7 Palestinians injured in clashes with Israeli soldiers

At least seven Palestinian protesters were injured during clashes with Israeli soldiers in two separate incidents in the West Bank, medical sources said.

On Friday, five Palestinians were injured by rubber-coated metal bullets in the clashes with Israeli soldiers in the village of Beita south of the West Bank city of Nablus, Xinhua news agency reported.

The two others were injured by rubber bullets in the village of Beit Dajan east of Nablus, according to the sources.

Currently, several villages and towns in the West Bank have become a routine scene for weekly rallies that are held on Fridays against the Israeli settlement activities.

Local residents said that the clashes broke out during rallies that the Palestinians organise every Friday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said in a statement that nine Palestinian protesters were injured during clashes with Israeli police forces in the old city in East Jerusalem.

The statement said that Israeli police officers fired rubber bullets and teargas canisters at Palestinian worshippers at their exit from al-Aqsa Mosque in the city after they finished Friday's prayers.-IANS