Israeli Military Uses Live Ammunition Against Unarmed Demonstrators

Israeli Military Uses Live Ammunition Against Unarmed Demonstrators

At 3 pm on Monday, July 03, 2006, 7 internationals including MPT and about 100 Palestinians, mostly youths, were present to stop the illegal bulldozing and annexation of Palestinian farmland.

The bulldozer was initially peacefully stopped by many Palestinians and 4 internationals who put their bodies in front of the bulldozer. Upon doing this it was reported that the military fired live ammunition. Fortunately, no one was injured. After this the bulldozer retreated, and a stand off between the Israeli Army and the protesters proceeded. During this time two Palestinians were briefly detained. The stand off lasted for about an hour and a half.

The military began to force the crowd of Palestinians and internationals away from the bulldozing area. As the bulldozing commenced, the land owner and three internationals were able to break through the military line. They sat with their arms linked in the bucket of the massive bulldozer.

The brutality of the military broke an elderly Palestinian man's leg when breaking up the direct action. As he lay on the ground, the internationals attempted to "de-arrest" him.

At this time the military declared the area as a "closed military zone" and provided documentation. They threatened to arrest everyone if they did not leave the area. The internationals said that they would leave the area if they would release the Palestinians and also stop the illegal bulldozing. The Israeli army refused to stop the bulldozing and they started arresting the group as the man with the broken leg lay on the ground.

3 internationals were arrested and 2 Palestinians were detained then released. The internationals were still being held at the time of this writing. MPT members were not arrested but are trying to help get the others released.

Meanwhile, the military began firing rubber bullets at the crowd that had been pushed back to a separate location. The crowd at this time was mostly children. The assault lasted for the next forty-five minutes and ended with tear-gas as the bulldozing continued behind a line of 20 soldiers.