Palestinian Arabs protest in Hebron against sovereignty
Palestinian Arabs protest in Hebron against sovereigntyReuters

Palestinian Arabs in on Friday rallied in Judea and Samaria to protest against Israel’s plans to apply sovereignty over Judea and Samaria.

In Tulkarem, dozens of demonstrators waved PLO flags and chanted slogans against Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria and the plans, which could move ahead as soon as next month, AFP reported.

According to the report, Israeli troops fired stun grenades and tear gas in an attempt to disturb the protesters.

"This march shows our rejection of any plan of settlement or annexation," said Iyad Jarada, secretary of Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party in the city.

"This is our land and we will defend it with all our power and energy," he stressed.

Near Tubas, a protester was wounded in the head by a rubber bullet fired by Israeli forces, the Palestinian Red Crescent said.

Further protests were taking place in Ramallah, Shechem (Nablus), Jericho, and the Jordan Valley.

Hundreds gathered in Hebron, chanting against Israel's “occupation”, as well as anti-American slogans, according to AFP.

Friday's protests coincided with the anniversary of what Palestinians call Naksa Day, the defeat of Arab countries by Israel in the Six Day War in June of 1967.

The PA is outraged over the coalition agreement between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz, which stipulates that the government can apply sovereignty over Judea and Samaria in July.

In response to the move, PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas announced recently that the PA was no longer bound by the agreements it signed with Israel and the US, including the security coordination with Israel.

Palestinian Arab officials have been pressuring countries to officially recognize “Palestine”, in a move meant to bypass direct peace talks with Israel. Those calls have grown since the sovereignty plans were announced.

(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)