Protestor killed in Bilin
Photo: Reuters
Tel Aviv protestors slam IDF 'murder'
Hundreds gather in Tel Aviv Saturday for march in honor of Palestinian killed in recent anti-fence rally in West Bank; 'our blood is precious, we will continue to protest, support Palestinian resistance ' says anarchist activist
Hundreds of demonstrators hit Tel Aviv's streets Saturday evening to protest the killing of an anti-fence activist
during a recent rally in Bilin.
The protestors, who marched from Ben Zion Boulevard to the Defense Ministry headquarters, said they intend to continue to protest the construction of the West Bank security fence despite their fear of being hurt by IDF troops.
Protestors in Tel Aviv (Photo: Yaron Brener)
Several dozen police officers were on hand in order to prevent disruptions as result of the march. Protestors were holding signs reading "Democracy isn't built on the bodies of demonstrators" and "Mr. Defense Minister, how many children did you murder today?"
Yonatan Pollack, an "Anarchists against the Fence" activist who took part in the march in memory of Bassem Ibrahim Abu-Rahma, said he believes "what happened cannot keep on happening."
"Our blood is precious to us and it should be precious to all, so that our friend's murder does not pass silently," he said.
Pollack stressed that his group will continue to protest the security fence's route in Bilin and Naalin, both focal points of violent clashes.
"We intend to continue protesting both here and in the territories, and to continue to object to the policy of robbing land…we plan to continue supporting Palestinian resistance," he said. ""We are shaking in our boots, yet despite this we have no choice but to continue our activities."
Meanwhile, Tel Aviv University student Basama Fahoum said that the death of Abu-Rahma is "outrageous because it's simply inhumane."
"A person attends a non-violent protest and is met by such disproportional response," she said. "It makes no sense."
IDF officials are continuing to look into the incident, which the army characterized as a riot. During the weekend, Palestinian and Israeli medical officials met in order to engage in a joint probe, which confirmed that Abu-Rahma was hurt by an object that hit his chest, and not by a bullet.
