2 Palestinians injured by Israeli gunfire in West Bank, illegal settlers continue attacks

By Awad Rjoub

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – At least two Palestinians were injured by Israeli gunfire during an army raid on several towns in the West Bank on Saturday, while illegal settlers attacked Palestinians and their properties in various other areas of the West Bank.

In the northern West Bank, the army raided the town of Beit Fourik, east of Nablus, leading to clashes with residents, eyewitnesses told Anadolu.

Palestinian Red Crescent teams treated two children, age 16 and 14, who were injured in their legs by live ammunition during clashes that erupted following the raid on the town, the group said in a statement.

The army also raided the city of Qalqilya, leading to clashes with residents during which the army used live ammunition and tear gas, according to eyewitnesses.

The witnesses added that there were unconfirmed rumors of the disappearance of two illegal settlers who had gone to repair a car in one of the city’s garages, and that the army raided Qalqilya to search for them.

Israeli Channel 12 reported that the police found the missing settlers in Qalqilya after about an hour.

The channel said the Israelis "were not harmed."

In the central West Bank, an army force raided the village of Abwein, north of Ramallah, leading to clashes with residents, during which the occupying army used live ammunition, according to official Palestine TV.

The military also raided the villages of Ajul and Arura in the northwest Ramallah governorate with no reports of arrests, the state-run Wafa news agency reported.

The Israeli army's raids on cities and towns in the West Bank coincided with attacks by illegal settlers on Palestinians and their properties in several other areas of the West Bank.

Palestine TV reported that Israeli settlers burned agricultural lands in the village of Sarra in the Nablus governorate without providing further details.

Eyewitnesses told Anadolu that Nablus municipal firefighting teams are working at the scene to put out the blaze.

In the southern West Bank, illegal Israeli settlers attacked the village of Susya south of Hebron and assaulted several of its residents.

Videos circulating show masked settlers carrying sticks attacking a Palestinian amid the screams of women, while images show the damage to one of the cars.

Tensions have been running high across the West Bank since Israel launched a military offensive against the Gaza Strip that has killed over 40,000 Palestinians since last October.

​​​​​​​In a landmark advisory opinion on July 19, the International Court of Justice declared Israel's decades-long occupation of Palestinian land unlawful and demanded the evacuation of all existing settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala in Istanbul