Advertisement
West Bank

Palestinian shot dead by Israeli forces in West Bank protests

At least 150 people were wounded in the clashes.

West_Bank_&_Gaza_Map_2007_(Settlements) Wikimedia Wikimedia

ISRAELI SECURITY FORCES shot dead a Palestinian man and wounded 150 other people Thursday night during a massive protest in the West Bank against Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, Palestinian officials said.

Palestinian security and medical officials named the man as Mohammed Al-Aaraj, 25, and said he was among at least 10,000 people clashing with soldiers and border police in Qalandiya, between Jerusalem and Ramallah.

They said that at least 150 people were injured by live fire in the protest, and five were in critical condition.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas appealed for blood donors.

The army told AFP that live fire was used in a confrontation with thousands of rioters after some threw rocks, firecrackers and petrol bombs at soldiers and border police.

After several hours of conflict, an army spokeswoman said early Friday that the fighting had eased off.

Mideast Israel Palestinians An injured Palestinian protester is moved to the emergency room at the Ramallah Hospital, in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Nasser Nasser Nasser Nasser

The confrontation, and several smaller skirmishes throughout Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, came on Laylat al-Qadr, or Night of Destiny, when Muslims pray through the night as the holy month of Ramadan nears its end.

Earlier, police had said that due to fears of violent protest over the deadly Israeli military campaign in the Gaza Strip, they would bar men under the age of 50 from Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al Aqsa mosque for what are usually packed prayers on the last Friday of Ramadan.

Large numbers of police deployed throughout the city on Thursday night and the police said in a statement that two officers were injured by stone throwers in the vicinity of the mosque.

Police said that 20 protesters were arrested in various violent disturbances in Palestinian areas of the city.

Israeli public radio said Palestinians and troops also clashed around the West Bank cities of Nablus, Hebron Bethlehem and Tulkarem

Mideast Israel Palestinians Israeli soldiers shoot tear gas towards Palestinian protesters against the Israeli military action in Gaza, during a demonstration at Hawara checkpoint near the West Bank city of Nablus AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Peace

Meanwhile, signs of renewed efforts for a Gaza ceasefire were evident as the death toll continued to climb after Israel shelled a UN shelter killing 15 Palestinians.

Israel’s secretive security cabinet was expected to meet later in the day to discuss truce proposals passed to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by US Secretary of State John Kerry earlier in the week, Israeli media said.

Those reports came after an Israeli shell slammed into a UN facility sheltering displaced Gazans on Thursday, prompting UN chief Ban Ki-Moon to say he was “appalled” at the incident which “underscores the imperative for the killing to stop — and to stop now”.

© – AFP 2014

Read: Israeli shell hits UN school in Gaza killing 15 people, including UN staff

Your Voice
Readers Comments
157
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.