BICOM

A Palestinian was killed overnight in the West Bank with tensions high both in the West Bank and in other parts of the country.

Early this morning, a 25-year-old Israeli man waiting for transport at the Rechalim Junction near Nablus was seriously injured when a gunman in a passing vehicle opened fire. Paramedics treated the man at the scene before he was taken to Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikva. The IDF was reportedly sweeping the area this morning to locate the attacker.

Also overnight, a 21-year-old Palestinian was killed during clashes with Israeli soldiers in the West Bank town of al-Ram, which is situated near Ramallah. According to the IDF, a violent riot broke out in which fire bombs were thrown at Israeli troops. Apparently, soldiers fired warning shots at the rioters before aiming at their lower extremities in accordance with the rules of exchange. An IDF spokeswoman told AFP that, “The incident in which a Palestinian was killed during a violent riot near Ramallah is being investigated by the military police.”

Meanwhile, there was additional unrest in other locations, thought to be have been sparked by the ongoing Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip. Last night, Israeli security forces dispersed masked demonstrators who threw firebombs and firecrackers in East Jerusalem neighbourhoods including Abu Tor, Silwan and Issawiya. Yesterday evening, an estimated 3,000 protestors took to the streets of Nazareth, Israel’s largest Arab city, to protest against the Israeli operation in Gaza. The protest turned violent when some 200 protestors hurled stones at police officers, who responded with water cannons and stun grenades, arresting 10 people. A smaller demonstration also took place in the Arab town of Kfar Kana.

Meanwhile, thousands of Arab store owners in Israel and the West Bank closed their businesses yesterday in apparent solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.