Jerusalem and West Bank clashes leave 165 Palestinians injured

Violence began when Israeli troops demolished the family home of a Palestinian alleged to have attacked and killed Israelis.
2 min read
03 December, 2015
Israeli forces demolished a Palestinian home in Jerusalem on Wednesday [Anadolu]
Violent clashes in Jerusalem and the West Bank injured 165 Palestinians on Wednesday, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.

The violence began in the north of Jerusalem, when Israeli forces began demolishing the home of Ibrahim al-Akkari.

Akkari was shot dead by Israeli police on November 5 after allegedly driving his vehicle at speed into pedestrians at a light rail stop, killing an Israeli border policeman and injuring 13 others.

Medics on Wednesday said 13 people received injuries from rubber bullets and 30 suffered from tear gas inhalation.

As news of the violence spread, further skirmishes erupted across the occupied West Bank.

"Our crews have provided medical assistance to 118 Palestinians who were injured during clashes that took place in the Naqqar neighbourhood in Qalqilya, in the north of the West Bank, including six who were struck by rubber bullets," said the local Red Crescent operation room.

"122 others were treated for tear gas inhalation, nine of whom were taken to hospital while the rest were treated on the scene," added the Palestinian Red Crescent.

Yet further street battles took place in the Jalazone refugee camp north of Ramallah, in addition to separate violence around the Psagot settlement, east of Ramallah, which resulted in several injuries.

Meanwhile, Q Press, an organisation that monitors threats against al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem said that ultra-national right-wing Jews were planning "to storm" the mosque during the celebration of Hanukkah.

Extremist Jewish groups have called for a mass charge upon al-Aqsa between 6 and 10 December on a number of social media sites, according to Q Press.