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Israeli settlers attack Huwara in the northern West Bank

July 20, 2024 at 12:14 pm

Israeli forces take security measures as fanatical Jewish settlers, who are under the protection of Israeli police, during a raid in Hebron, West Bank on April 24, 2024 [Amer Shallodi/Anadolu Agency]

Israeli settlers attacked the town of Huwara in the northern occupied West Bank on Friday, damaging property and injuring Palestinians.

The Palestinian news agency Wafa reported: “Settlers, protected by the Israeli occupation forces, attacked the town of Huwara, south of Nablus, today. Confrontations broke out in the centre of the town of Huwara following an attack launched by settlers on citizens to prevent them from restoring a commercial store that included a bakery that the occupation forces closed last October.”

“The occupation forces fired bullets, stun grenades, and tear gas toward the young men, but no injuries were reported,” it added.

The agency reported: “Settlers attacked citizens’ vehicles with stones, while the occupation soldiers fired bullets, sound bombs, and poisonous gas into the centre of the town.”

In circulating video clips, settlers, including armed men, appear to attack Palestinian shops, homes and vehicles with stones, while the Israeli army present at the scene did not interfere to prevent the attacks.

Eyewitnesses told Anadolu Agency: “The attack began with a few settlers, which later became dozens.”

This occurred following the decision by the International Court of Justice issued earlier Friday, stating: “Palestinians have the right to self-determination and urged Israel to cease immediately all new settlement activities and to evacuate all settlers,” adding that Israel’s actions violate the Fourth Geneva Convention.

According to the Colonisation and Wall Resistance Commission, settlers committed a total of 1,334 attacks in the West Bank during the first half of 2024, causing the deaths of citizens.

Based on data from the leftist Israeli Peace Now movement, about half a million Israelis reside in 146 large settlements and 144 settlement outposts built on occupied West Bank territory, not including occupied East Jerusalem.

READ: Are sanctions on Israeli settlers and organisations the best the EU can do?