

[freepalestine]

Lawyer slams army cover-up of tear gas death
Published yesterday (updated) 02/01/2011 23:18
http://www.revleft.com/vb/images/ViewDetails/Eng-1.jpg http://www.revleft.com/vb/images/ViewDetails/Eng+1.jpg





JERUSALEM (AFP) -- The lawyer of the family of a Palestinian woman who died after being tear-gassed by Israeli troops at a West Bank protest accused the military on Sunday of a cover-up.

"Once again the army is covering up the actions of its men, instead of apologizing and conducting a serious inquiry," Michael Sfard told Israel's army radio after the military announced an investigation into the death of Jawaher Abu Rahmah.

The 36-year-old died in hospital in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah after collapsing on Friday during a protest against the Israeli separation barrier in the nearby village of Bil'in, hospital staff said.

Sfard accused the army of "using a massive amount of gas" during the protest.

The Israeli military said that an "investigation has been opened to determine the exact cause of death," and that it had "unsuccessfully contacted the Palestinian Authority to obtain a medical report."

On Friday, the military said it had used unspecified "means of dispersing demonstrations" against some 250 violent protesters taking part in a weekly rally against the fence near the West Bank village of Bil'in.

Photos showed clouds of tear gas billowing around stone-throwing protesters.

Abu Rahmah's death has been condemned as a "war crime" by the Palestinians.

"We condemn this abominable crime by the Israeli occupation army in Bil'in against people taking part in a peaceful demonstration and consider it an Israeli war crime against our people," Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erakat told AFP on Saturday.

Nearly 200 demonstrators gathered in Tel Aviv on Saturday to protest against Abu Rahmah's death. A dozen people were arrested, an AFP correspondent reported.

Overnight on Saturday, another 11 people were arrested after demonstrating outside the US ambassador's residence in the city of Herzliya, just north of Tel Aviv.

"There was a local disturbance about 12:30am outside the ambassador's residence," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told AFP. "Apparently the group had thrown two empty gas grenades at the residence."

Rosenfeld said 11 people were arrested, including a female German citizen, but said he had no information on whether the incident was a protest.

Israeli military radio said the incident was a demonstration linked to Abu Rahmah's death.

Israel says the projected 723 kilometers of steel and concrete walls, fences and barbed wire is needed for security. The Palestinians view it as a land grab that undermines their promised state.

The International Court of Justice issued a non-binding ruling in 2004 calling for parts of the barrier inside the West Bank to be torn down and for further construction in the territory to cease.

Israel has ignored the ruling.

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=347419