Israeli forces assaulted a group of cyclists who were participating in a West Bank tour on Saturday, official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported. Footage appeared on YouTube which showed an Israeli commander hitting an international participant with the butt of his rifle, in an unprovoked attack. Israeli forces can be seen physically assaulting cyclists in the video.
Soldiers stopped a group of around 250 participants near the Jericho village of al-Auja and refused to let them start a cycling tour, which was organized by youth group Sharek and officials from the al-Auja environmental center. The tour planned to take participants on a 25 km journey through the Jordan Valley. When participants protested against orders to stop cycling, soldiers used force against them, injuring several people. The officer involved in the assault was identified as Shalom Eisner, the deputy commander of the Jordan Valley brigade.
From YouTube
Israeli police arrested more peace activists
Organizers of the Welcome to Palestine campaign said Sunday that the first day of the initiative has been a success, despite the fact that only two activists have been able to enter the West Bank. “It was a success at a media level, but it was not a success at a human level in the sense that we were not able to have our friends with us,” coordinator Abdul-Fatah Abu Srour told reporters in Bethlehem.
Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said that 45 people had been refused entry at Ben Gurion airport by the evening and would be deported. Nine Israeli peace activists, some holding “Welcome to Palestine” signs, were also detained as they waited to greet the arrivals.
Organizer Mazin Qumsiyeh said that two participants had arrived on Sunday via Ben Gurion airport, but were not asked where they were going by Israeli authorities.
A total of between 15-20 people have managed to enter the West Bank so far to participate in the week’s agricultural, cultural and artistic events. One of the activists, a French citizen, said that 31 out of 50 people in her group were barred from boarding their flight in Lyon airport, with the others prevented from entering Israel upon their arrival at Ben Gurion.
The Welcome to Palestine campaign was expecting around 1,500 people to arrive, but so far hundreds have been barred from boarding flights to Tel Aviv.
Earlier, organizers told Israeli daily “Haaretz” that more than 60 percent of the expected 1,500 had flights canceled by airlines, after Israel circulated a blacklist of passengers and warned it would fine carriers. “We have shown that Israel pretends it is the only democracy in the Middle East,” coordinator Abdul-Fatah Abu Srour said. “It is a real disaster for the Israeli government,” added.
Related:
Communist Party of Israel called on government to welcome fly in peace activists
