RAMALLAH, Thursday, December 13, 2018 (WAFA) – Israeli army units raided several neighborhoods in Ramallah on Thursday after imposing a total siege on the city following a shooting attack in the north of Ramallah that left at least three Israeli soldiers dead.

At the same time, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians on West Bank roads and joined the army in attacking Palestinians in the northern entrance to Ramallah while the army was watching.

A Palestinian who was at the northern checkpoint, known as the DCO, said an armored army vehicle rammed into his car and three others that were stuck at the DCO checkpoint after the army had closed it. Minutes later, their cars were attacked by a raging group of settlers while the soldiers were watching and encouraging the settlers to attack the vehicles with stones, he said.

Long lines of cars were seen at all roads leading out of Ramallah as Palestinians usually return to their homes in the West Bank on Thursday with the start of the weekend holiday.

Soldiers also raided several homes on the northern end of Ramallah and the industrial area apparently in search of the perpetrators of the attack who seem to have escaped.

Meanwhile, Palestinians marched to the DCO checkpoint to protest the army invasions and the killing earlier in the day and the night before of three Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The soldiers, who have already infiltrated Ramallah and deployed in the northern end of it, showered the protesters with teargas and rubber-coated metal bullets.

M.K.