Witness: 3 journalists detained during Beit Ummar protest

Ma'an
Israeli forces detained four, including at least one Palestinian journalist, and reportedly beat several civilians during a rally in Beit Ummar on Saturday, protesting restrictions on access to agricultural land confiscated by the Karmi Zur settlement.

Witnesses described driving through clouds of tear gas on Road 60 at 10am Saturday morning, the result of Israeli soldiers attempts to disperse the rally.

A statement from the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee said "procession was attacked as soon as the large contingent of soldiers, which was positioned at the entrance to the village to fend off demonstrators, noticed the marchers and without provocation."

Reuters photojournalist Yusri Al-Jamal and an unidentified Pal Media cameraman were among those assaulted, witnesses said. The struggle committee said one journalist was detained, while witnesses identified three, including, Abdul-Hafith Hashlamoun, Nasser Shyouhi, and Fadi Hamad.

According to the struggle committee,Shyouhi is a cameraman for The Associated Press. The statement said several cameras were damaged when "soldiers continued to target people holding a camera."

The statement said the protest organizer Youssef Abu Marya was also detained......

Residents said soldiers invaded the town after the protest was disbanded, and the struggle committee statement confirmed the report, saying "[s]oldiers occupied at least one house in the village without showing its owner a seizure order as required by law," noting "clashes ensued between local youth who tried to ward off the incursion by throwing stones at the armored jeeps, and between soldiers who used tear-gas, stun grenades and rubber-coated bullets."   Full story