The Israeli army slapped a closure on the West Bank towns of Ramallah and Bethlehem after armed clashes there between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers, the army said on Friday.
"After violent events and the new developments, the Israeli army has closed off Bethlehem and Ramallah," the army said in a statement.
The closure came after an Israeli soldier was shot in the neck by a Palestinian gunman in Bethlehem. Another soldier was reportedly more lightly injured in Ramallah, where a gunfight has been raging for several hours.
"Israel has no interest in harming the Palestinian people. These measures were taken after violent actions and to avoid terror," the army statement added -- JERUSALEM (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
