Israelis, Palestinians clash

HEBRON: Israeli settlers reportedly attacked Palestinians in the southern occupied West Bank village of Umm al-Kheir, located in the Hebron district, on Monday afternoon.

Co-ordinator of popular committees in the southern West Bank Ratib al-Jabour said physical altercations erupted between Israeli settlers from the nearby Karmel settlement and Palestinians from Umm al-Kheir, after the settlers threw rocks at homes in the village.

According to al-Jabour, the Israeli army arrived in the area and began firing flares and sound bombs to disperse the crowds.

An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma’an they were looking into reports.

Palestinian activists and rights groups have long accused Israel of fostering a “culture of impunity” for Israeli settlers and soldiers committing violent acts against Palestinians. While the hundreds of thousands of Israelis living in Jewish-only settlements across the West Bank in violation of international law are permitted to carry guns, and are rarely held accountable for stone throwing or similar attacks.

Palestinians face up to 20 years in prison for throwing stones where intent to harm could be proven, and 10 years where it could not.

Israeli authorities served indictments in only 8.2% of cases of Israeli settlers committing anti-Palestinian crimes in the West Bank in the past three years, according to Israeli non-governmental organisation Yesh Din.

According to the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs, there were 107 reported settler attacks against Palestinians and their properties in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem last year. – Ma’an