Under Israeli Army Protection, Settler Rampages Reported throughout the Occupied West Bank

June 23, 2023 Blog, News
Jewish settlers go on a rampage in occupied West Bank. (Photo: via WAFA)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Illegal Israeli Jewish settlers continued their rampage in the occupied Palestinian West Bank. The latest Israeli attacks reached the village of Mekhmas, in the East Jerusalem area, areas near Nablus, Ramallah, Al-Khalil (Hebron), and elsewhere. 

Mekhmas, East Jerusalem

Illegal Jewish settlers erected a new illegal outpost on Thursday on Palestinian-owned lands near the village of Mekhmas, to the northeast of occupied Jerusalem, according to local sources.

Hasan Melehat, a local Palestinian rights activist, told the official Palestinian news agency WAFA that a number of settlers broke into Al-Baqaa area, east of the village, and set up caravans in a prelude for a new colonial outpost there.

Earlier on Thursday, Jewish settlers, escorted by Israeli occupation forces, set up six mobile homes on private Palestinian lands in the village of al-Lubban al-Sharqiya, on the road connecting Ramallah and Nablus in the north of the occupied West Bank.

Jalud, Nablus

The armed settlers, escorted by Israeli occupation forces, also attacked the Palestinian village of Jalud, south of the occupied West Bank city of Nablus, on Thursday evening, according to local sources.

Eyewitnesses told WAFA that scores of Jewish settlers descended upon the outskirts of the village and attacked a number of civilian houses, hurling stones toward them as the villagers attempted to confront them and defend their property.

Accompanying and protecting the settlers, Israeli soldiers unleashed barrages of fire toward the villagers, injuring three Palestinians.

Three other villagers sustained injuries in the stone-pelting at the hands of the settlers, while scores of others suffered excessive tear gas suffocation.

Local mosques’ loudspeakers called residents from neighboring villages to help confront the pogrom-like attack.

Renewed Attack on Turmus’Ayya

Continuing their rampage of violence that started on June 21, armed Jewish settlers renewed their attack on Turmus’ayya, northeast of the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, Thursday evening. 

The town’s mayor, Lafi Adeeb said that four armed Jewish settlers stormed the outskirts of the western outskirts of the town, making their way through the main entrance.

The town residents, who were on alert following the deadly violence two days earlier, confronted the settlers and prevented them from advancing toward the residential area, prompting them to open fire. 

Local sources added that a large mob of settlers attacked two Palestinians who were on their way home, northeast of Ramallah, inflicting bruises and cuts across their bodies.

The Palestinian victims, a resident of Tuqu town, east of Bethlehem, and a resident of Asira al-Qibliya village, southwest of Nablus, were rushed to a hospital in Ramallah, where medics described their condition as stable.

Masafer Yatta, Hebron

A number of Palestinians also suffered injuries on Thursday night in yet another attack by illegal Jewish settlers in the Masafer Yatta area, to the south of Al-Khalil, (Hebron).

Osama Makhamreh, a local Palestinian activist, told WAFA that a group of Israeli settlers from the illegal Israeli settlement of Maon assaulted Palestinian shepherds and civilians in the village of Khirbet Tuba, in the Masafer Yatta region, causing injuries. 

The Israeli attack also damaged houses in the village.

Makhamreh added that a local Palestinian resident, identified as Jabr Ibrahim Awad, was arrested by Israeli occupation soldiers in the aftermath of the settlers’ attack on the village.

Yusuf, Salfit

Illegal Jewish settlers hurled stones at Palestinian vehicles at the entrance of the village of Yasuf, in the occupied West Bank province of Salfit, on Thursday night.

Eyewitnesses told WAFA that groups of Israeli settlers blocked the main road leading to the village and pelted stones at Palestinian vehicles driving through the road, causing damage to some of them but no injuries.

The Ramallah Area

Gangs of illegal Jewish settlers carried out a series of attacks on Thursday night against Palestinians and their properties in the occupied West Bank province of Ramallah.

In the town of Sinjil, scores of army-backed settlers attacked homes with stones in the neighborhood of Muzaira, provoking confrontations with local residents who resisted the assault and forced the settlers out of the town.

Israeli settlers also attacked the village of Um Safa, north of Ramallah, but were thwarted by local Palestinian residents who gathered in large numbers to confront the raids.

Rampaging Israeli settlers also hurled stones at Palestinian vehicles driving through the Ein Ayyub junction near the village of Ras Karkar.

Silwan, Jerusalem

Five Palestinian civilians sustained injuries on Thursday night in an attack by illegal Jewish settlers in the occupied Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan, according to medical sources.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said five Palestinians received medical treatment after being beaten up and tear-gassed by settlers who were escorted by Israeli occupation forces.

Settler violence against Palestinians and their property is routine in the West Bank and is rarely prosecuted by Israeli authorities.

Settler violence includes property and mosque arsons, stone-throwing, uprooting of crops and olive trees, and attacks on vulnerable homes, among others.

There are over 700,000 Israeli settlers living in colonial settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. All Israeli Jewish settlements are considered illegal under international law. 

(The Palestine Chronicle, WAFA)

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