2 Israelis hurt in shooting after entering West Bank city

JERUSALEM: Two Israelis were injured early on Tuesday after they came under fire after entering the Palestinian city of Nablus in the West Bank, the Israeli military said in a statement.

The two entered the city in a private vehicle, together with other three Israelis, on their way to pray at the Joseph’s Tomb, a holy flashpoint site in Nablus, without coordinating their visit with the Israeli army, it added.

Israelis’ visits to the shrine, holy to both Muslims and Jews, are usually carried out in coordination with the Israeli security forces and under heavy security guard.

Following the incident, the Israeli forces entered Nablus and evacuated the Israelis for medical treatment at a hospital, the statement added.

Israel’s state-owned Kan TV news reported that the two Israelis sustained moderate injuries.

Nablus is located in “Area A” in the West Bank which is under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority and its security forces. Israeli regulations bar Israelis from entering “Area A” without prior permits.

-Xinhua