Update from  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/02/285996.html.

Since early this morning, the Israeli Army has shot rubber and live ammunitions and large amount of tear gas to the unarmed demonstrators in Biddu,
killing 3 young Palestinians:
- Zacharia Mahmoud Eid, 26 year old from Beit Iksa,
- Mohamed Rayan, 26 year old from Beit Diggo
- Mohamed Saleh Bedwan, 20 year old who got shot in the head by a rubber bullet.

Another man named Abu Nabil Abu Eid died from a heart attack, provoked by excessive amount of tear gas. Eye witnesses from the ISM reported that snipers were shooting directly at the crowd. An ambulance was also shot in the back window early in the afternoon and 50 Palestinians are reportedly injured. The shootings are still going on.

The demonstrators have been attempting to stop the bulldozers from destroying more olive groves for three days. About a hundred olive trees have been uprooted since the beginning of the protests.

One Israeli female activist was reportedly arrested earlier this morning in Beit Surik. 3 young Palestinians were arrested by plain-clothed forces in the protesters crowd.

7 ISM Volunteers are still in Biddu to show solidarity with the villagers' struggle for their farmlands and to protest against the use of excessive violence to disperse the demonstrators.

For more information, please contact:

At the demo:
Tarek Al Sheikh : +972 67 544 919
Neal (ISM Activist): +972 66 346 165
Max (ISM Activist): +972 53 471 226

ISM Media Office: +972 2277 4602