Israeli Forces Fire Tear Gas, Suffocate Visitors at Solomon’s Pools Near Bethlehem

Israeli forces carried out raids south of Bethlehem and in Nablus on Friday, firing tear gas and sound bombs at visitors in the Solomon’s Pools area and storming the town of Beita south of Nablus.

The Yemen-based وكالة سبأ said the attacks caused multiple suffocation cases and triggered clashes in the area, while WAFA reported that forces stormed the Solomon’s Pools site and unleashed barrages of tear gas and stun grenades at visitors.

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WAFA added that during ensuing confrontations, soldiers “intensively fired tear gas and stun grenades,” closed off the site, and restricted the movement of Palestinians.

In Beita, the Palestinian Red Crescent said one person was transferred to hospital after residents were suffocated during a raid, according to وكالة سبأ.

On Friday evening, dozens of armed settlers attacked residents on the outskirts of Beitillu and Jamala, northwest of Ramallah, under the protection of Israeli occupation forces, according to شبكة يافا الإخبارية.

The outlet reported that settlers came from the “Halamish” settlement and surrounding pastoral settlement outposts, storming the “Al-Dhahr” area and homes at the northern entrance of the two towns where they assaulted residents and threw stones at houses.

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Beitillu Mayor Nasr Radwan said the settlers fired live ammunition directly at residents who attempted to confront the attack, resulting in three young men being shot in the abdomen, hand, and neck.

The same report said Israeli occupation forces accompanied the settlers, provided protection, and fired tear gas canisters and rubber-coated metal bullets at residents, causing dozens of cases of suffocation that were treated on site.

In parallel with the raids and settler attacks, SANA said Israeli occupation forces carried out raids across the West Bank on Friday, detaining several Palestinians while settlers intensified attacks and violations in multiple areas.

SANA reported that WAFA said Israeli forces arrested a young man from al-Yamoun west of Jenin after raiding and searching his home, detained another man from Jenin refugee camp after troops raided his residence near the Arab American University, and arrested a third in Nablus.

SANA also described an undercover unit entering Sufyan Street in Nablus, followed by military vehicles that raided a hotel, seized surveillance camera recordings, and detained a Palestinian from the 1948 territories.

The same SANA report said settlers entered the Solomon’s Pools tourist area between al-Khader and Artas south of Bethlehem and performed provocative religious rituals, while groups cut and damaged water pipelines supplying the Arara al-Mahtoush and al-Tibna communities in the Khan al-Ahmar area east of occupied Jerusalem.