Palestinians clash with Israeli forces during a raid in Nablus in the Israeli-occupied West  (Photo by Reuters)

Ramallah, May 20 (RHC)-- Several Palestinians have sustained injuries while dozens of others suffered tear gas inhalation as Israeli military forces violently dispersed anti-settlement demonstrations in the northern part of the occupied West Bank.

Ghassan Daghlas, who monitors Israeli settlement activities in the northern West Bank, said extremist Jewish settlers, under the protection of Israeli troops, barged their way into Qaryout village, located 28 kilometers (17 miles) southeast of Nablus, on Friday, triggering confrontations with local residents.

Israeli soldiers then fired rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas canisters at the protesting villagers, injuring a number of them. Dozens of others suffered breathing difficulties from tear gas during clashes with Israeli troops and settlers.  Similar confrontations erupted when Israeli forces cracked down on anti-settlement rallies in Beita town and Beit Dajan village, south and east of Nablus.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said two Palestinian civilians suffered breathing problems in Beita, while twelve others were wounded in Beit Dajan. 

In a related development, a number of Palestinians were injured after Israeli soldiers fired rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas bombs at protesters in Kafr Qaddum town.

Since July 2011, Kafr Qaddum has witnessed marches every Friday with locals demanding the opening of the town’s main entrance, which has been sealed for many years.

Emboldened by former U.S. president Donald Trump’s all-out support, Israel has stepped up its illegal settlement construction activities in defiance of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, which pronounced settlements in the West Bank and East al-Quds “a flagrant violation under international law.”

More than 600,000 Israelis live in over 230 settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the West Bank and East al-Quds.  All Israeli settlements are illegal under international law. The UN Security Council has condemned Israel’s settlement activities in the occupied territories in several resolutions.