IDF: Troops open fire at Palestinian rioters in southern West Bank, striking one
Army says suspects threw stones, Molotov cocktails and burning tires as soldiers near village of Hursa; no word on condition of man hit by Israeli fire
The Israel Defense Forces said troops fired at Palestinians who were violently rioting near the southern West Bank village of Hursa late Monday night.
The army said the suspects were throwing stones and Molotov cocktails in addition to burning tires near a military checkpost, as soldiers carried out a nighttime operation. The troops fired at the Palestinians and hit one of them, according to the IDF.
There was no immediate word on the condition of the suspect, nor as to whether the soldiers had used live fire.
None of the Israeli soldiers were injured in the incident near Hursa, which lies in Area A of the West Bank. Though the Oslo Accords intended such territory to be under full Palestinian control, the Israeli army regularly carries out raids in such villages, which it says are aimed at countering terror.
The clash took place as tensions across the Green Line were again charged following Sunday’s controversial Jerusalem Day Flag March, which saw some 70,000 religious nationalists parade through the Old City by way of the Damascus Gate and the Muslim Quarter in celebration of the reunification of the capital. Hundreds of participants were filmed chanting “Death to Arabs,” “Muhammad is dead,” “May your village burn,” and other racist slogans while harassing some of the Palestinian onlookers.
The march took place in the shadow of threats by Palestinian terror groups, warning they would violently respond if it went through.
Several hours after its conclusion, clashes broke out between Palestinians, Jewish Israelis, and Israeli police clashed at several locations across Jerusalem.
