Palestinians, Israeli left-wingers protest settlement supermarket

Dozens of Palestinians and Israeli left-wing activists on Wednesday blocked the entrance to a supermarket located in a West Bank settlement industrial zone north of Ramallah. The protesters, waving Palestinian flags, burst into the branch of the Rami Levy chain and called for the boycott of settlement- manufactured foods and goods marketed at the store. "As long as there is no justice for the Palestinians, the lives of Israelis will be disturbed," one of the protesters told the Ynet news website. The demonstrators also stopped traffic on a major highway adjacent to the Sha'arei Benyamin Industrial Park, where the store is located and employs and serves both Israeli and Palestinian residents. Police and military forces arrived and pushed the protesters out of the area, using stun grenades to disperse the group, according to a police statement. Two Palestinians and two left-wing activists were arrested. One Palestinian who sustained minor injuries from the grenades was taken for medical treatment by the Red Crescent. In response to the incident, a Rami Levy spokesman told the Walla news website that the "branch is one of coexistence. We cater to all different parts of the population and today's event was just a provocation by bored people." Rami Levy "take(s) pride in this branch and how everybody stands in line together here. Unfortunately, there are always those who simply want to create a provocation. We're in favor of coexistence," he added.