Palestinian and Israeli injured in Yitzhar clashes

Clashes outside the Yitzhar settlement in the West Bank broken up through riot dispersal means.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN, TOVAH LAZAROFF
Yitzhar clashes 390 (photo credit: Yesh Din)
Yitzhar clashes 390
(photo credit: Yesh Din)
A Palestinian and an Israeli security guard for the Yitzhar settlement were injured Monday in clashes that took place outside the West Bank Jewish community.
The incident began after a Palestinian approached the settlement and, after refusing to heed warnings, was distanced by the settlement’s security guards and the IDF, an army spokeswoman said.
Yitzhar spokesman Avraham Binyamin said that the security guard had initially called the IDF after seeing the Palestinian, who he identified as a shepherd from the nearby village of Ma’adame, come very close to Yitzhar.
Before the IDF arrived, the guard asked the shepherd to move away from the settlement, but he refused, Binyamin said.
Binyamin charged that the Palestinian unleashed the dogs against him, and similarly tried to attack IDF soldiers when they arrived.
The shepherd was among three Palestinians arrested in incidents that day by Yitzhar, Binyamin said.
After that, a group of Palestinians descended on the area and began hurling rocks at guards and soldiers, the IDF said. The IDF responded with riot dispersal means.
During the confrontation, IDF soldiers identified a threat from one of the rioters and after warnings were ignored, opened fire at the suspect’s legs, the spokeswoman said.
The Palestinian man was moderately injured by the gunfire, and an Israeli civilian guard was lightly injured by a rock thrown during the clashes. According to Binyamin, the security guard was injured in the head by the rock.
According to Yesh Din, who had a field worker who observed the incident, the shepherd, along with his brother, was herding sheep on their land, which is near the settlement.
The organization publicized a video of the shepherd, with his hands tied behind his back, as the IDF tries to lead him away.
He is surrounded by family.
At one point, in the short video, as he tries to escape, a soldier hits him in the head with his rifle. A family member is seen picking up a stone and threatening the soldier in the video clip. As this occurs, the shepherd tries to run down the valley, as the IDF shoots what appears to either be a stun grenade or tear gas.
Later, one of his brothers was shot in the leg by the IDF according to Yesh Din.
The IDF said it opened fire at the legs of a rioter after warnings were ignored.
Yesh Din charged that it was masked settlers who started the clashes by throwing stones.


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