Description

An Israeli border policeman and soldiers take position as a stone
thrown by protesters is seen above a crate during clashes in the
West Bank city of Hebron March 1, 2013. (Reuters/Ammar Awad)


RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- Two people were critically wounded by live fire on Friday as hundreds of protesters rallied across the West Bank to protest the death of a Palestinian prisoner last week.

Mahmoud Audah, 20, was shot in the head with live fire during clashes with Israeli soldiers at Qalandia checkpoint, locals told Ma'an. He was transferred to Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem where he is said to be in a critical condition.

Palestinian journalist Jihad al-Qadi was shot in the abdomen by Israeli forces while covering clashes outside Ofer detention center, Ma'an's correspondent said.

Al-Qadi was operated on by doctors and had to have part of his liver removed.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said that "200 Palestinians took part in a violent and illegal riot in Beitunia, and hurled firebombs and rocks at security personnel, who responded with riot dispersal means."

An Israeli citizen who threw rocks at Israeli forces was injured by a rubber bullet and transferred to an Israeli hospital for treatment, she added.

She said there were no reports of injuries in Qalandia.

Dozens of Palestinian protesters were hit by rubber-coated bullets while others suffered from tear gas during clashes across the West Bank between Israeli troops and protesters.

In Hebron, Israeli forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters marking the anniversary of the 1994 massacre of 29 Palestinians at the Ibrahimi mosque.

A Palestinian Authority police officer was hit in the head with a tear gas canister, locals said, and another police officer was hit by a rubber bullet.

Both were evacuated to a nearby hospital.

In Ramallah, PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and the governor of Ramallah were among hundreds who choked seriously as they inhaled tear gas during a march in Bilin to commemorate the eighth anniversary of the popular resistance movement, which started in the village when Israel started to build the separation wall.

Israeli forces clashed with protesters in Bethlehem, Nabi Salih, Salfit, Abu Dis, Nablus and Hebron as people took to the streets in protest against the death of Arafat Jadarat, who died last Saturday in Israel's Megiddo prison.

Israeli authorities have called the cause of death ambiguous, but a Palestinian Authority health official present at his autopsy concluded the body showed signs of torture.

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