***image2***On July 6th, Occupation Forces began razing agricultural lands in the village of Immatin, Qalqiliya District for the Apartheid Wall. Villagers mobilized immediately and have been waging protests for the past two weeks. Clashes continued today, as Occupation Forces attempted to quell a persistent and vocal crowd who were joined in solidarity by neighboring villages. Occupation forces intercepted the protestors as they moved towards the Zionist bulldozers by declaring the area a âclosed military zone.â Villagers refused, however, to turn back or be alienated from their own lands. Occupation Forces retaliated with tear gas, rubber bullets, and live ammunition, injuring forty villagers who were mostly under 18 years old. One man was critically injured in the leg and rushed to Qalqilya hospital after an Occupation jeep tried to run him over.
After four hours of demonstration and face to face confrontation, protestors returned to the village emergency clinic to strategize on further plans of mobilization. During the meeting, Occupation Forces invaded the village, encircling the clinic and surrounding houses. Villagers assembled in front of them blocking their entry, and clashes recommenced. Occupation Forces attempted to capture and arrest 10 people, but were forced to release them as villagers resisted vehemently. The following day, the village was forced under curfew in an attempt to jail and pacify resistance. Village Council Officials sent out urgent calls to popular committee networks and Occupation Forces were forced to withdraw the curfew.
***image3***Construction of the Apartheid Wall in Immatin, situated in the northwest region of the West Bank, is part of the latest phase of Zionist land confiscation that aims to expel Palestinians from their land, in order to expand and reinforce the colonial settlements of Immanu`el, Qarne Shomron and Qedumin. Confiscation Orders were given to the villagers of Immatin in Februrary 2005, which administers a village population of 2,700 people. The Orders stipulated that construction of the Wall will be in three phases, totaling 5-6 meters in length by its completion and will confiscate 10,000 of the villageâs 27,000 dunums of land, including over 5000 olive trees and bean plants. To date, 700 olive trees have been destroyed and uprooted during the first phase of destruction. Occupation Forces have already grazed the entire length of the Wall that is designed to enclose Immatin into a U-shape ghetto with entry/exit only from the north. In order to access their lands, if at all, villagers will be forced to make extended detours through Qalqilyaâs gates.
Destruction of Palestinian lands and livelihood continues unabated as the international community turns a blind eye. Palestinians have placed an urgent call to support our campaign to isolate the Occupation and demand that the Apartheid Wall be torn down!
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