West Bank clashes intensify amid Gaza war
Israel’s war on Gaza, with its heavy civilian casualties, is fueling already tense clashes between Palestinian youths and Israeli soldiers in the West Bank.
RAMALLAH, West Bank — On the night and early morning of July 11-12, the cities of the West Bank and Arab towns inside the Green Line experienced violent confrontations, including at checkpoints and Israeli military camps, in a scene not seen for several years. The clashes, which resemble those of the intifada in West Bank cities, have accelerated in conjunction with the escalation of the war on Gaza, entering its second week, and the possible war crimes committed against civilians there.
The clashes have been ongoing in Jerusalem and Palestinian cities and towns inside the Green Line since the kidnapping and killing of teenager Mohammed Abu Khdeir by three Israelis, two of whom were settlers, on July 2. The confrontations have expanded in scope, diversified and intensified.
On the ground, one can sense that the situation in the West Bank is rife with tension, as protests have spread throughout cities and towns. The clashes have been most violent in Bethlehem, Hebron, Jerusalem and Ramallah. During the July 11 protests, Palestinian youths set the Qalandia military checkpoint ablaze, which forced Israeli soldiers to briefly evacuate it and allow young Palestinian men to take control of it.
Al-Monitor noted that more than 30 towns and villages witnessed violent clashes on July 11-12, involving thousands of young people. Dozens of Palestinians were wounded by live ammunition and rubber bullets. One young man who participated in the clashes in front of the Bethel settlement told Al-Monitor, “We will rise against Israel. We will stage daily protests in front of Bethel and Awfar, and we will throw stones and Molotov cocktails.”
