Residents of Chasmonaim, in the Modi’in region, some living only hundred of meters from the Arab village of Na’alin, are not having an easy time regarding weekly Friday protests by the villagers and Israeli left-wingers against the partition fence in the area. Security forces routinely use teargas to control the area, and residents explain that every erev shabbos, they are compelled to close windows and trisim to prevent being overtaken by the teargas, adding it is not rare that when they head to shul erev shabbos that family members complain of “burning in the eyes” and other symptoms of the gas that lingers in the air.

For the families living closest to the village, they are prisoner in their homes, unable to leave, an event that repeats itself every erev shabbos. Residents are calling on the IDF to use alternative means of riot-control adjuncts, with the military responding it is doing its best to prevent damage to the barrier fence, taking into consideration the difficult situation of area residents.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)