Palestinians injured in confrontations at protest against Israeli university raid

By AFP - Mar 12,2018 - Last updated at Mar 12,2018

Palestinian demonstrators carry stones during confrontations with Israeli forces on Monday in the West Bank town of Birzeit, near Ramallah, following a protest by students of the Birzeit University against the arrest of the head of Palestinian student council by an Israeli undercover commando (AFP photo)

RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories — Ten Palestinians were injured on Monday in confrontations that erupted during a protest against Israeli forces raid last week on a university campus, a medical source said.

Undercover Israeli soldiers raided the Birzeit University campus to arrest the head of the students' union Omar Al Kiswani, the university said.

The incident sparked protests and the university distributed video of the incident.

The Israeli forces said security forces entered the university to arrest a student "suspected of terror acts", confirming they fired a warning shot during the clashes that broke out.

It did not provide further details on his alleged activities. Kiswani is part of a student association affiliated with Islamist movement Hamas.

Senior Palestinian official Hanan Ashrawi called the raid an attack on the "fundamental right to education".

On Monday, dozens of students from the university clashed with Israeli forces near the campus.

Protesters burned tyres and threw stones, with Israeli forces firing tear gas and rubber bullets.

A medic on the scene said 10 people had been transferred to hospital, including one hit in the face.

An AFP correspondent saw two people injured in the head.

A university official on the site, who declined to be named, said the protest was a “natural” reaction to the Israeli raid.

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