- Title: WEST BANK: Protesters storm Israeli military checkpoint
- Date: 29th March 2010
- Summary: PALESTINIAN SIDE OF BETHLEHEM CHECKPOINT, WEST BANK (MARCH 28, 2010) (REUTERS) DEMONSTRATORS MARCHING TOWARDS CHECKPOINT WITH BANNERS DEMONSTRATORS CARRYING LARGE PALESTINIAN FLAG DEMONSTRATORS AT CHECKPOINT MORE OF DEMONSTRATION DEMONSTRATOR BREAKS INTO CHECKPOINT GATE AFTER BEING PUSHED BY ISRAELI POLICEMAN ISRAELI SIDE OF BETHLEHEM CHECKPOINT, WEST BANK (MARCH 28, 2010) (REUTERS) DEMONSTRATORS WALKING THROUGH CHECKPOINT MORE OF DEMONSTRATION POLICEMAN PUSHING PALESTINIAN ON DONKEY ISRAELI POLICE AND ARMY ON SITE STAND-OFF BETWEEN ISRAELI POLICE AND DEMONSTRATORS (SOUNDBITE) (English) SAMI AWAD, DEMONSTRATOR, SAYING: "As Palestinians, Christians and Muslims we have been denied the right to pray in Jerusalem for many years and now we are saying the message: No wall, no checkpoints will prevent a peaceful, non-violent protest from reaching Jerusalem and prayer. And this is a message to the world. Palestinians are engaging in non-violence, we are seeing the response of the army, we are here peacefully, wanting to go and pray on Palm Sunday in our churches in Jerusalem, and they are preventing us from doing this." DEMONSTRATORS STARTING TO TURN BACK VARIOUS OF CLASHES BETWEEN SECURITY FORCES AND PROTESTERS VARIOUS OF ARRESTS MAN BEING PULLED OFF HORSE WOMAN BEING ARRESTED ISRAELI POLICE AND ARMY ARRESTING MAN MORE OF SCUFFLES ANOTHER MAN BEING PLACED UNDER ARREST ISRAELI ARMY AND POLICE HOLDING MAN AGAINST SEPARATION BARRIER POLICEMAN CLOSING JEEP DOOR VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS AND ISRAELI POLICEMEN STANDING BESIDE BARRIER
- Embargoed: 13th April 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA26YQ7F6U00EFPW45LIWYLEKEY
- Story Text: Palestinian Christians and Muslims were joined by international protesters in a march from Bethlehem towards a West Bank checkpoint on Sunday (March 28), as they tried to enter Jerusalem in protest of Israeli limitation on freedom of religious movement.
Reuters video showed scores of protesters advancing through the lightly manned checkpoint near the West Bank town of Bethlehem.
The protesters, carrying flags and banners tried crossing the pedestrian checkpoint, which is considered a closed area, without prior coordination. They were met by police and border police forces who prevented them from entering the Israeli side.
After a few metres, Israeli border policemen stopped them.
Sami Awad, one of the demonstrators, said that Muslim and Christians are being denied the right to pray in Jerusalem.
"As Palestinians, Christians and Muslims we have been denied the right to pray in Jerusalem for many years and now we are saying the message: No wall, no checkpoints will prevent a peaceful, non-violent protest from reaching Jerusalem and prayer. And this is a message to the world. Palestinians are engaging in non-violence, we are seeing the response of the army, we are here peacefully, wanting to go and pray on Palm Sunday in our churches in Jerusalem, and they are preventing us from doing this," Awad said.
Several protesters were dragged to the ground and detained at the site.
The organisers released a written statement, saying the purpose of the demonstration was to speak out against the restrictions placed on religious worship within Jerusalem.
Israeli police spokesperson Micky Rosenfeld said around a 100 Palestinians, internationals and Israelis arrived at the Rachel checkpoint aboard two buses. Rosenfeld said 12 protesters were taken for questioning and the rest were put on a bus and directed back into the West Bank. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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