Accidental firefight breaks out between IDF and PA security personnel in Nablus
Israeli troops open fire at Palestinian security forces in overnight operation, apparently mistaking them for suspects, injuring one
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Israeli troops exchanged fire with Palestinian security forces in the northern West Bank city of Nablus early Tuesday morning in what the Israel Defense Forces said was an apparent case of mistaken identity.
According to Palestinian media, one of the Palestinian security officers was injured. No Israeli soldiers were wounded in the exchange, the army said.
“During operations to arrest terrorist operatives in the city of Nablus, a firefight broke out between IDF soldiers and people who were identified by the troops as suspects. After the fact, it was determined that it was Palestinian security services personnel,” the IDF said in a statement.
“The incident will be investigated,” it said.
The governor of Nablus, Ibrahim Ramadan, said that Israeli forces opened fire on a Palestinian security services building and injured a member of the PA’s security forces.
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He rejected the IDF’s claim that Palestinians shot at the Israeli troops as well, and said the Israeli forces fired at the building “surprisingly and unjustifiably,” the official PA Wafa news site reported.
“This is not the first time and will not be the last that the occupation army harms our people, but the dangerous part in this incident is that a Palestinian military headquarters was targeted,” Ramadan told the outlet.
מקורות פלסטיניים מדווחים: כוחות צה"ל צרו הלילה על מטה מנגנון הביטחון המסכל בשכם, אחד ממנגנוני הביטחון של הרשות הפלסטינית. על פי הדיווחים, הכוחות ירו באש חיה לעבר המטה, והביאו לפציעתו באורח קל של פעיל מנגנונים אחד
@AltmanMaayan pic.twitter.com/bbAdUL2z8f— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) June 11, 2019
The injured Palestinian security officer sustained light wounds, according to Wafa.
Israeli forces later withdrew from the city.
In overnight operations throughout the West Bank, Israeli troops arrested 18 Palestinian suspects, the army said.
The IDF said they were suspected of taking part in terrorist activities, rock-throwing and participating in riots.
Adam Rasgon contributed to this report.
The Times of Israel Community.