On July 28, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a leftist political party, protested in Ramallah against the recommencement of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Around 200 protesters marched through the streets of downtown Ramallah before heading toward the PA compound in Muqata, where PA riot guards, armed with batons and shields, met them halfway. Clashes broke out after riot guards tried to grab the large banner denouncing the negotiations, with Khaleda Jarrar — a member of the PFLP and the Palestinian Legislative Council — being one of the assaulted. Four of the riot police were also injured after the protesters threw rocks and beat them with the flagpoles they were carrying.

Hanin Nassar was one of the demonstrators who was beaten up and later taken to the hospital. She described to Al-Monitor how they were surprised to find the riot guards waiting for them and not the police, as was customary.

“It was evident that the riot guards had an order from above to attack us,” she said. “They were being provocative while we were still chanting, and they hit me while I tried to take back the banner they snatched from us.”