By Qais Abu Samra
NABLUS, West Bank (AA) – Dozens of Palestinians suffered a temporary asphyxiation from teargas canisters fired by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank on Monday, according to a local Palestinian official.
Israeli forces used teargas and rubber bullets to disperse Palestinians, who gathered to prevent settlers from attacking their property in the village of Urif, south of Nablus, Mazen Shehada, chief of the village’s local council, said.
“Dozens of Israeli settlers stormed the village and hurled stones on Palestinian homes and a school in the area,” he said.
According to Shehada, Israeli forces provided protection to the settlers, triggering clashes with Palestinian villagers.
There was no comment from the Israeli military on the claim.
Last week, Israeli settlers vandalized a Palestinian vehicle in a suspected “price tag” attack in the same village.
According to Palestinian figures, more than 700,000 Jewish settlers now live on 196 settlements (built with the Israeli government’s approval) and more than 200 settler outposts (built without its approval) across the occupied West Bank.
International law views the West Bank and East Jerusalem as “occupied territories ” and considers all Jewish settlement-building activity on the land to be illegal.
