3 Palestinians injured by Israeli fire in West Bank raid amid tension

By Qais Abu Samra

BETHLEHEM, Palestine (AA) – Three Palestinians were injured Sunday in an Israeli military raid in the occupied West Bank, according to a local medical source.

Clashes erupted when Israeli forces raided the Dheisha refugee camp near the city of Bethlehem during which three Palestinians were injured by Israeli live fire, the source said.

According to witnesses, Israeli forces used live fire, rubber-coated bullets and teargas canisters to disperse angry Palestinians, who responded by hurling rocks. Three Palestinians were arrested.

The Israeli army frequently carries out wide-ranging arrest campaigns across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem on the pretext of searching for “wanted” Palestinians.

Sunday’s raid came amid tensions over a planned flag march by Israeli settlers to mark what they call the day of unifying Jerusalem, in reference to Israel’s occupation of the city in 1967.

Palestinians have termed the march as a provocation that could trigger a new wave of violence in the occupied territories.

Clashes surrounding last year’s flag march by Israeli settlers led to an 11-day Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip. More than 260 Palestinians were killed and thousands injured in the onslaught, which came to a halt under an Egyptian-brokered truce. Thirteen Israelis were also killed in Palestinian fire from Gaza during the course of the conflict.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar