FIREFIGHT BETWEEN PA SECURITY FORCES AND GUNMEN LEAVES TEENAGE BYSTANDER CRITICALLY WOUNDED

Emerging inter-Palestinian strife in Qalandia and it's immediate neighbourhood in East Jerusalem escalated yesterday when Palestinian Authority security forces clashed with 'unidentified gunmen' in the village of Kafr Aqab for several hours.

15 y/o bystander Hamza al-Wahsh was shot in head while he stood before his family home; allegedly he was hit by a stray bullet believed to have been fired by PA security forces' member. The teenager is in a critical condition in hospital.

The clash follows the hijacking of a car belonging to PA Minister of Social Development Ibrahim al-Shaer on Tuesday morning near Qalandia. The minister's car was stopped by a group of armed men who blocked the road, and after firing in air, forced the minister and his driver out of the vehicle, which was later found abandoned.

This is speculated to have been in response to the recent arrest of PA security forces of four young men from the Qalandia refugee camp.

On Wednesday one person claimed to have taken part in the hijacking of the minister's car had been arrested by PA security forces. No details on him and his possible affiliations are known to us at this point.

The exact nature of the arrested young men and those believed to be behind the hijacking on Tuesday and participation in Wednesday's gunfight is shrouded.

Whether it's a question of political elements opposing PA policies, or mere criminal ones trying to intimidate the security forces or perhaps an extended family feeling grievance, we can only speculate.

But we don't have to speculate on two issues: A 15 y/o boy is in a critical condition in hospital and the only beneficiary out of this is Israel.

SOURCES:

Teenage bystander critically injured during clashes between PA forces, gunmen near Jerusalem

http://maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=771884

Teenager Critically Injured by PA Forces near Jerusalem

http://imemc.org/article/teenager-critically-injured-by-pa-forces-near-jerusalem/

Un adolescente palestino gravemente herido en operativo de las fuerzas de seguridad palestinas

http://www.itongadol.com.ar/noticias/val/97418/un-adolescente-palestino-gravemente-herido-en-operativo-de-las-fuerzas-de-seguridad-palestinas.html

Unidentified suspects force PA minister from his car at gunpoint near Qalandiya

http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=771874

ارزيقات لـPNN: اعتقال متهم رئيسي في اختطاف سيارة الشرطة في رام الله

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