Violent clashes erupt between Israelis, Palestinians near Nablus
One Israeli and a number of Palestinians were wounded Monday when clashes broke out on land between a West Bank outpost and a nearby Arab village.
The Israeli was lightly wounded when struck by a rock hurled by a Palestinian during the clashes. The head Nablus Radfia hospital said nine Palestinians were
brought in to the emergency room, seven of them with light and moderate gun shot wounds.
According to the settlers, dozens of Palestinians marched up to the Eli Ayin outpost armed with knives, and started the violent confrontation.
Eqab Hassan, a resident of the Palestinian village of Qusra said residents began throwing stones at some 20 settlers who came to cut the down the trees.
Hassan said Israeli soldiers intervened in the clashes and shot tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
An Israel Defense Forces spokeswoman said soldiers "who apparently felt their lives were at threat" fired live ammunition as well as riot dispersal means, causing some of the injuries.
Violence in the West Bank has largely subsided in the past few years, but Israeli military officials have warned in private that the stalling of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians could stoke tensions and break the status quo.
U.S.-brokered peace efforts broke down last year after Israel refused to give way to Palestinian demands to freeze settlement construction.