A number of Palestinians suffocated today after inhaling tear gas fired by them by Israeli forces in the town of Sinjil to the north of Ramallah, according to local activist Ayed Ghafri.
He said that Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians while they were plowing their land threatened with seizure by Israel.
Israeli forces reportedly joined in on the attack and fired tear gas canisters toward farmers, causing several people to suffocate.
“Settler violence has long since become part of Palestinians’ daily life under occupation. Israeli security forces enable these actions, which result in Palestinians casualties – injuries and fatalities – as well as damage to land and property. In some cases, they even serve as an armed escort, or even join in the attacks,” said the Israeli information center for human rights in occupied territories, B’Tselem.
“Investigations, if even opened, are usually closed with no action taken against perpetrators as part of an undeclared policy of leniency. The long-term effect of this violence is the dispossession of Palestinians from increasing parts of the West Bank, making it easier for Israel to take over land and resources,” said B’Tselem.
Source: Palestine News & Information Agency