IDF dispatches infantry battalion to West Bank to deal with settler attacks on Palestinians

An IDF infantry battalion is being dispatched to the West Bank to bolster troops that are attempting to deal with provocations and attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians.

The military says that IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir held an assessment today with senior officers regarding an ongoing incident in the village of Qusra, where settlers have set up an outpost outside Palestinian homes, besieging them for days.

“The chief of staff instructed the continuation of efforts to strengthen order and operational control in the area, as well as to prevent the continuation of the serious incidents,” the IDF says in a statement.

The IDF says Zamir ordered a standing army infantry battalion, currently on a break between operational activity, to be deployed to the Qusra area “to strengthen operational control.” Additional forces will be on standby “for deployment as required.”

The military says it is working alongside the police and Shin Bet to restore order in the area and “bring the rioters to justice.”

Zamir also instructed that all troops in the West Bank “be given clear guidance regarding the rules of conduct and the use of force in incidents of this type.”