Ramallah, December 5 (RHC)-- The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) says at least 30 people have been injured in clashes with the Israeli regime forces during a weekly march in protest at the illegal settlements near the occupied West Bank city of Nablus.

In a statement on Friday, the Red Crescent said the Palestinian protesters sustained injuries as a result of being targeted with rubber bullets or suffocation with tear gas when they clashes with Israeli soldiers in an anti-settlement rally on Jabal Sabih in the town of Beita, south of Nablus.

“Thirty civilians were injured as a result of the repression of the occupation forces, including a boy who was shot in the eye with rubber bullets, who was taken to Rafidia Hospital, an ambulance officer was wounded in the hand, five people were injured by rubber bullets, and 23 were affected by breathing difficulties due to the inhalation of tear gas,” the PRCS said.

The statement said the occupation forces had dug holes on the roads to obstruct the arrival of demonstrators and impede ambulances from reaching casualties on the mountain.   Detailing the clashes with Israeli forces, local sources reported that dozens of citizens began a peaceful march after Friday prayers towards the outpost built on the top of Jabal Sabih, which was confronted by the occupation forces' barrage of tear gas canisters and rubber-coated metal bullets.

At least 135 Palestinians were injured last Friday by Israeli forces during attacks on anti-settlement protests in the same area.

The Palestinian Information Center cited the Palestine Red Crescent Society as saying that 19 Palestinians, including journalists, were hit by rubber bullets fired by Israeli forces, 97 Palestinians suffered breathing difficulties due to inhaling tear gas and two other Palestinians sustained different injuries during the clashes.

Since May, Beita has seen intensified clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians protesting against a settlement outpost that has been established on Sobeih Mountain by settlers under the protection of Israeli forces.

Israeli forces usually use force to disperse weekly protests against settlements in the occupied West Bank.  Israel occupied the West Bank and the Gaza Strip — territories the Palestinians want for a future state — during the six-day Arab-Israeli war in 1967. It later had to withdraw from Gaza.