Three Arabs were killed and two others were wounded Tuesday in renewed clashes with Israeli security forces in the West Bank.
Two of the fatalities occurred in Bani Naim village, near Hebron. Israel Defense Force soldiers opened fire on orders of their patrol commander when they were pelted with stones while trying to remove a roadblock of burning tires, military sources said.
The IDF sealed off the village and began an investigation of the incident.
Another Arab was killed during a clash at the Balata refugee camp near Nablus. Arab sources said IDF soldiers came under a hail of stones and other heavy objects.
Violence also erupted in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday. Youths tried to prevent Arab day laborers from traveling to their jobs in Israel by setting up roadblocks and stoning their vehicles. An IDF patrol arrived and opened fire, wounding an 18-year-old Arab in the chest. He was taken to Barzilai hospital in Ashkelon, where his condition was described as stable.
A partial commercial strike was in effect in the Gaza Strip in commemoration of the Battle of El Bader, a seventh-century battle led by the prophet Mohammed.
The Arab owner of a factory in the West Bank town of El-Birch was shot in the stomach Tuesday. Arab sources said the factory was raided by income tax inspectors, who were then attacked by local residents. The inspectors’ car was burned.
In Nablus, IDF soldiers dispersed local youths who descended on the business district to force shopkeepers to observe a commercial strike.
Meanwhile, an Arab teen-ager was electrocuted in Wazan village in the West Bank Sunday night, while trying to hang a Palestinian flag on top of a high-tension electric pole, security sources said. The youngster, identified as 17-year-old Nidal Abu Shomar, died later at a hospital.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
