(JTA) — Israeli soldiers fled an angry Palestinian mob in Hebron.
The troops, on a routine patrol in Hebron’s H1 area around Jewish homes in the city on Thursday afternoon, encountered Palestinian officers who would not let them through, Israeli’s Channel 2 reported. A crowd began to gather behind the Palestinian officers and hurled rocks and other objects at the 15 Israeli soldiers present.
Palestinian officers shoved the Israelis and told them to get back. One of the Palestinian officers hit a soldier in the face, causing minor injuries.
Hebron is largely controlled by the Palestinian Authority, but the Israeli army also has a presence in the city around settler homes.
The soldiers holed up in a butcher shop as they called for backup. A video on Channel 2’s website shows four soldiers standing at the entrance to the butcher shop to prevent rioting Palestinians from entering.
When backup failed to arrive, the commander of the platoon led his men out of the butcher shop. The soldiers fired tear gas at the rioters and escaped, Channel 2 reported.
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