Father of 3 Shot Dead in Ni’lin
June 5th, 2009 § Leave a Comment
An Israeli soldier throws a grenade at protestors.
Stop the Wall reports that Yousef Srour was shot dead by an Israeli soldier during a Ni’lin demonstration against Israel’s Apartheid Wall yesterday. Srour, who was also affectionately known as ‘Aqel,’ was trying to get a 16 year old boy who had also been shot to safety when the bullet hit him. Three additional protesters were also shot on the same day and the 16 year old boy remains in critical condition. Srour leaves behind his wife and three young children.
International activists and Nil’in inhabitants have been actively protesting the Israeli Apartheid wall since its construction. Protesters are regularly shot at, grenaded and attacked with tear gas. The Apartheid Wall separates villagers from their means of livelihood and their land. The Israeli forces have not only invaded the village, but also uprooted ancient olive trees, a main source of income for Palestinian farmers. Sources report that almost 30 people have been killed by Israeli forces, including 12 year old Summer Amira, who was standing on the roof of her home when she was shot in the arm.
“Summer and I were standing on the roof watching soldiers enter our village. Summer was standing behind me, leaning against a pole and the bullet flew past my head and hit her arm. The soldier was aiming at us. Two weeks ago, my other sister, Raja, was injured in the leg with a sound grenade when the army tried to occupy a home to shoot at demonstrators.”
The Ni’lin Village protests initially receieved a fair amount of international attention from progressive media, but contributing reporter Max Blumenthal of Mondoweiss notes that once the media presence subsided, the Israeli forces began using live bullets.
Yesterday, true to form, the army set up positions in the hills above the village and began firing teargas volleys towards a cluster of about 30 demonstrators seeking to block the path of the wall’s construction. I stood behind the demonstrators and filmed. Within minutes we were blanketed by teargas as canisters exploded all around us. My eyes burned until I couldn’t see; I struggled to breathe as I ran down a narrow street, seeking cover behind walls. This happened over and over throughout the day… With the media and international presence gone, Israeli forces transitioned from tear gas to live bullets.
American international solidarity movement protester Tristan Anderson was also almost killed when an Israeli soldier shot a high velocity tear gas projectile at his head in March. Anderson’s supporters have requested that the American government conduct investigations, but to no avail.
Watch the clip below to get an idea of the kind of conditions Ni’lin protesters are forced to endure. Keep in mind that villagers are also always at risk regardless of whether they are involved in the protest or not, as was the case with Amira.
