RAMALLAH: An Israeli undercover unit infiltrated a Palestinian protest on the outskirts of Ramallah on Wednesday before dispersing it by firing into the air.
AFP journalists witnessed the operation during the protest by around 100 to 150 Palestinians, including some who threw stones at Israeli soldiers, near a military checkpoint in the occupied West Bank.
The operation saw a few dozen soldiers move from further down the street toward the crowd.
Suddenly, several men wearing keffiyehs or balaclavas, including one with a Palestinian flag wrapped around his head, pulled out pistols.
One threw a smoke grenade while others fired in the air. The army then rapidly moved toward the remaining protesters, who fled.
Medics on the scene said three Palestinians had been injured during the protests.
Israel’s military had not immediately responded to a request for comment.
Rare video footage of the operation was captured by an AFP journalist.
Israeli forces regularly carry out such operations against stone-throwing protests in which agents pretend to be demonstrators before turning on the crowd.
Such agents are referred to by Palestinians as mustarabeen, a word used to refer to those who disguise themselves as Arabs.
Wednesday’s protest was part of demonstrations and clashes that have occurred in the Palestinian territories since US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital a week ago.
Four Palestinians have been killed so far in clashes or Israeli airstrikes in response to rocket fire from Gaza. One Israeli has been seriously wounded in a stabbing attack in Jerusalem.
Israeli undercover unit breaks up Palestinian protest
Israeli undercover unit breaks up Palestinian protest
Joint Forces Coalition says Yemen’s Aidarous Al-Zubaidi escaped to Abu Dhabi
- Joint Coalition tracked Al-Zubaidi's escape route via Somalia
DUBAI: Military Spokesperson Turki Al-Malki said in an official statement on Thursday that STC leader Aidarous Al-Zubaidi fled to Abu Dhabi via a plane from Mogadishu, Somalia.
The statement said that Al-Zubaidi fled on Tuesday night and headed to Somaliland by a vessel named BAMEDHAF that departed from the Port of Aden.
The vessel turned off its identification systems while headed to the Port of Berbera in Somaliland the statement added.
Al-Malki said Al-Zubaidi was in contact with UAE Major General Awad Al Ahbabi, Commander of the Joint Operations in the UAE Armed Forces and informed him of their arrival.
According to the statement, Al-Zubaidi then departed on a flight accompanied by UAE officers headed to Mogadishu airport.
After landing in Mogadhishu airport, the plane then headed to the Arabian gulf without setting an arrival location and plane identification systems were turned off over the Gulf of Oman.
Ten minutes prior to arrival in Al Reef military airport in Abu Dhabi, the plane turned on its identification systems again.
The initial ship which departed from Yemen to Somaliland, BAMEDHAF, was sailing under the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis, the same flag which was used aboard the GREENLAND vessel that had previously transported combat vehicles and weapons from Fujairah to the port of Mukalla, said the spokesperson.
Al-Malki said Coalition Forces are closely following the information of other people who were indicated to be the last to meet Al-Zubaidi before he fled Aden.
