Undercover Israelis infiltrate Palestinian demo, open fire

The protest drew around 100 to 150 Palestinians, including some who threw stones at Israeli soldiers, near a military checkpoint in the occupied West Bank.

Suddenly, witnesses report, several men wearing keffiyehs, balaclavas, and one with a Palestinian flag wrapped around his head, pulled out pistols.

One threw a smoke grenade while others shot into the air above protesters. Soldiers deployed to disperse the crowd then rapidly moved towards the remaining protesters, who fled.

Medics on the scene said three Palestinians had been injured during the protests.

Israel's military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Israeli forces regularly carry out such operations against stone-throwing protests in which agents pretend to be demonstrators before turning on the crowd.

Such agents are referred to by Palestinians as mustarabeen, a word used to refer to those who disguise themselves as Arabs.

Wednesday's protest was part of demonstrations and clashes that have followed US President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital a week ago.

Four Palestinians have been killed either in clashes or in Israeli air strikes in response to rocket fire from Gaza. One Israeli was seriously wounded in a stabbing in Jerusalem.

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