Shin Bet, police investigating suspected arson attacks in West Bank Palestinian village

The Shin Bet and Israel Police are investigating several instances of suspected arson in the Palestinian village of Khirbet Al-Marjam in the West Bank overnight, the two agencies say in a joint statement.

The suspected arson attacks occurred shortly after several Palestinians tried to steal a herd belonging to Israeli settlers near Khirbet Al-Marjam, the Shin Bet and police say.

A short while after police received a report about the attempted theft of the Israeli’s herd, Palestinians reported that a number of masked men had broken into the village, and were setting homes and vehicles on fire, the statement says, adding that IDF troops and Israeli Border Police were then dispatched to the scene.

It was then decided that the Israel Police and Shin Bet would open a joint investigation into the incident, the statement adds.