Settlers, Palestinians clash in W. Bank village

Security forces attempt to contain clashes at Kusra; Palestinians: Settlers fire live ammo, rubber bullets, gas, hurting 9.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN, JPOST.COM STAFF
IDF disperses Palestinian riot 370 (photo credit: REUTERS)
IDF disperses Palestinian riot 370
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Some 200 Palestinians and 25 settlers from the nearby Esh Kodesh outpost clashed near the West Bank village of Kusra, near Nablus on Saturday.
The IDF said both sides hurled rocks at each other during the incident, before soldiers arrived to disperse the rioters.
During the clashes, settlers opened live fire at Palestinians, injuring two. One Palestinian was injured by a rubber bullet fired by IDF soldiers, a security source said.
Palestinian sources reported settlers used live ammunition, and Palestinian news agency Ma'an reported settlers fired rubber bullets and tear gas, wounding seven additional Palestinians.
Earlier on Saturday, some 70 Palestinians hurled rocks at soldiers in Hebron and set fire to tires. Soldiers responded with riot dispersal means.
On Thursday, Jewish extremists vandalized six cars in Kusra around 1:30 a.m., according to the B’Tselem NGO.
Four of the vehicles were torched and two had their windows broken, said B’Tselem, which provided photographs of two of the vehicles.
The IDF could not confirm the “price tag” attack because its forces could not safely enter the village to investigate the matter.
Palestinian sources claim that they have found the identification card of the young 20 year-old Israeli suspected of carrying out the attack.
On Wednesday, security forces clashed with Palestinians in Kusra when they arrived to help an IDF team take down some 10 or 12 electricity poles which, according to the IDF, had been illegally raised.
Tovah Lazaroff contributed to this report.