Israel extends curfew in Palestinian town
Wednesday, July 9th, 20087/7/08
Israeli soldiers fired tear gas and stun grenades on Monday to stifle protests against the West Bank barrier, declared illegal by the World Court four years ago this week. The army kept a curfew on the Palestinian town of Nilin for the fourth day, using force to keep a small group of protesters and journalists from approaching the cordoned-off town of 5,000. Ayman Nafi, the blockaded town’s mayor, said vegetables, dairy products and some medicines were in short supply and the local pharmacy had not been allowed to open. “They want to send a message: Resisting the construction of the wall will inflict suffering and damage upon you,” Nafi told Reuters by telephone. “Their policy will increase our determination to prevent them from erecting this racist wall.” The army imposed a curfew on Nilin, which lies in the West Bank some 20km east of Tel Aviv, on Friday after violence erupted during protests at a barrier construction site. An army spokesman said eight security personnel and two workers were hurt in protests in the area over the past month.
