UPDATES WITH INJURIES IN ISRAELI RAID
By Qais Abu Samra
NABLUS, West Bank (AA) – Dozens of Palestinians suffered a temporary asphyxiation from teargas canisters fired by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank on Monday, according to a local Palestinian official.
Israeli forces used teargas bombs and rubber bullets to disperse Palestinians, who gathered to prevent settlers from attacking their property in the village of Urif, south of Nablus, Mazen Shehada, chief of the village’s local council, said.
“Dozens of Israeli settlers stormed the village and hurled stones on Palestinian homes and a school in the area,” he said.
According to Shehada, Israeli forces provided protection to the settlers, triggering clashes with Palestinian villagers.
There was no comment from the Israeli military on the claim.
Last week, Israeli settlers vandalized a Palestinian vehicle in a suspected “price tag” attack in the same village.
Meanwhile, four Palestinians were injured by Israeli army fire during a raid in the town of Deir Abu Mashaal, west of Ramallah, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
The ministry said one of the injured Palestinians was in a serious condition.
The injuries occurred during clashes that erupted between Palestinian youths and Israeli forces during a dawn raid in the town.
Israeli forces used live ammunition, rubber bullets and teargas canisters to disperse angry Palestinians, according to local residents.
The Israeli army frequently carries out wide-ranging arrest campaigns across the occupied West Bank on the pretext of searching for “wanted” Palestinians.
According to Palestinian figures, more than 700,000 Jewish settlers now live on 196 settlements (built with the Israeli government’s approval) and more than 200 settler outposts (built without its approval) across the occupied West Bank.
International law views the West Bank and East Jerusalem as “occupied territories ” and considers all Jewish settlement-building activity on the land to be illegal.
