Clashes broke out between Palestinian youths and Israeli forces as a military checkpoint in the Silwan neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem remained closed for a second consecutive day, locals told Ma’an.
The clashes erupted after Palestinian children and workers were denied entry through the Ras al-Amoud military checkpoint between Silwan and the Old City, preventing access to schools and workplaces.
Amjad al-Abbasi of Silwan’s Wadi Hilweh Information Center told Ma’an that Israeli troops fired tear gas canisters and rubber-coated bullets at protesting students.
Two school boys were injured by rubber-coated steel bullets and several others suffered from tear gas inhalation.
An official of Silwan’s parents committee told Ma’an that Israeli forces have set up three military checkpoints in Ras al-Amoud area over the last two weeks.
The checkpoints impede entry of thousands of schoolchildren and their teachers to school in the morning, interrupting normal school schedules, he added.
Al-Abbasi told Ma’an that the presence of Israeli soldiers at neighborhood entrances is causing psychological trauma on children. Parents, meanwhile, are fearful of their children being shot or injured by the soldiers stationed nearby.
Separately on Wednesday, Israeli forces launched multiple predawn detention raids in the Old City, al-Issawiya, and Shufat refugee camp detaining 13 Palestinians, including three minors.
Lawyer Muhammad Mahmoud of prisoners’ rights group Addameer identified the detainees as Omar Ramzi Zaanin, Muhammad Abdel Raoof Jabir, Muhammad Ali al-Razim, Hamid Abed, Muhammad Nayif Ulayyan, Bashar Dari, Muhammad Mahmoud, Muhammad Hadi Ulayyan, Samir Ubeid, Rami Zaanin, Khalid al-Mughrabi, Khalid Khashan, and Hiba Sarhan, who works at the Palestinian Ministry of Endowment.
An Israeli police spokesperson did not immediately respond for comment.
