Palestinians clash with security forces on anniversary of second intifada

Marking 13 years to the second Palestinian intifada, clashes ensues in West Bank, Jerusalem and Gaza border.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN, JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Burning Netanyahu, Peres dolls in Gaza 370 (photo credit: REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa)
Burning Netanyahu, Peres dolls in Gaza 370
(photo credit: REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa)
Marking 13 years since the second intifada, Palestinian protesters fought security forces in the West Bank and on the Gaza Strip on Friday and Saturday.
In Hebron, some 300 rioters threw rocks at soldiers, an IDF spokeswoman said. Palestinian news agency Ma’an reported that the army used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the crowds.
A soldier was lightly wounded during clashes southeast of Ramallah. The soldier was struck by a rock and evacuated to hospital. Security forces responded with non-lethal crowd dispersal means.
On Saturday, Palestinian security forces working in conjunction with the Israel Police removed an Israeli civilian who had entered Ramallah.
The IDF said the man had placed himself in danger, and that it is illegal for Israelis to enter Area A (under Palestinian Authority security and civil control) of the West Bank.
They added that entering Area B (under Israel security and PA civil control) is also dangerous and not recommended.
A soldier was lightly wounded in Beit Umar, near Hebron, by rocks, but did not need to be taken to hospital for treatment, the IDF said.
Near Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem some 100 rioters clashed with security forces, throwing makeshift grenades.
Around 80 Palestinians clashed with security forces in Kafr Kaddum, and the IDF dispersed them.
In Nablus, Ma’an reported two Palestinians wounded at the Hawara checkpoint, near the Itamar settlement. Several others suffered tear-gas inhalation, Ma’an reported.
In Beit Furik, east of Nablus, hundreds of Palestinians marched toward Itamar before clashing with soldiers who fired tear gas, stun grenades and rubber-coated steel bullets, Ma’an reported.
At least three Palestinians were injured outside Ofer Prison, between Ramallah/Beituniya and Giv’at Ze’ev, Ma’an reported, where some 80 rioters threw rocks at security forces and burned tires.
Additionally, about 150 protesters demonstrated in Beituniya, west of Ramallah, around 120 protested at the Prigat junction, and some 250 rioted in Palestinian refugee camp Jalazoun, north of Ramallah, an IDF spokeswoman said.
Earlier in the day, the IDF dispersed a gathering of approximately 300 Palestinians near the Gaza border fence.
In central Gaza, protesters burned effigies of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres, as well as a model of the Jewish Temple.
Reuters contributed to this report.