At Least 21 Palestinians were injured early Friday after clashes broke out in Nablus with Israeli military forces following a visit by Israelis to Joseph's Tomb in Nablus, security officials said.
Over 30 Israeli military jeeps entered the city late Thursday and soldiers positioned themselves on rooftops and around the tomb in preparation for a night visit by some 1,500 Israelis for prayers, which lasted until 3:30 a.m.
Clashes broke out with local youths, who threw rocks and empty bottles at the soldiers, who in turn responded with live fire, tear gas, stun grenades, and rubber-coated steel bullets.
Twenty-one Palestinians sustained injuries to their lower extremities, most from live fire, locals said.
Seven of the injured were identified as Abd al-Karim Rashed Futouh, Baraa Malik Abd al-Hamid, Ahmad Mufleh Dweikat, Bassel Walid Abu Daoud, Yamen Samir Imran, Bahaa Hassan Fayumi and Sameh Sawalmeh.
Israeli media reports said that 4,000 Israelis, including prominent settlement leaders, and head of the Israeli Central Command, which rules over the occupied West Bank, Roni Numa attended the prayers.
