Demonstrators disrupted new construction in the Israeli colony of Nili. Israeli soldiers responded with baton charges, tear-gas, rubber-coated bullets and live ammunition. One organizer was arrested and many olive trees were burned.

Two Palestinian youths in their twenties were hit by live ammunition today, during a demo against illegal colony expansion on the lands of  the West Bank villages of Ni’lin and  Deir Qaddis . One, a 24 year-old, was shot in the pelvis and shoulder, the second, a 22 year-old, was shot in the back of his thigh; an injury that will require a hospital operation. Mohammed Amirah, a member of Ni’lin’s Popular Committee, after being severely beaten, was arrested for “incitement”  (1:24 mins into the video).

Organized by the Ni’lin, Budrus and Deir Qaddis Popular Committees against the Apartheid- Annexation Wall and Israeli colonies, residents from all three villages accompanied by Israeli and international supporters, marched to their lands today in order to stop the expansion of the colony of Nili.

As the protesters advanced towards the bulldozers, Israeli occupation soldiers and Border Police officers first fired live rounds into the air and then very quickly regressed to shooting  tear-gas and rubber-coated bullets directly at the protesters. Despite the attack, demonstrators managed to reach the bulldozers and halted construction for half an hour during which they were beaten and Muhammed Amireh arrested.

As the protesters retreated, soldiers pursued them to the edge of the village, where clashes ensued and where the two were shot – additionally,  six more were struck by rubber coated steel  bullets, also, many olive trees were burned as a result of tear gas grenades being shot into the fields at the demonstrators.

The demo ended at 4:30 pm