Israeli settlers have escalated their attacks against Palestinians across the West Bank, including attacks against citizens’ vehicles and crops, the forced closure of roads, and the uprooting of olive trees.
On Saturday alone in the area south Nablus city 144 settler attacks against Palestinians and their property were recorded. 120 vehicles were attacked, including six that were burned. Numerous shops in the town of Hawara were attacked.
In the Nablus Governorate settlers gathered at several key intersections in the south and east. Israeli forces closed the Hawara and Beit Furik military checkpoints in both directions. Settlers also closed the road between the cities of Qalqilya and Nablus, under the protection of Israeli armed forces.
And in the town of Majdal Bani Fadel, south of Nablus city, at least Palestinians suffered the effects of tear gas canisters fired by Israeli forces, the Palestine Red Crescent Society has reported. One of them was transferred to an-Najah Hospital in Nablus. Another, struck in the chest by a gas canister, was transferred to Rafidia hospital in the same city.
And today, Sunday 29 January, settlers uprooted 200 olive saplings in Majdal Bani Fadel’s surrounding lands.
In the town of Qaryut in the same governorate, settlers severely beat two Palestinian health workers, who were both taken to the hospital for treatment. In the same town, settlers set fire to at least six vehicles.
In the Salfit Governorate, settlers from the Burkan and Gitai Avishar settlements, both of which are established on Palestinians’ lands, closed the road linking the towns of Kafr al-Dik and Dayr Balut. Settlers raised the Israeli flag and blocked Palestinian traffic.
Similar incidents were recorded near the Avnei Hefetz settlement, southeast of Tulkarm, in the governorate of the same name.
In the Tubas Governorate, settlers attacked citizens’ vehicles with stones at the Ain al-Hilweh junction. In the same governorate, settlers destroyed Palestinians’ crops and greenhouses in the village of Ain Al-Bayda.
In the Jericho Governorate, Israeli occupation forces closed both the northern and southern entrances to Jericho city. In the city itself, occupation forced closed al-Quds Street.
In Hebron’s Old City, settlers assaulted Palestinians, including children, near the Ibrahimi Mosque. Settlers’ groups also attempted to storm the mosque itself, under the protection of Israeli armed forces.
In the Ramallah Governorate, in the town of Turmus Ayya, Israeli settlers burned a Palestinian-owned house and vehicle.
In the village of al-Taybeh in the same governorate, settlers have attacked Palestinian vehicles with stones.
A Palestinian citizen and eyewitness to the attacks in Turmus Ayya, Awad Abu Samra, reported that after a number of settlers forcibly closed a major road in the town, they set a vehicle alight, which then caused a second fire in a nearby home. The settlers acted under the protection of occupation forces.
