Palestinian Hurt by Gunfire at West Bank Demo
The Israeli army shot a Palestinian demonstrator in the leg during clashes in the West Bank on Friday, lightly wounding him, an Agence France Presse correspondent and the Israeli military said.
"During a violent and illegal riot which took place today in Nabi Saleh, .22 caliber rounds were used in order to disperse it, while targeting one exceptionally violent rioter," a military spokesman told AFP.
The spokesman said that such rounds are fired only by specially trained soldiers, after exhausting all other means to disperse riots. He noted that Saleh had "hurled rocks at security forces, who responded with .22 caliber rounds targeting the lower part of his legs. A hit was confirmed."
Palestinians hold weekly demonstrations in Nabi Saleh, some 10 kilometers northwest of Ramallah, against the construction and expansion of settlements on village lands.
Two weeks ago, a protester was killed after being hit in the face by a tear gas canister fired by Israeli troops during such a protest. According to Israeli rights group B'tselem, 20 Palestinians were killed at similar West Bank demonstrations over the past eight years.
The demonstrator from this Friday's protest was taken to Ramallah for medical treatment, an AFP correspondent said.
The military spokesman noted that a border policeman was lightly wounded in the face by stones Palestinians threw. He was taken to hospital for treatment.
Source: Agence France Presse
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