US Peace Activist Loses Eye in Peaceful Protest against Flotilla Attack

Local Editor

An American solidarity activist has lost her eye and sustained critical injuries to the face as she demonstrated in Qalandiya yesterday.

The US Activist, Emily Henochowicz, is recovering at Hadassah Hospital after two surgeries Monday night.

She lost her left eye, three metal plates were inserted into her head/face, and her jaw is wired shut. The bone surrounding her eye socket, cheekbone and jawbone are all fractured.

Emily was standing peacefully during a demonstration at Qalandiya checkpoint Monday when Border Police fired a large number of tear gas canisters directly at the heads of Emily and another International Solidarity Movement activist who were protesting "Israel's" murder of at least 10 civilians aboard the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in international waters Monday morning.

21-year old Emily Henochowicz was hit in the face with a tear gas projectile fired directly at her by an "Israeli" soldier during the demonstration at Qalandiya checkpoint. "Israeli" occupation forces fired volleys of tear gas at unarmed Palestinian and international protesters, causing mass panic amongst the demonstrators and those queuing at the largest checkpoint separating the West Bank and occupied Palestinian territories.

"They clearly saw us," said Sören Johanssen, a Swedish ISM volunteer standing with Henochowicz. "They clearly saw that we were internationals and it really looked as though they were trying to hit us. They fired many canisters at us in rapid succession. One landed on either side of Emily, then the third one hit her in the face."

Henochowicz is an art student at the prestigious Cooper Union, located in East Village, Manhattan.

The demonstration was one of many that took place across the West Bank yesterday in outrage over the "Israeli" military's attack on the Gaza freedom flotilla and blatant violation of international law.

Tear-gas canisters are meant to be used as a means of crowd dispersal, to be shot indirectly at demonstrators and from a distance. However, Zionist forces frequently shoot canisters directly at protesters and are not bound by a particular distance from which they can shoot.