Violence erupted anew in the West Bank and Gaza Strip Wednesday and Thursday as Israeli security forces dispersed rock-throwing gangs with tear gas and arrested 30 Palestinian youths in a sweep of the Balata refugee camp near Nablus.
A Palestinian boy was wounded by gunfire after Israeli vehicles were stoned in the vicinity of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. He was taken to a Gaza hospital. An investigation was ordered to find out who fired the shot. Israeli forces used tear gas after the windshield of one vehicle was shattered.
Jewish settlers from Katiff in the Gaza Strip tried to block the main highway to Arab traffic. Israeli troops and border police forced them to leave.
Rioting in the West Bank was centered in Nablus, Ramallah and Hebron Thursday to protest the arrests at Balata. Israeli sources said nine of the 30 youths taken into custody have been placed in administrative detention for three to six months. They are aged 19-25 and are suspected of incitement, stone-throwing, raising Palestinian flags and harassing residents of the refugee camp who allegedly cooperate with the Israeli authorities.
Administrative detention means incarceration without formal charges or trial. More than 50 Palestinians are presently in administrative detention.
INCIDENTS IN THREE CITIES
In Nablus, youthful rioters stoned Joseph’s Tomb where Gush Emunim followers have established a yeshiva. Later they stoned Israeli soldiers who came to restore order. Al-Rwdah College in Nablus was ordered closed for the day.
At Hebron University, tear gas was used to drive students back to the campus after they raised a Palestinian flag and stoned passing vehicles.
Stones were thrown at Israeli vehicles in Ramallah. The drivers fired shots into the air but the roads were not cleared until security forces arrived with tear gas.
According to Israeli sources, the disturbances Thursday were motivated in part by anger over reports that Palestinians are starving in refugee camps near Beirut maintained by the Shiite Amalmilitia.
GANG OF ARMS SMUGGLERS UNCOVERED
Security forces announced, meanwhile, that they uncovered a gang in the Hebron area smuggling arms and explosives from Jordan by truck. They were reportedly recruited by El Fatah and for the past six months have been concealing the weapons in trucks carrying goods across the Jordan River bridges into the West Bank.
The authorities have ordered a two-day halt in truck traffic over the bridges, starting Friday, in order to improve checking and security arrangements.
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