Several students were injured on Tuesday during clashes between students supportive of Hamas and those loyal to Fatah. The clashes took place on the campus of An Najah University near the West Bank city of Nablus; some of the students are said to be in a critical condition.

The university's administration suspended classes after the incident, ordering all students to evacuate the campus in order to prevent any further confrontations.

'Battleground'

Eyewitnesses said that the old university premises turned into a battleground as hundreds of students from both factions confronted one another with chairs, metal and wooden objects and their fists.

Dozens were injured in the clashes - The witnesses said that the university guards attempted to end the fighting by firing into the air.

The university administration blamed members of the Islamic bloc and supporters for the clashes saying they "broke the rules of the university, which banned students from any political activity following the incidents [internecine fighting] in Gaza last month."

The university administration issued the following statement "the Islamic bloc issued leaflets detailing the arrests of some members by the Israeli forces and this was the reason for the interference of the Fatah Shabiba bloc to prevent the leaflets in the grounds of the university. These events resulted in the regrettable clashes between the students."

The Islamic bloc accused the university administration of failing to take suitable action when the problem occurred. The bloc stated that "more than 30 students from the Islamic bloc were injured, including one who is in a critical condition."