Settlers set Nablus on fire in response to West Bank shooting

ByNews Desk- The Cradle 

Dozens of Palestinians, including a child, were injured by the rampaging Israelis

Extremist Israeli settlers launched a new pogrom on several Palestinian towns near Nablus, torching cars and crops and leaving dozens injured following a shooting operation in the occupied West Bank, which left four Israelis dead on 20 June.

ALERT 🚨 Israeli settlers protected by Israeli forces are currently attacking Palestinian homes, burning lands and vehicles near Luban e-Sharkiya village south of Nablus City. pic.twitter.com/pIMXV7jBJO

— Ramy Abdu| رامي عبده (@RamAbdu) June 20, 2023

Several areas of Nablus were stormed by the settlers, including Huwara – where previous settler pogroms have taken place – and the town of Yatma.

In Yatma, near the Zatara checkpoint, Palestinian photojournalist Khaled Taha was injured after being pelted with stones by Israeli settlers.

lsraeli colonial settlers attack a journalist south of Nablus. pic.twitter.com/hpmtREWf3Q

— TIMES OF GAZA (@Timesofgaza) June 20, 2023

Palestinian farmlands and crops were set ablaze by settlers, as residents of Huwara, Beit Furik, Burin, and other towns near Nablus were assaulted. At least 34 Palestinians were injured, including a child.

A group of Israeli settlers, guarded by occupation police, attacked Palestinian proprieties and sit on fire a large tract of land near Nablus.

Credit: Wafa News Agency #FreePalestine pic.twitter.com/EtCZTsYIYa

— Wafa News Agency – English (@WAFANewsEnglish) June 21, 2023

Colonial Israeli settlers backed by Israeli forces brutally attacked Palestinian child Ismail Owais in the village of Al-Lubban Al-Sharqiya in Nablus, causing injuries to his head and back on Wednesday, 21 Jun 2023.#Palestine pic.twitter.com/ygu5NOmb3j

— Days of Palestine (@DayPal_official) June 21, 2023

Around 140 vehicles were torched in the assault. In Huwara, settlers also set fire to a Palestinian ambulance.

Israeli troops were deployed in Huwara and other areas as the settlers carried out the pogrom.

Hours earlier, four Israelis were killed in a shooting operation near the Eli settlement north of Ramallah.

The shooting was carried out by Muhannad Shehadeh and Khaled Sabah. Shehadeh was shot dead by troops at the scene of the shooting, while Sabah escaped and was hunted down and killed two hours later.

The Israeli army is preparing to demolish Sabah’s home, a customary practice.

Just a day earlier, Tel Aviv launched a brutal raid in the West Bank city of Jenin, conducting the first aerial attack on the West Bank in over 20 years.

During the assault, journalists were shot at, and over three dozen Palestinians were wounded. Seven Israeli soldiers were also injured in an explosive attack against their vehicles.

These escalation come as the Israeli security establishment is considering a full-scale military operation in the West Bank, which Israel has admitted would be costly.

This is meant to confront the growing presence of West Bank-based resistance factions such as the Lions’ Den and the Jenin and Nablus Brigades of the Gaza-based Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), which have been highly active in opposing Israeli raids.

Tuesday’s shooting also came after a decision by the prime minister to give extremist minister Bezalel Smotrich significant control over administration in the West Bank, a move seen as the early steps ofa de-facto annexation of the entire territory.