Al Mezan
28-2-2012
At
approximately 11:50 am on Tuesday 28 February 2012, Israeli Occupation
Forces (IOF) opened heavy fire with live ammunition and launched tens of
tear gas canisters at a peaceful demonstration organized by the Local
Initiative in Beit Hanoun. The demonstrations are organized weekly to
protest the imposition of the so-called “security buffer zone.”
Demonstrators were about 200 meters from the separation fence when the
IOF opened fire on them. No casualties or injuries were reported, but
most of the demonstrators suffered from the effects of tear gas. This
is not the first time that the IOF has attacked the peaceful weekly
demonstration.
In his affidavit to Al Mezan, Saber Az-Zaneen, 33, one of the demonstration’s organizers, stated: “At around 11:15 am on Tuesday, 50
Palestinians, five international solidarity activists, eight
journalists, and members of the Local Initiative walked in a march from
the Agricultural Secondary School to a point near the border about 150
meters away from the separation fence. At around 11:50, we were surprised by Israeli snipers in a concrete watchtower who opened fire at us,
so we headed to the south. I saw three soldiers ascend to the top of
the watchtower and start firing gas canisters at us. The wind was
strong and was blowing the gas away from us. The situation was
chaotic. The firing lasted for about 40 minutes, until we left the area
around 12:30 pm on the same day. This is the second time that they’ve
fired tear gas canisters at the demonstration.”
