Bethlehem was declared a closed military zone on Thursday after two tourists were injured by stones and a tourist bus was set afire by gasoline bombs.
In neighboring Beit Jallah, an Israel Defense Force reserve soldier guarding a water tank truck was hit in the head by stones and seriously injured. He was rushed to a hospital.
The tourist bus in Bethlehem was parked empty near a local restaurant when it was attacked. The vehicle was destroyed by the flames.
Dozens of suspects were stopped for questioning.
Another tourist bus a few hundred yards away was pelted with rocks, slightly injuring two German visitors. Medics from a passing military ambulance gave them first aid.
The stoning of Israel vehicles escalated at noon when school let out and hundreds of Arab youngsters poured into the street.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
