Rubber bullets fired at Naalin funeral-goers

Anti-fence committee members claim that security forces fired tear gas, rubber bullets, stun grenades at participants in funeral procession for Yousef Amira, allegedly killed by Border Guard fire during protest
Ali Waked

Palestinians in the West Bank village of Naalin are claiming that IDF soldiers and Border Guard officers fired rubber bullets at funeral-goers conducting a procession in honor of Yousef Ahmed Amira, who was mortally wounded by Israeli security forces during a protest a few days ago, and died from his wounds on Monday. Amira is the second victim killed by security forces in the village, after an 11-year old boy was shot last week.

Naalin protests continue. (Photo: AFP)

Members of the anti-fence committee who protest the construction of the separation fence in the area as well as Israeli activists said that during the funeral, which they claimed took place far from the fence, rubber bullets, stun grenades, and tear gas were fired at the funeral-goers. They claimed that one Palestinian suffered from a head injury when a tear gas container hit him directly.

The Palestinians reported that soldiers also attempted to delay the funeral procession arriving from the hospital in Ramallah when the participants attempted to enter the village. Aahad Khawaja, a member of the community committee in Naalin, told Ynet that residents had no plans of halting the protests against the fence.

"This murder by Israelis is meant to oppress us and break us, and cause us to relinquish our struggle, but we no longer have anything left to lose," Khawaja said.

"Despite the soldiers' and officers' behavior, who want to signal to the residents to halt their protest, we will not accept this. A man who had land that was taken away in order to build the fence, what does he have left to fear or to lose? The fire and the violence will not deter us from continuing to struggle for our rights."

The Border Guard stated in response that "in the beginning of the funeral Palestinians stopped at the entrance to the village, blocking the main road. The condition coordinated with the IDF pertaining to the funeral procession was that it would proceed quietly, and since this condition was violated soldiers used means for riot dispersal. The funeral then proceeded quietly into the village."