2 Palestinians hurt in clashes with IDF near Ramallah

Two Palestinians were shot by Israeli forces near Ramallah on Wednesday, seriously injuring one of them, and the IDF spokesperson said it was investigating a video which seemed to show soldiers beating a rock thrower, as unrest continued to rock the West Bank and Jerusalem Wednesday.

The IDF said its forces fired at hundreds of protesting Palestinians who hurled rocks, firecrackers and firebombs at the soldiers guarding a checkpoint near the settlement of Beit El, outside Ramallah, Israel Radio reported.

The army said in a statement soldiers also heard gunfire.

“Today near Beit El, 350 Palestinians threw stones and Molotov cocktails, set tires on fire and shot fireworks at IDF soldiers. In response, the IDF fired at the main agitators,” an army spokesperson told The Times of Israel.

The military said it made one arrest and two people were injured and taken to Jerusalem hospitals.

One of the two injured protesters was said to be in critical condition.

A number of initial reports inaccurately said that the protester was shot and killed by IDF fire.

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A video posted online showed a number of soldiers and undercover Israeli police shooting at rock throwers and punching and kicking one of them after throwing him to the ground.

An IDF spokesperson said the Spokesperson’s Unit was checking into the video.

According to the Palestinian Ma’an News Agency, the Red Crescent treated 18 for injures from rubber-coated bullets during the clashes.

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Clashes have also been reported in other spots around the West Bank and East Jerusalem, with injuries to Palestinians, soldiers and Israeli Border Policemen.

In Jerusalem’s Old City, a soldier was lightly injured when hit by a rock in the head.

Clashes were also reported in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Hanina and at the Qalandiya checkpoint.