Men believed to be undercover Israeli police officers have shot and wounded three Palestinian protesters in a violent confrontation in the West Bank.

Footage showed a group of masked protesters throwing rocks at Israeli troops when a group of men among them - their faces covered with scarves like everyone else - pulled out handguns.

They wrestled one bloodied protester to the ground and opened fire on the crowd when the rocks began flying at them, instead of the Israeli soldiers and vehicles standing further down the road.

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Spies in their midst: Masked men (pictured), who are believed to be undercover Israeli policemen, have shot and wounded three Palestinian stone throwers

Aggressive arrest: Undercover Israeli security personnel and Israeli soldiers detain a wounded Palestinian protester during clashes near the Jewish settlement of Bet El, near Ramallah

Bloody clashes: The undercover policemen wrestled one Palestinian protester to the ground as camouflaged soldiers moved in

Aggression: The masked men (pictured) opened fire on Palestinian protesters when they began throwing stones at them

Ambush: The masked 'spies' opened fire on the crowd as camouflaged Israeli soldiers moved in to disperse the crowd of stone throwers

One Palestinian man suffered serious injuries after being shot in the back of the head, according to reports.

As the group of Palestinians began to disperse, at least a dozen camouflaged soldiers converged on the area and helped drag one man away.

A soldier, who was carrying an assault rifle, kicked the arrested man as he was pulled away by uniformed troops and 'undercover police'.

The armed men who sparked the violence were said to be Israeli policemen who infiltrated the group of stone throwers.

An Israeli army spokeswoman claimed that around 350 Palestinian protesters hurled rocks and petrol bombs at the Israeli forces.

She said the also rolled burning tyres and launched fireworks, while the troops reported hearing gunshots.

Palestinians have in the past accused Israel of placing Arabic-speaking spies among demonstrators to make arrests.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently declared declaring 'war' on stone throwers and eased rules for when police can open fire.

Attack: Undercover Israeli security personnel run after Palestinian protesters during clashes near the Jewish settlement of Bet El

Arrested: Israeli soldiers surround a wounded Palestinian demonstrator after undercover Israeli police officers detain him during clashes between Palestinians and Israeli troops

Undercover: Palestinians have in the past accused Israel of placing Arabic-speaking spies among demonstrators to make arrests

He has cancelled an upcoming trip to Germany tomorrow amid a surge of violence in the country.

Four Israelis have been killed in stabbings or drive-by shootings in the West Bank since Thursday while two Palestinians have been shot dead, and several more wounded in clashes with security services.

Both Israel and Palestine's leaders have tried to calm the rise in street violence centred around Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque complex - the third holiest shrine in Islam, which Jews also revere.

Netanyahu beefed up the military presence in Jerusalem and the West Bank but on Tuesday, violence spread to Jaffa, a predominantly Arab neighbourhood in Israel's commercial capital Tel Aviv.

Three policemen were injured by stone throwers and six protesters were arrested, the police said.



Netanyahu has beefed up the military presence in Jerusalem and the West Bank. He has said he is committed to maintaining the status quo at al-Aqsa but Palestinians fear increasing visits by Jewish groups are eroding Muslim religious control there.

Netanyahu was due to visit Germany, Israel's most important European ally, with members of his cabinet.