Clashes broke out in various areas of the West Bank on Friday after the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) quelled solidarity marches with the Palestinian prisoners who have been on hunger strike in Israeli jails for the 19th day in a row.
The media activist Mohammed Awad told the PIC reporter that a number of marches erupted in al-Khalil most notably in Beit Ummar town where Palestinian youths threw stones at the IOF soldiers who responded by firing live bullets and tear gas canisters. A Palestinian youth was injured in the foot and 22 suffocation cases were reported among the marchers.
Other confrontations flared up in Bab al-Zawya in al-Khalil city after the IOF quelled a pro-prisoners march.
According to the PIC reporter two Palestinian citizens were injured with rubber bullets while others chocked on tear gas after the IOF quelled a solidarity event with the prisoners in Beita town to the south of Nablus.
Eyewitnesses said that the clashes in Beita town broke out for the third week in a row after Friday prayer. Three paramedics were later reported injured with rubber bullets while trying to treat the injured citizens.
In Balata refugee camp to the east of Nablus the Palestinian citizens performed Friday prayer in front of a tent of solidarity with the prisoners.
Sheikh Nu’man Mashayekh called in his Friday sermon on the Arab nation to stand for the prisoners.
In Ramallah the IOF fired tear gas at the Palestinian marchers in the vicinity of Ofer Prison.
Other clashes broke out between Palestinian youths and the IOF near Qalandiya checkpoint to the north of Occupied Jerusalem where metal bullets and tear gas canisters were fired.
Nabi Saleh village northwest of Ramallah witnessed similar clashes in which two Palestinian youths were shot in the foot with live bullets.
The IOF arrested an Israeli peace activist after quelling the Ni’lin weekly march which was launched in support for the prisoners and to reject the settlement expansion.
Member of the Anti-Wall Popular Committee in Ni’lin Mohammed Amira said in a phone call with the Palestine News Agency (WAFA) that the IOF erected ambushes between the olive trees arrested the peace activist and attacked the march using poison-gas bombs causing many suffocation cases.
The IOF also arrested the head of Bil’in council Basil Mansour and Ahmad Abu Rahma during the weekly demonstration launched in support for the prisoners in Israeli jails.
Dozens of Palestinian citizens performed Friday prayer at the northern entrance of Bethlehem near the apartheid wall in solidarity with the striking prisoners.
The preacher stressed in his Friday sermon the importance of supporting the prisoners in their battle praising their steadfastness against the Israeli jailers.
Meanwhile in Qalqilya three citizens were injured including a photojournalist as the IOF quelled the weekly anti-settlement march of Kafr Qaddum which demanded opening the village’s street that has been closed for 14 years.
Murad Shtewi coordinator of the popular resistance in Kafr Qaddum said that the IOF quelled the march using tear gas canisters and rubber-coated metal bullets which led to injuring the photojournalist of the China News Agency Nedal Shtiyya with a gas bomb in the back and the child Subhi Obeid 16 with a gas bomb in the head. 6 Palestinian youths suffered suffocation while another youth was shot with a rubber bullet in the foot.
In Salfit the Palestinian citizens performed Friday prayer in a solidarity tent where the Friday preacher called for greater support for the hunger striking prisoners.
The supreme leadership of the Hamas prisoners in Israeli jails asked the Palestinian people to go in marches on Friday to advocate the Freedom and Dignity hunger strike.
Nearly 1500 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails started the Freedom and Dignity hunger strike on 17th April 2017 coinciding with the Palestinian Prisoner Day to regain their basic rights which were withdrawn by the IPS and which they had clinched in previous strikes.
Since the first day of the strike the supreme leadership of the Hamas prisoners announced its full support for the strike. On Thursday new Hamas leaders in Israeli jails joined the strike.
6500 Palestinian prisoners are being held in Israeli jails including 15 women 300 children 500 administrative detainees and 1800 sick prisoners.
