Dozens of Palestinians injured in clashes across West Bank cities

RAMALLAH: Dozens of Palestinian demonstrators were injured in clashes with Israeli soldiers near the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Qalqilya, medical sources said.

In a statement, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said that Israeli soldiers on Friday shot and wounded eight Palestinian demonstrators — seven by rubber-coated metal bullets and one by a tear gas canister north of Ramallah.

The statement said that medical crews sent the eight wounded by ambulances to the government hospital in Ramallah for medical treatment and they are in stable condition.

Local activists who joined a march against the Israeli plan of annexing parts of the West Bank said that dozens of Palestinians demonstrated in the village of Turmus Ayya north of Ramallah.

Saeed Talib, mayor of the village, told reporters that Israeli soldiers opened fire and tear gas at the Palestinian demonstrators who joined the peaceful march.

"The Palestinian citizens joined the peaceful march to express their refusal of establishing a new Israeli settlement outpost on the lands of their village," said the mayor.

Meanwhile, Israeli army forces dispersed dozens of Palestinians that joined another march against the Israeli annexation plan in the village of Kafr Qaddum east of Qalqiliya in northern West Bank.

The clashes come after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier this week that his plan to annex portions of the Israeli-occupied West Bank "isn't off the table" yet. (IANS)  

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