Westbank: Demonstrations Met with Live Ammunition

Demonstrations Met with Live Ammunition Across the West Bank

A Palestinian protester was struck in the calf with a live bullet shot by a sniper in Bil'in. Live ammunition was also used in Ni'ilin and Nabi Saleh.

Ashraf Khatib suffered a fracture to his leg today after being shot in the calf by an Israeli sniper during an anti-wall demonstration in the West Bank village of Bil'in. Khatib was hit with an 0.22" caliber bullet, which was prohibited for crowed control use by the military's Judge Advocate General. Two demonstrators -14 year-old Az a-Din al-Jamal in Hebron and Aqel Srour in Ni'ilin - have already been killed by these bullets in 2009, despite the JUG's prohibition on their use.

Recently, a military officer who was in charge of operations in the Israeli Army's Binyamin Brigade said in military court that he is not familiar with the JUG directives and that the army does consider 0.22" caliber bullets as legitimate means for crowd control.

Live ammunition was also shot at demonstrators in an attempt to disperse the protest in the village of Ni'ilin, after soldiers crossed into village lands through a gate in the concrete wall. Soldiers also fired live rounds in Nabi Saleh, where an Israeli demonstrator was detained.

In Bil'in, in addition to Khatib who was hit by live ammunition, an international activist was hit in the shoulder by a tear-gas projectile shot directly at him.

ENDS

© Scoop Media