An IDF soldier suffered mild injuries on Sunday in a West Bank shooting attack.
Gunmen opened fire on troops near the settlement of Itamar soon after a demonstration by settlers, protesting the surge in violence, ended.
2 View gallery
Settlers seek cover during West Bank shooting attack on Sunday
(Photo: Shomron Regional Council )
The settlers sought shelter behind a parked car as the shots were fired.
West Bank shooting attack
(צילום: מועצת שומרון)
They had been calling for a major military offensive against Palestinian terrorist as attacks increased to a nearly daily occurrence. They also called for the military to position more road blocks and work to confiscate weapons from Palestinian militants.
Some called to seal the city of Nablus, where some of the violence originated.
The soldiers who were on the scene to protect the settlers, returned fire and began their pursuit after the assailants.
By some accounts the gunfire came from rooftops inside Nablus.
The wounded soldier who suffered injury to he leg, was transported to hospital.
Palestinian media reported that the gunmen were targeting an IDF position on an intersection outside Nablus.
By some accounts the gunfire came from rooftops inside Nablus.
While the demonstration was underway, a group of settlers hurled stones at Palestinians in Nablus, in what was seen as a provocation. Troops attempted to remove them from the area shortly before the shots were fired.
Earlier on Sunday, shots were fired at an Israeli taxi and public bus traveling on the West Bank.
The so-called Lion’s Den — a loosely-knit, Nablus-based Palestinian terrorist cell responsible for a slew of attacks against Israeli targets throughout the West Bank in recent months — took responsibility for the attack.
The group also claimed to be behind the latest shooting and its supporters claimed on social media, that they would show the settlers, who in fact would determine whether Nablus would be sealed.
The Hamas terror group in Gaza, praised the attack on the troops.