Palestinians injured in Jerusalem, West Bank clashes

Palestinian Red Crescent says more than two dozen hurt in protests, no injuries reported on Israeli side

By Dov Lieber and ToI Staff 23 July 2017, 10:34 pm Edit
Border Police fire a stun grenade in an attempt to disperse Palestinian Muslim worshipers outside the Old City of Jerusalem's Lions Gate on July 22, 2017. (AFP Photo/Ahmad Gharabli)
Border Police fire a stun grenade in an attempt to disperse Palestinian Muslim worshipers outside the Old City of Jerusalem's Lions Gate on July 22, 2017. (AFP Photo/Ahmad Gharabli)

More than two dozen Palestinians were wounded in fresh clashes that broke out on Sunday night in Jerusalem and the West Bank as Palestinians continued to protest against new security measures at the entrance to Jerusalem’s Temple Mount.

The continued violence comes after three Palestinians were killed in clashes with Israeli forces on Friday during riots over the Temple Mount metal detectors, and two more died Saturday, including one who died when a petrol bomb he was planning to throw at Israeli security forces exploded prematurely.

Also on Friday, a 19-year-old Palestinian infiltrated into the West Bank settlement of Halamish and stabbed to death three members of the Salomon family at a Shabbat celebration.

Thousands of Muslims gathered to pray outside Lions Gate, next to the holy site, known to Muslims as Haram Al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary). At the conclusion of the prayers, riots broke out which police broke up with stun grenades and other forms of riot control.

Palestinian Red Crescent said that two people were injured there and brought from Lion’s Gate to the hospital with injuries from the clashes.

In the Jordan Valley a Palestinian man was lightly hurt from IDF fire after trying to flee from soldiers.

According to the army, troops stopped his vehicle near the Bedouin village of Jiftlik and asked the man to present his documents. He told them he had left his papers at home.

During the journey to his home, followed by the soldiers, he tried to to escape in his vehicle and then on foot. After he failed to heed warnings to stop, troops shot him in the leg. The man received initial treatment at the site and was later taken by the Palestinian Red Crescent for further medical treatment.

Elsewhere, two Palestinians teens were lightly wounded by IDF fire, as they approach the settlement of Tzofim, near the West Bank city of Qalqilya.

IDF medics treated the two at the scene.

According to the IDF, they were seen setting tires on fire near the settlement when an IDF force nearby ordered them to leave, then shot in their direction.

There were also clashes at the Qalandiya checkpoint, located between Jerusalem and Ramallah. The Palestinian Red Crescent said in a statement that it was treating 10 people injured there.

Three people were shot by rubber-coated bullets, six suffered from tear gas inhalation, and one person from a fall, the Red Crescent said.

Palestinian Red Crescent also said it treated 15 people who were injured by tear gas inhalation in Abu Dis.

At the entrance to Bethlehem protesters set fire to mock metal detectors.

The Lions Gate area was the scene of a deadly terror attack on July 14, in which three Arab Israeli gunmen shot and killed two Israeli police officers, using guns they had smuggled into the compound. The deadly attack prompted Israel to install metal detectors at the Gate of the Tribes access point to the Mount there to prevent further weapons smuggling, enraging Muslim worshipers and setting off increasingly violent mass protests.

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