Palestinian wounded by Israeli army fire in West Bank

By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - A Palestinian was wounded by Israeli army bullets in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.

The group said in a statement "its crews transferred a 20-year-old injured person from Balata refugee camp in (Palestine's city of) Nablus to Rafidia Hospital after he was shot by the Israeli army."

The humanitarian organization also said the injured Palestinian was in "serious" condition.

Eyewitnesses told Anadolu Agency that the young Palestinian was wounded during an operation conducted by Israeli army force in the Balata refugee camp, where the troops surrounded a house, which led to clashes with dozens of Palestinians.

In a related development, the NGO Palestinian Prisoners Society said "the Israeli army arrested 15 Palestinians from several provinces in the West Bank."

Clashes usually occur during arrests carried out by the Israeli army during night raids on the homes of the targeted, according to Palestinian human rights organizations.

The detainees are transferred to temporary detention centers in West Bank settlements before they are interrogated and released, or transferred to central interrogation centers and prisons.

* Writing by Mahmoud Barakat in Ankara