American (New Jersey) pro-Palestinian activist says he was shot by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank | AP News
JERUSALEM — An American pro-Palestinian activist says he was shot by Israeli soldiers Friday while protecting Palestinians at a demonstration in the West Bank.
Activist Amado Sison bore a gunshot wound in his right thigh but was in stable condition Friday following the shooting. He spoke to The Associated Press from his hospital bed in the northern West Bank city of Nablus.
Sison said Israeli forces shot him at a protest in the West Bank village of Beita, which he’d attended to guard Palestinian protesters from Israeli forces and to film any acts of violence.
The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the shooting.
The soldiers shot live ammunition and teargas at the activists, he said, hitting him in the back of the leg as he tried to flee.
“We ran to the olive groves, through the olive groves, and they shot me in the back of the legs,” Sison said.
Sison is from New Jersey and traveled to the West Bank earlier this week, he said.
“As internationals, we support Palestinians, we take their lead, we are nonviolent,” he said.
When asked about the incident by the AP, a U.S. government spokesperson said they were aware of reports that an American citizen had been injured, but could not provide information due to privacy considerations.
Though violence in the West Bank has flared since Oct. 7, shootings of foreigners by Israeli forces are rare.
Since Oct. 7, 620 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank, many in stepped-up Israeli raids on Palestinian towns and cities.