BETHLEHEM, Monday, April 10, 2023 (WAFA) – Israeli settler extremists attacked a Palestinian house and car-repair shops in the town of al-Khader to the south of Bethlehem, while dozens of other settlers attacked Palestinian vehicles to the southeast of Bethlehem as well as at the northern entrance to al-Bireh city in Ramallah.
Settlers, backed by army forces, gathered in Um al-Rukba area to the south of the town of al-Khader and attacked a Palestinian home belonging to the al-Balboul family in addition to several car-repair shops with rocks and empty glass bottles while chanting “death to Arabs,” local activist Ahmad Salah told WAFA correspondent.
Clashes reportedly broke out following the setters’ attack, during which the town residents scuffled with settlers while forces joined in on the attack, firing live bullets, tear gas canisters, and stun grenades toward residents, however, no injuries were reported.
Dozens of settlers also gathered at the entrance to the settlement of Tekoa, built illegally on Palestinian land in the town of Taqou to the southeast of Bethlehem, and pelted Palestinian cars passing on the main road with stones causing material damage to several cars. No injuries were reported, said youth activist, Mustafa al-Badan.
Scores of settler fanatics, under the protection of Israeli soldiers, also gathered at the el-Nasnash area and closed the southern-main entrance of the al-Khader town, which connects the governorates of Bethlehem and Hebron.
In the meantime in Ramallah, settlers attacked with stones Palestinian vehicles at the northern entrance to al-Bireh city.
Dozens of settlers, backed by Israeli forces, gathered at the DCO checkpoint at the al-Bireh’s northern entrance as well as at the nearby Beitin roundabout and attacked Palestinian vehicles with stones, said security sources.
Other groups of settler fanatics reportedly gathered near two illegal settlements built on Palestinian lands to the northeast of Ramallah.
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.
T.R.
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