Five Palestinians were killed yesterday as clashes intensified in the West Bank in solidarity with Palestinians under Israeli bombardment in the Gaza Strip, while activists asserted that a new uprising against Israeli occupation is taking shape.
The fatalities came a day after a mass protest at an Israeli military checkpoint here drew more than 10,000 people in the biggest show of identification with Gazans since Israel launched its devastating Operation Protective Edge 18 days ago with the stated goal of halting Hamas rocket fire. A 17-year-old resident of the camp who was demonstrating, Mohammed al-Araj, was killed by Israeli fire and more than 200 people were wounded by rubber-coated metal bullets or live fire, according to Palestinian hospital officials. Another youth, Majed Sufian was killed, according to Palestinian medics.
Yesterday three Palestinians were killed in clashes that erupted during protests in solidarity with Gaza held after Friday mosque prayers in Beit Umar in the southern West Bank, the Maan news agency reported, adding that at least 10 people were wounded by army live fire or rubber-coated metal bullets. In the northern West Bank town of Hawara, one Palestinian was killed by army gunfire and another by fire from an Israeli settler, Maan reported, adding that four people were wounded by the settler fire.
Israel's Ynet news agency quoted the local settlers council as saying a settler woman had fired in the air when her vehicle came under attack. Ynet also quoted army sources as saying 200 Palestinians threw rocks and rolled burning tires during the Hawara clashes and that the settler woman was taken by Israeli authorities for questioning. Clashes also erupted at Beit El in the central West Bank and in Wadi Joz, a Palestinian neighbourhood of Jerusalem.
