Protests across the West Bank and Jerusalem attacked by Israeli military; 50 injured

08 Dec

11:38 AM

Following Donald Trump’s announcement Wednesday that Jerusalem is an Israeli city, effectively denying the rights of the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who have lived there since time immemorial, protests erupted in cities and towns across the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.

Israeli forces responded to the protest marches and rallies with a massive military force, invading Palestinian neighborhoods and firing live ammunition, tear gas, rubber-coated steel bullets and other lethal and semi-lethal weapons at the demonstrators.

At least fifty Palestinians have been injured by the Israeli military assaults on the largely non-violent protests. Nine of the injured were shot by live bullets fired by the Israeli military.

In Ramallah, in the central West Bank, four protesters were shot with live rounds, and eight were wounded by rubber-coated steel bullets. Another five people were shot with live ammunition by the Israeli military in the Gaza Strip.

The protests spontaneously erupted without prior organizing, following Trump’s announcement. Palestinian leaders called for three days of rage to protest the event, and Christian leaders in Bethlehem turned off the Christmas lights across the city and in Manger Square in protest.

Protests took place in at least a dozen cities and towns. In Bethlehem, a young boy was treated for severe effects of tear gas inhalation. In addition, three people were injured by rubber-coated steel bullets, while another adult was hospitalized from tear gas inhalation. In Qalqilia district, in the northern part of the West Bank, five people were injured from the so-called ‘less-than-lethal’ weapons fired by the Israeli military.

In Hebron, a large march took place consisting of thousands of people. Israeli troops attacked the march with tear gas, forcing the crowd to scatter. The soldiers then chased down youth, who began throwing stones at the invading military force.

Israeli Occupation Forces fire on Palestinian protesters in occupied Hebron today. http://pic.twitter.com/qeGTRaLEQQ

— CJ Werleman (@cjwerleman) December 7, 2017