Eight prisoners, two Israeli soldiers wounded in Israeli prison's clashes

Tear gas clouds rise from inside Ofer

prison during clashes between Palestinian prisoners and Israeli prison

guards, outside the West Bank city of Ramallah December 20, 2008.

According to an Israeli prison service spokesperson,eight prisoners

and two Israeli guards were injured and a tent set ablaze as riots broke

out after guards wanted to conduct a search on Saturday.(Chinese media/Reuters

Photo)
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RAMALLAH,

Dec. 20 (Chinese media) -- Eight Palestinian prisoners and two Israeli prison's guards

were injured during clashes in Israel's Ofer Prison in the West Bank on

Saturday.

Prisoners from inside Ofer prison told reporters on

cellular phones that they were protesting an earlier search of prisoner property

which damaged the living quarters of the prisoners.

They said that in response to the protest, dozens of

Israeli soldiers fired rounds of rubber coated bullets and tear gas canisters on

the prisoners, who set fire to some of the tents inside the prison.

They reported from inside their prison that several

prisoners with heart problems or breathing difficulties were suffocated as the

Israeli soldiers fired dozens of gas canisters at the prisoners.

Other prisoners reported that they have been harshly

beaten by Israeli soldiers, saying many were forced out of their living areas

and taken to solitary confinement cells.

According to the prisoners estimates, around 400

prisoners participated in the clashes.

The Palestinian Prisoners Society chief Abedelal

al-Anani described what happened as a dangerous destabilization of condition,

adding that "the soldiers used water hoses, gas bombs and rubber coated bullets

to repress the prisoners."

Israeli police enter Ofer prison during

riots between Palestinian prisoners and Israeli prison guards at Ofer

prison outside the West Bank city of Ramallah December 20, 2008. According

to an Israeli prison service spokesperson,eight prisoners

andtwo Israeli guards were injured and a tent set ablaze as riots

broke out after guards wanted to conduct a search on

Saturday.(Chinese media/Reuters Photo)
Photo

Gallery