Settlers attacked Palestinians on their land in the south of the West Bank; Red Crescent: a young man was hit in the head • Matan Golan and Jackie Khoury • Thread 🧵

Settlers attacked Palestinians on their land in the south of the West Bank; Red Crescent: a young man was hit in the head The IDF said that a force arrived on the scene after Israelis entered private Palestinian territory near the Arab village of Al־Rashayda, and as a result, a confrontation ensued, which included mutual stone-throwing. According to the testimonies of residents, the settlers subsequently threw stones at vehicles on the way ...

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The IDF said that a force arrived on the scene after Israelis entered private Palestinian territory near the Arab village of Al־Rashayda, and as a result, a confrontation ensued, which included mutual stone-throwing. According to the testimonies of residents, the settlers then threw stones at vehicles on the way to the village, and a woman was slightly injured.

Photo: The settlers who invaded the lands of the Arab residents of Al־Rashida, yesterday.

(1) Settlers attacked yesterday (Wednesday) Palestinians who plowed their land in the south of the West Bank, near the Arab village of Al־ Rashida. The Red Crescent said that a Palestinian was moderately injured־ hard by settler violence, and was evacuated with a crack in his skull. The army said that a force arrived at the scene after Israelis entered private Palestinian territory, and as a result a confrontation developed that included mutual stone throwing.

(2) "Rain comes in a few days and people want to plow the lands to sow wheat", the local resident told "Haaretz". "Every year we plow these lands". According to him, about ־20 settlers went down to the groves from an outpost near the Ma'ale Yosef settlement, and tried to violently expel the Palestinians from the place while approaching the residences in the village. After that, he says, many Arab residents of Al־Rashiyada set out towards the settlers. "We went to them to protect our lands and our rights. Another resident said: "We tried to convince the settlers that this is our land, Israel also recognizes it". *

(3) Documentation from the clashes between the residents of Al־reshida and the settlers who entered their land, yesterday:

(4) "The army was on the side of the settlers. They turn a blind eye to what they are doing", the community resident accused. "The army started firing live shots at us. It was a terrible mess. The whole village came out because of the shooting, there was gas that the army dispersed", he said. Documentation from the incident shows many Palestinian residents confronting the settlers, even when the security forces were in the area, and at the same time gunshots and gas clouds are heard and seen in the crowd. According to Arab resident Al־reshida, the settlers who were outnumbered finally retreated, and the army made no arrests.

(5) According to the evidence, settlers then threw stones at Palestinian vehicles near Ma'ale Amos, on the only access route to Arab al־reshida. Residents said that a Palestinian woman was hit in the chest and knee by throwing stones while driving outside the village, and was slightly injured. After that, the vehicle she was in retraced his steps. "We asked an ambulance to come to Rashida to take her, but the settlers closed the way of the ambulance", said one of the residents. "These settlers – it's from your government", he added. "They have people in the Knesset. The situation is deteriorating here".

Photo: A truck that settlers set on fire in the village of Beit Lid, this week. Recently, there has been a surge in settler violence in the West Bank, recorded in both UN and IDF data. *

(6) The IDF spokesman said that "yesterday IDF forces jumped into the Rashaydot area of the Etzion Brigade following a report received of Israeli civilians who had entered private Palestinian territory". Friction developed in the area during which stones were thrown between the Palestinians and the Israelis. IDF forces dispersed the friction, no injuries were reported". *

(7) Recently, there has been a surge in settler violence in the West Bank, recorded in both UN and IDF data. Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said yesterday that he condemns the violence, which he attributed to "a minority of criminals who tarnish a law-abiding public". He added that the acts of violence in recent days are "crossing a red line", and also claimed that they are serious because they "divert the attention of the forces from fulfilling their mission – the defense of the settlements and the offensive activity". A source in the Central Command also warned yesterday that the increase in nationalist crime in the West Bank could deteriorate the entire security situation here". The Central Command said yesterday that the army is trying to deal with the increase in violence, but it does not have enough tools to deal with the violence.

(8) However, in many cases the army itself turns a blind eye to the attacks, and instead of acting against soldiers who themselves participate in the violent incidents, it directs the treatment to the investigating military police (MZH). At the same time, fighters who participated in securing the violent incidents told "Haaretz" that they usually arrive when they end and are required to disperse those involved in them without delaying the attacking settlers.