Israeli Undercover Agents And Soldiers Draw Guns And Tear Gas On Palestinian Protesters [Images]

The Israeli undercover police infiltrated a group of Palestinian youth who were embarking on a protest. According to reports, the agents drew their guns amid the tear gas that was also fired by the Israeli Defense Force (IDF).

The Electronic Intifada reports that since the beginning of last month, the road leading to a military checkpoint at Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem, has become a theater of regular confrontation between Israeli security forces and Palestinian youths. Many protests have also been staged in other cities in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

This particular protest—covered by Anne Paq, a French freelance photographer and member of the photography collective—in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, revealed a very chaotic scene in which Israeli undercover agents were captured drawing their guns on the protesters while IDF officers also fired tear gas, live and rubber bullets.

Rachel’s Tomb is located in northern Bethlehem and is a place of pilgrimage for Muslim, Christian and Jewish worshipers. However, the Palestinians claim Israel has barred them from using the place. Activists say the area has been completely walled off by Israel and fortified with military checkpoints, cutting off the main artery between Bethlehem and Jerusalem.

According to eyewitnesses, the Israeli agents were disguised as Palestinians when they infiltrated the protesters. When the protesters began to near Rachel’s Tomb, the agents jumped on the protesters, beating and arresting them.

Unknown to the protesters, soldiers from the IDF had positioned themselves in front of the wall that towers over the area. The IDF officers fired tear gas canisters, rubber-coated steel bullets and live bullets.

A nearby refugee camp was said to have been engulfed by the tear gas.

With no weapons to defend themselves, the Palestinians resorted to throwing stones at the heavily armed IDF and undercover agents.

Reportedly, although medics and journalists were also targeted with rubber-coated steel bullets, none were injured. At least three Palestinians were injured after being shot with live bullets. One of them is said to be critically wounded. He was shot in the neck and is currently undergoing surgery.

A victim of the tear gas at the refugee camp, told the Electronic Intifada that a week before the protest, an Israeli soldier had warned them that, “People of Aida, we are the occupation army. If you keep throwing stones, we will hit you with gas until you die. The children, the adults, and the elderly.”

The following day, an 8-month-old baby died after inhaling tear gas fired by IDF officers in the Bethlehem-area village of Beit Fajjar.

Observers say Israel’s violence against Palestinian protesters and its use of undercover agents disguised as civilians, is not new. Last month alone, it was reported that more than 7,000 Palestinians have been seriously injured by the Israeli security forces. According to reports, 26 Palestinians have also been killed by the Israeli security forces.

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