February 23, 2006

On the 5th day of IDF operations in the Nablus area, IDF fire on stone-throwing Palestinians in Balata r.c. escalates into heavy exchanges btwn. the IDF and local AMB mbrs., leaving 3 wanted AMB gunmen, 2 Palestinian bystanders dead and 2 IDF soldiers, 22 Palestinian wounded (including 3 medical workers treating the injured). The IDF also fires on stone-throwing Palestinians nr. Hebron; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Dura nr. Hebron, Yabad nr. Jenin. (PCHR 2/23; DS, HA, MM, NYT, REU, WP, WT 2/24; PCHR 3/2)