Settlers attack West Bank village after Palestinians stone Israeli cars

Locals in Burin say Yitzhar residents broke into their school and shattered the windshields of teachers’ cars

By Jacob Magid 28 December 2017, 1:33 pm
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Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief

Palestinian residents of Burin stand next to a car whose windshield was shattered by Israeli settlers who attacked the village on December 28, 2017. (Courtesy: Yesh Din)
Palestinian residents of Burin stand next to a car whose windshield was shattered by Israeli settlers who attacked the village on December 28, 2017. (Courtesy: Yesh Din)

A group of settlers raided the nearby northern West Bank village of Burin on Wednesday after Palestinian youths hurled rocks at Israeli vehicles.

Yitzhar residents broke into a school on the outskirts of the village while it was in session and shattered the windshields of three parked cars belonging to teachers, the Yesh Din rights group reported.

But settlers said  they were responding  after Palestinians threw rocks at Israeli vehicles driving past the village. Among those hit was Tzvi Succot, director of the far-right Otzma Yehudit group. He filmed himself exiting his vehicle and pursuing the rioters by foot.

Soldiers arrived at the scene and and dispersed the crowd with riot-dispersal gear. An IDF spokesperson confirmed that rocks were thrown by both Israelis and Palestinians.

One soldier sustained light injuries from a rock thrown at his head, the army said.

Footage from Palestinian residents shows Israeli tear gas clouding the school where the clash took place.

https://twitter.com/elchangr/status/946327028248301568

The school’s principal told Palestinian media that one of his students was hit by a rubber bullet fired by Israeli troops and several others suffered from tear gas inhalation.

Relations between residents of Burin and Yitzhar have long been tense. Earlier this month, dozens of settlers entered Burin and hurled rocks at people and homes, with footage appearing to show the army standing by amid clashes between the sides.

 

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Tensions in the northern West Bank have been high since a November clash  between Palestinians and a group of hiking settlers. Then, a group of several Israeli dozen youths — chaperoned by two of the fathers — embarked on a tour of the northern West Bank to celebrate the bar mitzvah of Elitzur Libman. As they hiked past the village of Qusra, they said, dozens of Palestinian residents began throwing rocks at them. One of the armed chaperones opened fire, killing 48-year-old Mahmoud Za’al Odeh.

The next week, clashes broke out between settlers and Palestinians in the area after a group of far-right Israeli activist from the Otzma Yehudit group returned to the scene of the deadly clash. One Palestinian man was shot and critically wounded under unclear circumstances. The army did not say then if one of its soldiers had fired the shot that injured the Palestinian.

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