<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Occupied Palestine | فلسطين]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[occupiedpalestine]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/author/hajarhajar/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Palestinians say gas canisters set fire to village land &amp;  Israeli forces deny entry to&nbsp;firefighters]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p>Published  16/06/2011 20:39<br />
<img src="https://i1.wp.com/www.maannews.net/images/345x230/111850_345x230.jpg" alt="" /><br />
<em>Palestinian firefighters wait to cross into Israel from the West Bank in December 2010 to help extinguish a fire in northern Israel [MaanImages, File]</em></p>
<p>RAMALLAH (Ma’an) &#8212; Israeli forces fired tear gas canisters that started a fire Wednesday and burned acres of olive trees in the occupied West Bank, witnesses said.</p>
<p>Soldiers also fired stun grenades toward fields near the village of Bil&#8217;in, near Ramallah, locals said. Villagers tried to put off the fires, but soldiers forbade them from entering and fired more stun grenades at them.</p>
<p><strong>Palestinian civil defense forces sent a fire engine but Israeli forces stopped it from entering</strong>, onlookers explained. However, an Israeli fire engine was seen arriving in the same area to put out the fire.</p>
<p>In response to the villagers&#8217; claims, the Israeli military confirmed that a stun grenade was used to disperse a &#8220;violent riot&#8221; but insisted the weapon did not start the fire.</p>
<p>&#8220;The stun grenade has been examined and approved by the appropriate authorities as riot dispersal means. Without connection to IDF activity, a fire started on the Israeli side of the security fence in Bilin.</p>
<p>&#8220;The fire was put out by Israeli and Palestinian firefighters; the latter&#8217;s involvement was approved by the IDF and coordinated by the Civil Administration,&#8221; the military said in a statement.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=397160">Source</a></p>
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