The occupation unleashes settler attacks in the West Bank after the death of one of them

The Israeli army unleashed settlers to carry out widespread attacks in the West Bank on Saturday after finding the body of a settler killed in an attack, according to the army, while at least 16 Palestinians were injured during clashes.

Al Jazeera's correspondent reported that settlers were mobilized near Palestinian villages and towns after the body of the teenager was found east of Ramallah.

Groups of settlers attacked the villages of Duma, Al-Wasiya and Qusra, south of Nablus, and the villages of Al-Mughayyir, Abu Falah, Deir Dabwan and Turmusaya, east of Ramallah.

Clashes erupted between Palestinians and the occupation forces and settlers at Beit Furik town, east of Nablus.

Settlers fired at Palestinian vehicles on the Maarajat road between Ramallah and Jericho. Settlers also blocked roads with 12 vehicles in Khallet al-Nahla, east of Bethlehem, and prevented residents from reaching their lands.

Settlers attacked Palestinian shepherds in Al-Shumra area in Al-Badiya in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron, while Israeli soldiers arrested a Palestinian citizen while he was grazing livestock in Sha'ab Al-Butm area in Masafer Yatta.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Red Crescent announced that 16 Palestinians were injured in clashes with the occupation and settlers in a number of villages in Ramallah and Nablus.

CNN Testimonial
For its part, the American network CNN said that its crew followed the entry of dozens of settlers into the village of al-Mughayer - the epicenter of the recent developments in the West Bank - and saw shots fired at Palestinians in the village, but added that the network is not sure of the identity of the shooter, according to the network.

The network added that the settlers set fire to a building and cars in the village of al-Mughayer.

Earlier, the occupation army announced that the body of the settler was found, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to reach the killers and their accomplices, according to his words.

The Israeli army said in a statement that the settler Benjamin Akhimir, who has been missing since Friday, was killed in what it called a "terrorist operation," and his body was found in the Malachi Hashalom area (a settlement outpost built on the lands of the village of Al-Mughayyir, northeast of Ramallah).

The army added that the investigation into the incident is ongoing and that security forces continue to pursue the suspects, while Israeli media indicated that the settler was a shepherd who did not return with his flock in the area.

Netanyahu said in a statement that the killing of the settler was a "serious crime" and vowed that the army would carry out a massive manhunt for the killers.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant said that settlers should "allow the security services to search for whoever killed the settler."

Acts of revenge will make it harder for security forces to find the saboteurs, he said.

On the other hand, Israel Today newspaper said that settlers assaulted a photographer for the Hebrew newspaper Yediot Aharonot and broke his hand in the village of Duma, south of Nablus.

Resistance response
Developments across the West Bank accelerated as settler attacks escalated, with Al Jazeera's correspondent reporting that resistance fighters opened fire at the Hawara military checkpoint south of Nablus.

Earlier, the Israeli army radio reported violent clashes in the village of al-Mughayyir, in which three Israeli soldiers were injured.

The Palestinian resistance factions called on the public to rise up against the settlers' attacks, and called on the PA leadership and security forces in the West Bank to fulfill their duty to protect citizens.

The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) said in a statement that the escalation of "frenzied attacks carried out by settler militias" are described war crimes committed by the Zionist enemy.

The movement called on the masses of the Palestinian people and the resistance fighters in the West Bank to "rise up against these plans, escalate the revolutionary and resistance movement and clash with the Zionist enemy and its criminal militias of extremist settlers."

In the same context, the Islamic Jihad movement said that the armed settlers' attacks on the Palestinian people reflect "the entity's attempt to drag the West Bank into a street war."

The movement stressed that the resistance forces "will do their duty to defend our people with all the means and tools at their disposal."

In another statement, the National and Islamic Forces of the Ramallah and al-Bireh governorate called for "thwarting settlers' attempts to terrorize Palestinian villages and towns," stressing the need to maintain a state of constant alert and vigilance.

These forces also urged "activating popular guard and protection committees, burning tires at the entrances of villages and towns adjacent to settlements and bypass roads around the clock, and using mosque megaphones."

In conjunction with the ongoing war on Gaza, settlers increased their attacks in the West Bank, and the Israeli army escalated its operations, which led to the martyrdom of 463 Palestinians, as of Friday, the injury of about 4,750, and the arrest of 8,145, according to Palestinian sources.

According to data from the Wall and Settlement Authority, settlers carried out 546 attacks against Palestinians and their property in the West Bank during the first quarter of 2024, including attacking 156 vehicles by smashing or burning them.

Source: Al Jazeera + Agencies + CNN