Settlers attack Israel soldiers in the West Bank

Israeli occupation forces clashed with Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank as they dismantled an illegal settler outpost early this morning, according to video footage of the police operation seen by Reuters.

The video showed army excavators destroying makeshift structures at the Oz Zion outpost which is built on private Palestinian land. Settlers sat down across a small road to block access, but officers dragged them out of the way, the video showed.

Settlers at the outpost ignited tyres, threw stones at Israeli occupation forces evacuating structures on private Palestinian land standing for two years without enforcement, according to Haaretz.

There was no immediate comment from Israeli authorities about the operation.

According to international law, all settlements and settlement outposts built in the occupied Palestinian territories are illegal. Israel, however, distinguishes between the two, legalising settlements and saying outposts are set up without due process.

The occupied West Bank forms a core part of the land Palestinians seek to establish their independent state alongside Gaza.