Ten Palestinian injured, as army invades Bethlehem

Sunday June 15, 2008 00:12

by IMEMC Staff

Ten Palestinians were injured when Israeli troops invaded the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem on Saturday afternoon. .

The Grandmother of Abu Aker showing reporters what the soldiers did to her home on Saturday â€“ Photo by IMEMC Ghassan Bannoura.

IMEMC correspondent in Bethlehem Ghassan Bannoura reported that at least 14 Israeli military jeeps invaded the city and surrounded the house of Muath Abu Aker family.

Abu Aker is claimed wanted by the Israeli army, for being involved with the Palestinian armed resistance groups.

Clashes between local youth and the invading troops erupted nearby Deheisheh refugee camp. Palestinian youth hurled stones at the Israeli jeeps, while troops responded with tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets injuring ten civilians, one seriously.

Eyewitnesses told IMEMC that a 17-year old boy was shot in the head and was taken to Beit Jala hospital for treatment. Additionally and elderly woman was treated for gas inhalation. Troops left the area after they broke into the house and realized that Abu Aker is not there.

However, they ransacked one house and smashed the glass of the windows of two apartments in the building.

The mother of Abu Aker told IMEMC that her son is only a child and has no political affiliation, she said that his father was a resistance man but "Muath is just a boy".

The sister of Abu Aker, Majd, 15 years old, said that troops forced the family to the street then soldiers attacked her and her mother.

She added that soldiers gave them a military orders saying that if their son do not surrender him self to the army by the 16th of June, all the family will be adducted by the army, and their son will be killed.

Jallal Ihmeed, a Palestinian Cameraman who works for the Al Ro'ah "Shepherds" TV- - a local TV station in Bethlehem said that troops forced all the staff and him in a room and did not allow them to leave until the army finished its operation.

Al Ro'ah TV headquarters is located in the same building where the Abu Aker family lives.