Israeli settlers raid West Bank towns as forces stand by
Israeli settlers raid West Bank towns as forces stand by
Witnesses say homes and cars were torched in a wave of attacks across multiple West Bank towns near Jenin, with security forces present but not intervening.
Overnight, a new wave of attacks by Israeli settlers swept across the occupied West Bank, with witnesses describing coordinated raids that left homes and vehicles burned and several Palestinians injured. The violence stretched across at least half a dozen locations from Saturday into Sunday, underscoring a sharp uptick in tensions in the territory.
In al-Fandaqumiya and nearby Seilat al-Dahr, communities near Jenin, settlers reportedly entered late Saturday, setting fire to houses and cars and smashing windows as residents attempted to confront them and extinguish the blazes. In Seilat al-Dahr, a resident was beaten and injured during the upheaval.
Further raids hit Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron, where two Palestinians were wounded and three others arrested after settlers entered under the protection of Israeli forces, according to local reports. In the villages of Qaryout and Jaloud, south of Nablus, vehicles were burned and residents injured amid similar disturbances. In Jalud, footage circulated of a four-wheel-drive vehicle reduced to a charred shell.
Along roads near Haris, west of Salfit, and near Rawabi in the Ramallah area, settlers gathered, throwing stones at Palestinian vehicles. Comparable incidents were reported in Tuqou, southeast of Bethlehem. In total, about 100 masked settlers carried out successive waves of raids, with at least five cars burned and a fire engine vandalised, while Israeli troops and police stood nearby but did not intervene. The attacks continued through the night, signaling a volatile and tense situation on the ground.
