Palestinians, IDF clash once more near Nabi Saleh
Palestinians riot at West Bank against the 'criminal Israeli occupation,' throwing stones at nearby IDF forces; MK Ayman Odeh participates in the protest, says 'the demonstrations will not stop until the occupation ends.'
Hundreds of Palestinian protesters have been rioting since Saturday afternoon at the entrance to the village of Nabi Saleh, near Halamish, in the central West Bank.
Rioters threw stones at IDF forces and at the nearby road and chanted anti-Israel slogans. The IDF responded with riot control measures, firing tear gas canisters into the mob.
The army declared the slopes of the village a closed military zone, but said it had allowed MK Ayman Odeh from the joint list to enter the area.
Ayman Odeh, who came to participate in the demonstration, said in a video released from the scene: "This is part of the demonstrations by the heroic Palestinian people against the criminal occupation. These demonstrations will continue and will not until the occupation ends."
Odeh then commended a group of Jewish left-wing activists that came to support the protesters, saying their support is important because they understand the ramifications of the occupation.
"The small village of Nabi Saleh has become a symbol of the Palestinian people through the public struggle in which men and women participate and men and women are detained," he added. "This is a just struggle against the criminal occupation."
Nabi Saleh started making headlines recently when two residents of the village, Nur and Ahed Tamimi, were filmed assaulting IDF soldiers stationed there. The soldiers were documented being attacked while they maintained their composure and refrained from responding.
Tensions have been mounting recently with US President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, a move which further strained relations between Israel and the Palestinians and effectively quashed any chance of a US-led peace process.
Tensions rise, vandalism hikes
Meanwhile, a Yesh Din researcher said he documented on Saturday a group of about 50 Israelis who had come down from the direction of the Israeli settlement of Yitzhar to the nearby Palestinian town of Huwara and damaged about 100 olive trees belonging to the town's residents.
Some of the perpetrators were masked.
According to Yesh Din, soldiers that arrived at the scene did not try to prevent the vandalism.
The IDF contradicted Yesh Din's claims, saying the soldiers dispersed the perpetrators, of which there were about 30.
