Clashes near Ramallah refugee camp after settlers attack Palestinians

Israeli forces clashed with Palestinians on Sunday near al-Jalazun refugee camp north of Ramallah, locals said. Israeli forces entered the al-Zira neighborhood near the refugee camp after settlers attacked Palestinians and vandalized several cars. Young men from the camp rushed to the scene and forced the settlers to flee the area, witnesses said. Israeli forces fired tear gas and sound bombs at Palestinian youths, locals said. An Israeli army spokeswoman said an "Israeli civilian hurled stones at a Palestinian vehicle, causing damage." She added that, "IDF forces scanned the area." She did not mention clashes in the area. The clashes follow the shooting of a nine-year-old girl in the illegal Israeli settlement of Psagot, near Ramallah. Immediately following the shooting, Israeli forces imposed a curfew in nearby al-Bireh, leading to clashes with Palestinians. More than 500,000 Israeli settlers live in settlements across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, in contravention of international law. The internationally recognized Palestinian territories of which the West Bank and East Jerusalem form a part have been occupied by the Israeli military since 1967.