Several injured in Friday West Bank demonstrations
Palestinian lightly hurt when bit by IDF dog during weekly demonstration in village of Kedum; three people, including Israeli woman, hurt in Nabi Saleh protest.
By Nir Hasson and Gili Cohen
Israeli forces on Friday used a dog against Palestinian protesters in the West Bank village of Kedum. The dog bit the arm of one of the demonstrators for several minutes. Demonstrators said that the dog’s military handler was unable to get the dog to release its jaws.
The Palestinian, who was lightly hurt, was detained. The incident occurred shortly after the start of the weekly demonstration in the village when protesters began throwing stones at Israeli forces. The Israeli forces released a dog to disperse a group of demonstrators. The dog jumped on one of them, brought him to the ground, and bit into his arm.
According to Jonathan Pollack, an Israeli pro-Palestinian activist, Israeli forces have used dogs in the past, but one has never bit a demonstrator before Friday’s incident.
The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in response to the incident: “During a violent and illegal disturbance in the village of Kedum, next to the settlement of Kedumim, west of Nablus, around 100 Palestinians gathered, rolled burning tires, and threw stones at security forces, who responded with riot dispersal means. One Palestinian was arrested for physically attacking forces at the location. Another Palestinian who was arrested was bit by a dog belonging to the forces during his arrest. He was treated at the scene by a military doctor and did not require evacuation.”
Also on Friday, three demonstrators were hurt in a protest held in Nabi Saleh. One of the wounded was an Israeli woman who suffered a head injury from a rubber bullet. A Palestinian resident of Nabi Saleh was also hurt by a rubber bullet and another Palestinian resident of the village was hurt by a teargas canister.