Violent demonstrations break out again in Hebron
Some 80 Palestinians throw rocks and firebombs at Israeli troops, who respond with rubber bullets and tear gas
Judah Ari Gross is The Times of Israel's religions and Diaspora affairs correspondent.
Dozens of Palestinians rioted near the Tomb of the Patriarchs in the West Bank city of Hebron on Wednesday morning, throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails at IDF and Border Police troops in the area.
In response, the soldiers employed various riot-control munitions, including rubber bullets and tear gas, to disperse the crowd of approximately 80 Palestinians, but the demonstration continued, an IDF spokeswoman told The Times of Israel.
“At this point we have not received reports of any injuries,” the spokeswoman said Wednesday morning. “However, this is still ongoing and there may be developments as the day goes on.”
Violent demonstrations have become a nearly daily occurrence in Hebron in recent weeks. Unlike other Palestinian cities in the West Bank, Hebron contains a Jewish population of several hundred people and, consequently, an increased Israeli military and police presence for their protection. Those soldiers and the checkpoints they operate become flashpoints for protests and riots.
IDF and Israel Police arrested 33 Palestinians Tuesday night for taking part in such demonstrations or for being involved in “nationalistic terror,” some 20 of them from the Hebron area, the army said in a statement.
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Earlier on Tuesday night, a Palestinian was shot and killed in Hebron as he attempted to stab an Israeli soldier. The would-be attacker drew a knife and tried to attack the soldier as his ID was examined at a checkpoint in the West Bank city, the IDF said.
On Monday, an Israeli soldier was stabbed and seriously injured in an attack near Hebron. The attacker was shot and killed by other troops as he carried out the knife attack near the entrance to the Palestinian village of Beit Anun, north of Hebron, an army official said.
