Israeli settlers attacked today evening Palestinian vehicles and homes in the Ramallah and Hebron areas, in the central and southern occupied West Bank, respectively.
WAFA correspondent said dozens of settlers, under the protection of Israeli forces, spread out near an illegal settlement to the east of Ramallah and attacked passing Palestinian-registered cars. No injuries were reported.
Settlers also severely beat up a taxi driver from Jericho city while he was driving near the Dead Sea.
Settlers attacked the driver, hitting him all over his body and face, causing him injuries and knocking out some of his teeth.
In Turmus Ayya village to the north of Ramallah, a settler opened fire at Palestinian residents present at the entrance to the village, before fleeing the scene. No one was injured in the shooting.
Meanwhile, in the Masafer Yatta area to the south of Hebron, a group of settlers, backed by military forces, attacked Palestinian homes and vandalized two cars belonging to one of the residents. A youth was reportedly detained by the forces.
Israeli settlers’ vandalism in the occupied West Bank is routine and is done with full backing by the Israeli authorities, said the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem.
“Settler violence and vandalism take place with full backing by the Israeli authorities. Sometimes soldiers take part in the assault; at other times, they stand idly by. The police make no substantial effort to investigate the incidents, nor takes measures to prevent them or stop them in real-time,” it said.
Israel benefits from the repercussions, as settler violence has gradually dispossessed Palestinians of more and more areas in the West Bank, paving the way for a state takeover of land and resources, said B’Tselem.
Source: Palestinian News & Info Agency (WAFA)