Sunday, 24 April 2011

Settler killed, three injured in Nablus shooting, Fatah opens probe

[ 24/04/2011 - 10:22 AM ]

NABLUS, (PIC)-- A Jewish settler was killed, and three others were wounded in a shooting near Joseph's Tomb in Nablus city in the northern West Bank, Reuters reported early Sunday morning.

The shooting took place when a group of “Jewish worshipers” passed near the Yousuf’sTomb area, Reuters said, adding that the settlers sustained moderate to serious injuries.

Sources in the Israeli army said the shooters fired at several cars of settlers while they were at the site.

The sources said the settlers were present to perform religious rituals but had not coordinated with the Israeli army beforehand.

Witnesses told the Palestinian Information Center that military patrols stormed Nablus city from the eastern region and were stationed at the place of incident. They have closed the area to comb it.

Our correspondent in Nablus reports that several Palestinians residing near Yousuf’sTomb near Nablus, including an elderly man and a child, have been injured after massive Israeli forces stormed the area and violently clashed with locals.

Our correspondent adds that the invading force has been firing live ammunition and tear gas canisters at Palestinian youth and at houses in the area. They have also tightened procedures at military checkpoints surrounding the city, closing some of them and declaring the area around the scene of incident a closed military zone.

The Israeli occupation force (IOF) has set up a military checkpoint at area 17 north of Nablus and has banned civilian entry to the city through it. Operations in schools near the site have also been suspended.

Governor of Nablus province Jibrin al-Bakri has condemned the shooting and said security services have opened investigations during a radio interview. He added that details would be announced “clearly”.

Bakri said: “No one is entitled to strain the security environment in the city of Nablus.”
According to the Israeli daily Yediot Ahranot, Israel has assigned blame to elements from the Palestinian security services for the shooting after a verbal altercation with settlers that intruded the tomb area.

Palestinian Authority security agency officials have confirmed the formation of an Israeli-Palestinian investigation committee supervised by the US into the circumstances of the incident.

Fatah opens probe into Nablus shooting

[ 24/04/2011 - 10:36 AM ]

NABLUS, (PIC)-- The West Bank-ruling Fatah party has announced opening an investigation into the shooting targeting a group of Jewish settlers in Nablus city.

One settler was killed and three “moderately and seriously” injured in the shooting near Yousuf’sTomb in the northern part of the city.

Jibrin al-Bakri, the governor of Nablus province, has vowed that Palestinian Authority intelligence militias would announce the results of the investigations as soon as possible.

The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) is said to have asked the PA security militias to remain in their positions until investigations are complete and the area is combed.

Meanwhile, the education directorate in Nablus has suspended office hours at schools near where the incident took place.

The move reflects fears that Israeli soldiers would clash with students protesting that Jewish settlers infiltrated into the area.

The IOF has announced that that Palestinian officials have informed Israeli occupation authorities that it was a Palestinian policeman who fired at the settlers who intruded into the Yousuf’sTomb area.

According to Palestinian sources, dozens of armed settlers infiltrated the area without prior coordination with the Israeli army. When PA security service officers arrived, they informed them that entry was prohibited without prior coordination. But the settlers proceeded to raise their weapons and refused to refrain from entering. Disputes then began to take place.

The PA officers then shot into the air, the source added. When shots rang off, Israeli soldiers stationed at the military tower fired at Mount Tour opposite the Tomb, killing a settler and injuring the three others.

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