About 20 Palestinians were lightly hurt on Wednesday as Israeli troops fired teargas and rubber bullets at protesters demonstrating against the West Bank separation barrier, medical sources said.
At least one of the casualties was struck by a rubber-coated bullet while others suffered from the effects of tear gas fired to disperse the protestors near the West Bank village of Biddo, an AFP correspondent at the scene said.
Sources from the Palestinian Red Crescent society said that most of those who were hurt were treated at the scene although two people were taken to hospital.
Two border guards were also slightly hurt by protesters’ stones, Israeli public radio reported, while three arrests were made.
Late in February, three Palestinians were killed after Israeli troops opened fire in another protest at the site.
Israel insists that the barrier is esssential to prevent infiltrations on its soil by would-be suicide attackers. The Palestinians say that the route of the barrier, which often juts deep into their territory, shows it is little more than a land grab and an attempt to predetermine the borders of their promised future state. — Sapa-AFP