The Israeli Shin Bet Security Service has warned that Jewish extremist settlers from the settlement of Yitzhar, in the northern occupied West Bank, could commit “hate crimes” against Palestinians during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Haaretz reported on Tuesday.
As a result of the threat, Israeli security services have doubled their presence in the settlement near Nablus as well as other areas including the illegal Gush Etzion settlements cluster.
It quoted an Israeli security source as saying that “increasing the security forces’ presence in Yitzhar from the beginning of Ramadan aimed to get closer to the suspected central activists who stand behind the attacks and prevent them from implementing their plans.”.
READ: Israel settlers storm Al-Aqsa on first day of Ramadan
Haaretz said the settlement’s nearly 1,200 residents have presence the security presence as “harassment”.
According to Israeli reports, 53 mosques and holy sites were attacked or burned by settlers from 2009 to 2017 in the occupied West Bank.
