Xinhua
February 5, 2013 - 1:00am
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-02/05/c_132150925.htm


The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) demolished a Palestinian protest camp over the weekend although it was out of its jurisdiction, the Ha'aretz daily reported Monday.

Israeli security forces on Saturday evacuated the camp in the Burin village near Nablus in the West Bank, where 150 Palestinian activists protested against Israel's expansion of its settlements.

Clashes erupted following the eviction between the Palestinian activists, security forces and settlers living nearby.

However, according to the report, the Civil Administration admitted that the army is not authorized to operate in the area.

The Administration told the IDF forces prior to Saturday's evacuation that they are not authorized to take action in the area since it is under Palestinian civilian rule, also known as Area B.

In response, however, the IDF Spokesperson told Xinhua that the site was "on the stitch" between Areas B and C, which is under Israeli civil and security control.

After the eviction, the military sealed the area off as a closed military zone in order to stop activists from returning to the premises.

"A violent and illegal disturbance of the peace took place near Burin, south of Nablus, when 150 Palestinians threw stones at security forces," the IDF spokesperson unit said in a statement.

"Four security personnel and seven Palestinians were injured throughout the clashes," it added.

In the past month, three similar camps were erected by Palestinian activists in the West Bank and the E1 corridor connecting Jerusalem and the West Bank, protesting against the Israeli cabinet's announcement of building over 3,000 new settler houses in those areas in November.




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