Protesters attacked in Ramallah by PA forces as Arab and international cities demonstrate for Basil al-Araj

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  • Palestinian forces use live fire against protesters opposing the PA in Duheisha
    March 12, 2017 9:44 P.M. (Updated: March 12, 2017 10:34 P.M.)
    http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?ID=775918

    BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Clashes erupted between Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces and demonstrators at Duheisha refugee camp in the occupied West Bank district of Bethlehem on Sunday evening, as locals reported that police were shooting live fire towards Palestinian youths.

    Scores of Palestinians marched from Duheisha on Sunday afternoon to protest a legal case against slain activist Basel al-Araj and five other Palestinians who were imprisoned alongside him last year by the PA, as well as to denounce police repression against a similar protest in Ramallah earlier in the day.

    The march headed to a Palestinian police station in the nearby village of Artas, where clashes then erupted.

    Local news sources and Duheisha residents reported that Palestinian police officers forces were using live bullets, tear gas, and sound bombs against the demonstrators, as youths threw rocks and Molotov cocktails at police forces.

    Local news page al-Duheisha al-Hadath said that Palestinian forces had raided at least one home in Duheisha in the clashes.

    Al-Duheisha al-Hadath also reported that ambulances treated protesters for excessive tear gas inhalation. A spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent could not be reached for comment.

    #AP_Israël #Basel_al-Araj

    • Protesters attacked in Ramallah by PA forces as Arab and international cities demonstrate for Basil al-Araj
      March 12, 2017
      http://samidoun.net/2017/03/protesters-attacked-in-ramallah-by-pa-forces-as-arab-and-international-cit

      Protesting Palestinians in Ramallah came under attack by Palestinian Authority security forces this morning, including the father of slain Palestinian youth activist Basil al-Araj, journalists and former prisoners, such as Khader Adnan. Later in the evening, PA police also attacked a march in Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem demanding an end to security coordination and honoring al-Araj.

      The demonstration was called in protest of PA security coordination with the Israeli occupation, under which al-Araj and his comrades were initially imprisoned by the PA after a court hearing was maintained for charges against al-Araj and his comrades for Sunday, 12 March. Their arrest was touted as a significant achievement for PA-Israeli security coordination in April 2016.(...)

    • Hundreds attend funeral in al-Walaja for slain Palestinian activist Basel al-Araj
      March 17, 2017 1:52 P.M. (Updated: March 17, 2017 9:33 P.M.)
      https://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=775983

      BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Some 2,000 mourners took part in a funeral procession for Basel al-Araj on Friday evening, after the 31-year-old Palestinian activist was killed by Israeli forces nearly two weeks ago.

      Israel has held al-Araj’s body since March 6 — when Israeli forces ambushed him in a home near Ramallah, in what was branded as an “execution” and an “assassination” of the man, who was beloved in Palestinian activist circles as a freedom fighter, an intellectual, and a theorist.

      Israeli authorities handed over his remains Friday afternoon at Israel’s 300 Checkpoint at the entrance to the southern occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem, after which the Palestinian Red Crescent transferred the body to Beit Jala Governmental Hospital.

      An autopsy conducted at the hospital determined the main cause of death to be a bullet to the heart, though at least nine other bullet wounds were identified, according to a statement from the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

      In addition to the bullet that pierced his heart, several bullets hit al-Araj’s head, two bullets hit the upper part of his back, one bullet hit the right side of his chest, one bullet hit his stomach, while bullets and shrapnel also pierced his pelvis.

      The funeral for al-Araj began later Friday evening after his body arrived to his hometown of al-Walaja, a small village northeast of Bethlehem.