Arab News | Israeli settlers attack wedding procession near Bethlehem

BETHLEHEM: Israeli settlers on Friday attacked a wedding procession in the Abu Njeim area, southeast of Bethlehem, according to a local source.

The source said that colonists obstructed the movement of vehicles in the wedding procession, engaging in provocations, harassment, and inhumane behavior.

Settlers have recently escalated their attacks against residents of Khalayel Al-Louz, including assaults on vehicles, opening fire, and blocking secondary roads.

Settlers’ violence against Palestinians and their property is routine in the West Bank and is rarely prosecuted by Israeli authorities.

The violence includes property and mosque arson, stone-throwing, uprooting of crops and olive trees, and attacks on vulnerable homes, among others.

Approximately 1 million Israeli settlers are living in colonies in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in violation of international law.

Settlers on Friday burned a Palestinian vehicle in the village of Tell, southwest of Nablus, and attacked Palestinian farmers harvesting olives in several villages across the governorate.

Local and Palestinian security sources reported that settlers attacked olive harvesters in Tell, southwest of Nablus, as well as in Jamma’in, Qusra, Beita and Usarin to the south; Sebastia and Beit Imrin to the northwest; and Beit Furik and Beit Dajan to the east.

The sources added that colonists set fire to a vehicle belonging to Palestinian citizen Hamza Ahmad Yamen, a resident of Tell.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces fired tear gas and stun grenades in Qusra, triggering fires in agricultural lands in the area. The forces also prevented landowners from harvesting olives on their property, the sources said.