Clashes break out between troops and Palestinian protesters after settlement security coordinator fires in air
A woman and her 6-month-old baby were lightly wounded when their car was pelted with rocks by Palestinians in the West Bank south of Jerusalem Thursday morning.
Clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinian protesters broke out briefly following the incident, as forces attempted to clear the area in the Palestinian village of T’koa, adjacent to the settlement of Tekoa.
The military said the clashes started after the settlement’s security coordinator fired warning shots in the air after a group of young Palestinians threw rocks at the car, which was also carrying the woman’s husband and two other young children.
The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said the incident was a “massive” gathering of dozens of rock-throwing Palestinians.
Erica Marom, a producer for the BBC in Israel who lives in Tekoa, suffered cuts to her legs from broken glass; her 6-month-old baby was also treated at the scene.
The woman’s husband, Moshe Marom, said the car was set upon by a number of youths between the ages of 8 and 10 as it passed through the village.
“They used the blocks used to build houses, and it’s only a miracle nothing happened. I was in fear of my life, but I left my hands on the steering wheel and we continued to drive,” he said.
There have been a number of stone-throwing incidents in the West Bank and Tekoa in the last several weeks, with Israeli officials vowing to crack down via harsher penalties and looser open-fire orders.
On Wednesday, two soldiers were wounded north of Hebron after they were hit by rocks.
Several hours later, Border Police officers arrested a 14-year-old rock thrower after pursuing him through the streets of the Old City.
As reported by The Times of Israel