Dozens of Palestinians injured in clashes with Israeli army

By Awad al-Rajoub

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – Dozens of Palestinians were injured in clashes with the Israeli army during demonstrations across the occupied West Bank on Friday.

Israeli army attempted to disperse Palestinians who staged protest against settlements, leading to clashes.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said in a statement that its crew responded to 70 people injured in confrontations that took place in the Beita town of Nablus province, north of West Bank.

"Two of the injuries were rubber bullets, and 52 were affected by tear gas," the Palestinian Red Crescent said without disclosing details regarding the rest of the injuries.

The Red Crescent also said its crews treated 15 people affected by tear gas and one person injured by a sound bomb in Beit Dajan, a town of Nablus.

For several months, Beita and Beit Dajan have witnessed almost daily protests, rejecting the Israeli control of private Palestinian land for settlement purposes.

The official Palestinian news agency WAFA said that clashes took place as well in the town of Qaryut, south of Nablus, which resulted in several injuries.

"A citizen was wounded by shrapnel of a stun grenade in the eye, and others were affected by tear gas," the news agency said.

Nidal Al-Badawi, the head of Qaryut town council, was quoted by WAFA as saying that settlers stormed the southwestern area of ​​the town under the protection of Israeli soldiers where confrontations took place.

The Bil'in town located west of the Ramallah city also witnessed clashes, during which a number of Palestinians were affected by tear gas.