Heavily armed Israeli soldiers injured, on Friday, dozens of Palestinian civilians who participated in the weekly anti-settlement procession in Kufur Qaddoum village, east of Qalqilia, in the northwestern part of the occupied West Bank, local sources reported.
Unarmed Palestinian youths confronted the army by burning rubber tires to obscure the soldiers’ view, and hurling rocks, while occupation forces opened fire with rubber-coated steel rounds and tear gas canisters, at those who resisted the invasion.
According to the media spokesperson of the Popular Committee in Qalqilia, Morad Eshteiwi, soldier shot and injured four Palestinian young men during the march, while dozens more sustained inhalation injuries due to exposure to tear gas.
He added that all injuries were treated on site by local medics.
Palestinian villagers from Kufur Qaddoum and the surrounding area, have rallied every Friday since 2003 demanding that the Israeli occupation authorities reopen the road.
Israeli colonists from the nearby illegal “Kedumin” settlement, established on expropriated Palestinian lands, have full access to the street, while Palestinians are forced to take longer routes to Nablus city, the nearest major commercial center, causing undue hardship.
