Jerusalem (AsiaNews) – While the third day of hearings are underway at the regarding the legality of the defensive barrier separating Palestine and Israel, in Jerusalem there is news of clashes between police and demonstrators.

Yesterday Israeli soldiers wounded at least 50 Palestinians from Beit Sira and Beit Surik, as they attempted to stop the construction of the Wall, work which would destroy their farmland. The mayor of Beit Surik, Muhammad Qundial, said that 50 residents were injured, including some elderly people.

Israeli police said they fired blank grenades and tear gas to break up the angry crowd.   

Farmers and inhabitants of the two villages, located north of Jerusalem, gathered at the scene yesterday morning, after they found out that a bulldozer would start digging through their land to build the Wall's foundation.

The defensive barrier is planned to cross through the villages' olive groves and peach orchards, destroying this farmland and depriving villagers of a vital source of income. Moreover, around 60 hectares of the farmland will pass under Israel jurisdiction.  

 "Our juicy peaches are famous throughout the land," said the mayor. "Now we will lose both our peach and olive trees."

Some 100 protestors did everything they could to stop the destruction 150 meter-long rows of olive trees. Many of them laid down on the ground in front of the bulldozer to stop it from digging. But their attempts were made in vain as soldiers dispersed the crown by firing tear gas and hitting them with clubs.

Four days before the incident, thousands of inhabitants peacefully demonstrated to change the course of the Wall.

The Wall's construction began in 2002. Israel says the defensive barrier will save its country from terrorist attacks. In fact, since the was has been being built, attacks have gone down by 50%. However, its course risks appropriating a good part of the Occupied Territories in Israel's favor.  

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• palestine
• wall
• terrorism
• destruction
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• rights