Israeli troops open fire at Palestinian civilians at a military checkpoint

Monday May 07, 2007 15:04 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Israeli forces stationed at Al Bathan checkpoint located at the northern entrance of Nablus opened fire in the air while a crowed of Palestinian civilians are stranded at the checkpoint on Monday morning.

Witnesses reported that troops started to fire tear gas and live rounds at the civilians who were attempting to go to their work and school, who need to go through this checkpoint. Palestinian medical sources reported that several cases of sever gas inhalation were reported and some were moved to a nearby hospital for treatment.

The medics added that the gas that was fired at the people is stronger than what they used before.

Scores of students could not go to school and workers did not managed to get to their jobs in the city on Monday as a result of this assault, local sources reported.
Al-Bathan military checkpoint seals off the eastern entrance of Nablus. Like most of the other checkpoints in the West Bank, it separates the city from its surrounding villages which causes daily difficulties for Palestinian civilians to go to their work or schools.

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