Palestinian sources report that Israeli troops shot dead three Palestinians who were demonstrating against the security barrier in the village of Bidu today (Thursday). Sixty Palestinians were reportedly injured during the protest.

Military sources denied, however, that live ammunition was used against the demonstrators and said warning shots were only fired in the air.

About 100 Palestinians arrived at the village, near Jerusalem, at the beginning of the construction work on the security barrier in the area earlier today. They started throwing stones at the soldiers and border police safeguarding the works.

A violent confrontation erupted, during which three Palestinian protestors were reportedly shot and killed, while six border police officers also sustained injuries. Three police officers who were lightly wounded were treated on the spot while the rest – one of them moderately wounded – were taken to hospital.

IDF sources said that the forces at the demonstration used riot control means and fired in the air, but denied using live ammunition against the demonstrators.

The police said they arrested two demonstrators and used tear gas to disperse the stone throwers. They reported that light damage was caused to a few police jeeps.