One killed during clashes between protesters and Palestinian Authority forces in Nablus

One Palestinian was killed on Tuesday during clashes between Palestinian Authority security forces and protesters in Nablus, north of the occupied West Bank, as protests have been ongoing since late night Monday.
 
The victim was identified as Firas Yaish, 53 years old, who was seriously wounded during the clashes according to a statement by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. He was pronounced dead at the Rafidia hospital early on Tuesday.

The Palestinian Red Crescent also noted that four other Palestinians were injured.
 
Angry protesters took to the streets following the Palestinian security forces' arrest of a Palestinian militant wanted by Israeli forces, 30-year-old Musaab Shtayyeh, and other men who accompanied him.

Firas Ya'ish, 53, shot dead during armed clashes between Palestinian security forces and gunmen in Nablus. The clashes erupted after the Palestinian security forces arrested Musab Shtayyeh, a Hamas commander wanted by Israel. pic.twitter.com/cJK4yykp2R

— Khaled Abu Toameh (@KhaledAbuToameh) September 20, 2022

"Palestinian security forces set an ambush to arrest Shtayyeh late on Monday," Ameen Abu Wardeh, a Palestinian journalist based in Nablus, told The New Arab.
 
"Soon after the news broke, Palestinian gunmen came out of Nablus's old city and gathered at the central square, demanding the release of Shtayyeh and the other two men," said Abu Wardeh.
 
"Dozens of Palestinian civilians also gathered at the central square of Nablus, where they clashed with the Palestinian police who tried to disperse them," added Abu Wardeh.

In Nablus, Palestinian Authority security forces arrested Musab Shtayyeh, who's wanted for carrying out attacks against Israel. pic.twitter.com/SyNwH5WhTF

— Khaled Abu Toameh (@KhaledAbuToameh) September 19, 2022

"Protesters threw stones and various objects at the Palestinian police, but then there was shooting from both sides, and it continued for more than 15 hours into Tuesday morning," he detailed.
 
Demonstrations against the arrest of Shtayyeh were also held in Jenin, where Palestinian gunmen marched in the streets of Jenin demanding his immediate release.
 
In a statement, the family of detained Musaab Shtayyeh held Palestinian security forces responsible for his life and for the events that followed his detention.
 
Several Palestinian factions, including Hamas, the PFLP and the DFLP, condemned in respective statements the arrest of Musaab Shtayeh, blaming it on the Palestinian security coordination with Israel.

Angry Palestinian protesters shower Palestinian Authority's armored vehicles with stones in Nablus, north of the occupied West Bank, amid massive protests against the the PA's kidnapping of Palestinian freedom fighter Mosab Shtayyeh. pic.twitter.com/p8yRwLEuvP

— Sukmarasa (@S1LOKA) September 20, 2022

On his part, the spokesperson for the Palestinian security forces, Talal Dweikat, said in a statement that "the citizen Firas Yaish died because of a wound whose origin has not yet been determined". 

"The detainees were arrested for the security forces' own reason, which will be clarified later," Dweikat's statement added. 
 
According to the Israeli daily Yediot Ahranot, that the arrest of Shtayyeh came after criticism by the Israeli chief of staff to the PA for its lack of action toward armed militants in the northern occupied West Bank.
 
The Israeli channel 12 said in a TV report that Shtayyeh is a member of Hamas's armed wing and that he is one of the most wanted Palestinian militants in the West Banks.

Nablus, West Bank: The main Shuhadaa sq this morning after a night of fierce clashes between Palestinian militants and PA security forces.

One Palestinian bystander was killed and one wanted key Hamas operative arrested by Palestinian forces, prompting clashes. pic.twitter.com/auya002Tmi

— Ariel Oseran (@ariel_oseran) September 20, 2022

Palestinian sources told The New Arab that a meeting was held on Tuesday between the Palestinian security forces and several civil society figures and political parties at the Nablus municipality, in an effort to contain the crisis, and press for the release of Musaab Shtayyeh and the other detainees.
 
Nablus has been at the centre of the ongoing escalation in the occupied West Bank, in which armed confrontations between Palestinian gunmen and Israeli forces have increased in recent months.