Israeli Forces, Settlers Attack Residents, Burn Mosque in West Bank
Israeli occupation forces and settler groups continued their escalation against Palestinians across the occupied West Bank on Friday, carrying out raids, home invasions, detainments, and attacks on property and farmland in several cities, towns, and refugee camps.
In Jenin, Israeli forces stormed the village of Arabouna, northeast of the governorate, as part of a widening campaign of incursions across the northern West Bank. In Areeha, Israeli occupation forces also raided Aqabat Jabr refugee camp, while in Tulkarm they entered the village of Qaffin and searched several homes.
The raid on Qaffin coincided with an attack by a group of settlers on the village, adding to the tension on the ground. Israeli forces also launched a broad wave of searches and arrests in the areas of Iktaba and Artaah, and in the towns of Bal’a and Qaffin, with many of those detained reported to be recently released prisoners.
In Nablus, settlers attacked Palestinian homes on the outskirts of the village of al-Sawiya, while other settlers set fire to a mosque and sprayed hostile graffiti during an attack on the town of Qusra, south of the city. The assault came as Israeli forces simultaneously raided the area.
Israeli occupation troops also stormed the home of Farouk Ramadan, who carried out a shooting operation near the village of Tell, west of Nablus, two days earlier. The raid was part of a wider detainment campaign in the village, which has remained under heavy pressure following the deadly settler attack there.
At the Awarta checkpoint south of Nablus, Israeli occupation forces also detained an ambulance belonging to the Beita ambulance center, further disrupting movement and emergency access in the area.
The latest raids come one day after a deadly settler assault on the town of Tell, carried out under the protection of Israeli occupation forces, which left four Palestinians dead and four others wounded.
Source: Almayadeen
