IDF forces used crowd dispersal means against some 250 Palestinian
protesters outside the Ofer Military Prison in the West Bank
Wednesday, in the second straight day of protests held in solidarity
with hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners.
The IDF said some of the protesters threw stones at army personnel,
to which soldiers responded with various crowd dispersal means,
including rubber bullets. No arrests were made and no soldiers were
injured, a spokesman said.
While the IDF said one protestor was lightly injured at the scene,
Abir Kopty of the Popular Struggle Resistance Committee said she
counted 20 injured protestors, including four or five who were taken
away by ambulance.
She said that like Tuesday, there was in her estimation a "higher
than normal" amount of rubber bullets used by IDF forces.
On Tuesday, a similar protest took place in which one young female
protester managed to climb atop an IDF water cannon at the scene and
raised a Palestinian flag. Video of the incident shows her being
apprehended by Border Police forces who used pepper spray but did not
arrest them.
On Thursday, activists were planning another protest in solidarity
with hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners at the Ramle prison
hospital, where some of the prisoners are being held.
Organizers said the protest was against the practice of
administrative detention.
At least 1,200 Palestinian prisoners launched an open-ended hunger
strike on April 17.
Besides administrative detention, the hunger strikers are protesting
solitary confinement, restrictions on visits, strip searches of
certain visitors and access to studying for academic degrees.
The start of the strike last week coincided with the release of
Khader Adnan, a prisoner who refused food for 66 days before agreeing
to a deal under which he was freed. Adnan is a member of Islamic
Jihad.
The striking prisoners said they would drink only water and salt
until their demands are met.
