A large force of police fired tear gas and rubber bullets Monday to end rioting in the Arab village of Beit Safafa, in the southern suburbs of Jerusalem.
An Israeli cameraman working for ABC News was slightly injured by a rubber bullet that struck his forehead. He was identified as Shlomo Frankel.
Four police officers and four Palestinians also were reportedly injured, but there was no immediate confirmation of these casualties.
The disturbances erupted when local youths staged a funeral procession for 21-year-old Khaled Salman, who was fatally shot in a clash with police on Sunday.
The youth’s body was snatched from Mokassed, the Arab hospital in East Jerusalem, before the cause of death could be determined.
He was reported to have been shot in the chest three times with live ammunition. The police insist only rubber bullets were fired.
A senior police officer was appointed to investigate the death, only the second Arab fatality in East Jerusalem since the Palestinian uprising began more than 20 months ago.
Jerusalem police in fact are proud of their record. They say they have managed to enforce law and order in the city with minimum casualties.
By contrast, 615 Arabs and 40 Jews have been killed in violence related to the Palestinian uprising in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, Palestinians staged a partially effective commercial strike Monday. It was called to protest the deportation of five Palestinian activists Sunday.
The Israel Defense Force chief of staff, Gen. Dan Shomron, said the deportation policy would continue, because it is “an effective means of punishment,” even if it stirs protests in the short term.
He stressed, however, that deportation should be used selectively and only against persons whose role in the uprising is clear.
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