Israeli Settlers Burn Palestinian Vehicles, Property in West Bank

(MENAFN) Israeli settlers torched Palestinian vehicles and destroyed agricultural property Friday in a series of attacks across areas south of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, as Israeli military forces simultaneously conducted sweeping raids and arrests throughout the territory.

Local sources told media that settlers stormed homes in the southern part of the town of Qusra, igniting clashes with residents who moved to confront them. The attackers burned two vehicles and set fire to agricultural structures used for poultry and livestock farming before also destroying a construction vehicle belonging to Palestinians in the corridor between Jalud and Qusra.

In the village of Salim, east of Nablus, Israeli troops raided the area under military vehicle cover, firing live ammunition before arresting a young man identified as Ibrahim Abu al-Rish — whose vehicle was also damaged in the incursion, witnesses said.

Israeli forces separately raided an agricultural facility in the Qamas area of Beita, south of Nablus, where confrontations erupted between soldiers and local residents. Troops discharged live rounds and stun grenades as Palestinians responded with stones. A young man was subsequently detained and assaulted, according to witnesses on the ground.

In Bethlehem, forces sealed the entrances to the Al-Manshiya and Marah Rabah areas southeast of the city using iron gates, severing key access routes to the southern countryside, local sources reported.

Further south in Hebron, troops entered Al-Arroub refugee camp north of the city, sparking fresh clashes during which soldiers deployed stun grenades and tear gas against stone-throwing Palestinians.

Israeli forces also pushed into the town of Kobar, north of Ramallah, in the central West Bank, amid a broader military deployment across the area.

Friday's wave of violence reflects a sharp escalation in settler and military activity across West Bank communities, with documented incidents including home invasions, attacks on shepherds, and ongoing land seizures.

According to official Palestinian data, at least 1,153 Palestinians have been killed, thousands more wounded, and approximately 22,000 arrested across the West Bank since October 2023.

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