Border Police, Palestinians injured in West Bank clashes

Clashes in the West Bank injured several Palestinians just days after a minor was shot and killed by IDF fire.

DECEMBER 7, 2020 17:14

Palestinian protesters hurl stones towards Israeli troops during clashes near Qalandiya checkpoint near the West Bank city of Ramallah (photo credit: REUTERS/MOHAMAD TOROKMAN) — Palestinian protesters hurl stones towards Israeli troops during clashes near Qalandiya checkpoint near the West Bank city of Ramallah

(photo credit: REUTERS/MOHAMAD TOROKMAN)

Undercover Border Police officers and Palestinians were injured in clashes in the West Bank village of Kalandiya on Monday, just days after a Palestinian teenager was killed by IDF fire during a protest.

Palestinian WAFA News reported that four Palestinians were shot by the undercover border police officers, three of them in serious condition and evacuated to Ramallah hospital.

Quoting the Palestinian Ministry of Health, WAFA reported that the injured had been shot in the chest, stomach and a third in the main artery in the leg. A fourth was moderately injured in his leg.

According to Israel Police, six officers were injured in the clashes, during which Palestinians threw blocks and stones at the officers who responded with both live fire and nonlethal weapons “after being in a life-threatening situation.”

Two Palestinians involved in the riots were arrested at the scene.

Later in the day, a Palestinian was shot at the Kalandiya crossing by a civilian security guard after the guard noticed the individual approaching in an area not intended for pedestrians crossing.

הפלסטיני שנורה במחסום קלנדיה לא נשא סכין או כלי נשק אחר על גופו. הוא נפצע בינוני.במג"ב אומרים שהמאבטחים במחסום ירו לעבר רגליו אחרי שלא נענה לקריאותיהם לעצור. הוא המשיך להתקרב אליהם גם אחרי הירי.זה התיעוד: pic.twitter.com/nhSLiI1O1C
— Carmel Dangor כרמל דנגור (@carmeldangor) December 7, 2020

According to the police, a preliminary investigation found that the security guards called on him to stop “several times” and when he ignored their warnings the guards fired towards his lower body.

He was reportedly moderately injured and transferred to hospital by Magen David Adom.

The circumstances of the incident are under investigation, the police added.

Stay updated with the latest news!

Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter

Subscribe Now

Elsewhere in the West Bank, another four Palestinians were injured by live fire in clashes with Israeli security forces in the Dheishe refugee camp south of Bethlehem.

The clashes came a day after 14-year-old Ali Abu Alayya was shot and killed by IDF troops during a protest at the entrance to the village of al-Mughayyir in the northern West Bank on Friday.

Four other Palestinians taking part in the protest against a new settlement outpost in the area were injured by rubber-coated metal bullets.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said that Abu-Alayya was shot in the stomach with live fire and seriously wounded. He was evacuated to Ramallah hospital in critical condition where he later died of his wounds.

The Israel Defense Forces denied using live fire and said that troops had used riot dispersal means including rubber-tipped bullets at protesters who had thrown stones at soldiers, burned tires and blocked roads.

“Dozens of rioters threw stones at IDF and Border Police forces, and even tried to roll large boulders and burning tires from the ridges that overlook the Alon route, risking the lives of passengers on the road,” the IDF said in a statement. “The reports of live-fire use during the riot are not true, and claims about a number of rioters injured and one killed are known.”

The IDF said it was investigating the incident.

Tzvi Joffre and Tovah Lazaroff contributed to this report.