Ten people were slightly hurt Sunday after Israeli and Palestinian members of a joint force in the Gaza Strip came to blows following a dispute over a Jewish settlement, witnesses said.
The conflict broke out when the Israeli army, brandishing sticks, closed down a major road to Palestinians so a convoy of Jewish settlers could travel from the Netzarim settlement near Gaza City to Karni, an entrance point to Israel.
Exasperated by the long line of Palestinian motorists waiting to enter the road, Palestinian police officers began insulting their Israeli colleagues and the two sides began to fight, with one person from each side hurt, according to the witnesses.
During the scuffle a settler driving a Jeep refused to obey a Palestinian officer who ordered him to stop and accidentally rammed into two Palestinian cars. Eight Palestinians were slightly injured, according to the hospital where they were taken.
The settler was brought back to Netzarim and questioned by Israeli police.
In Jerusalem, an Israeli military spokesman confirmed to AFP that there was "a minor incident and a traffic accident near Netzarim" but declined to give further detail -- GAZA CITY (AFP)
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