IOF attack anti-wall march in Beit Jala, 3 injured

Five Palestinians suffered tear gas suffocation and three others were severely beaten Sunday afternoon when Israeli troops attacked violently the anti-wall weekly protest in Beit Jala town, Bethlehem.

Palestinian local sources reported that the clashes broke out shortly after the protesters marched toward the lands which the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) embarked on bulldozing recently in the town in order to expand the segregation wall.

The sources said the Israeli troops deliberately fired tear gas grenades at the Palestinian homes located in the vicinity of Cremisan street, where the march started, which led to a fire in olive trees and grass in Palestinian lands there.

In separate incidents, the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) invaded at dawn Sunday the Palestinian Negev area and kidnapped more than 13 Palestinian young men from Al-Talalqa clan in Laqiya village.

According to 1948 Palestinians website, forces of policemen, troops and special forces stormed the village and ransacked several homes causing panic among children and women before kidnapping the young men. Eyewitnesses said Israeli warplanes were seen flying in the area during the raid.

The IOF troops on the same day kidnapped a Palestinian citizen and confiscated his car in Dura town. They also raided many Palestinian homes in Al-Khalil villages and towns and handed a citizen a summons from the Israeli intelligence.

Another group of Israeli troops erected a mobile barrier at the entrance to Fawar village in Al-Khalil and another one at the entrance to Halhoul town and embarked on stopping cars and checking IDs.

The troops also closed the military Atara checkpoint, north of Ramallah before the movement of passengers, where they prevented the Palestinians from passing through and detained some of them.