Five Palestinians, including a 12-year-old boy, have been injured in attacks by Jewish settlers who are resisting an eviction order in the West Bank city of Hebron, Palestinian doctors have said.

Settlers and Palestinians on Monday threw stones at each other and at least two cars belonging to Palestinians were set ablaze in what the Israeli army described as a "riot".

Thirteen settler families, who have been facing eviction for 18 months - have vowed to resist an Israeli court order to leave the building in Hebron that they insist they bought from Palestinians.

The settler families have occupied the building, which they call the "house of peace", since March 2007.

Shooting

An unnamed eyewitness told news agency AFP that Palestinians were hurt by stone-throwing settlers who also "shot at the Palestinians but did not wound anyone".

An Israeli army spokesman said: "Two settlers were wounded, and the army, border guards and police were trying to separate the two sides."

David Wilder, a settler spokesman, said violence flared up after a Jewish teenager was attacked by Palestinians earlier on Monday.

He said Palestinians hurled stones at settlers from neighbouring rooftops and "people here don't believe in turning the other cheek".

Clashes frequently occur between both sides because of a settler enclave established in the heart of Hebron and a further 6,500-strong settlement living in Kiryat Arba on the outskirts of the city.