Israeli forces clash with Israrli settlers

Israeli forces clashed with Jewish settlers while trying to remove an illegal outpost built near Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank village of Qusra on Wednesday.

Witnesses said the army eventually withdrew from the area after failing to remove the settlers. Such clashes between Israeli forces and settlers are rare amid a surge in land seizures and attacks on Palestinians.

The Israeli military said on Tuesday that the outpost was “illegal, reprehensible and unacceptable”, adding that such activities were harming local residents and severely disrupting their daily lives.

Witnesses and video footage reviewed by Reuters showed soldiers using tear gas to disperse settlers on Wednesday morning. After removing the cover of a tent at the outpost, the soldiers left the area.

The settlers then allegedly tried to break down the gate of a Palestinian home and threw stones. A Palestinian resident, Ayesha Hassan, said the settlers had established the outpost four days earlier, leaving residents of three nearby homes effectively trapped.

She said the settlers had tried to break their gate, thrown stones and hurled abusive remarks, leaving residents terrified.

The army said border forces had removed the tent and were working to evacuate the civilians staying there. It said security forces remained at the scene as the operation was ongoing. There was no immediate comment from the army or Israeli police on the clash with the settlers.

The West Bank, captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war, is home to around three million Palestinians and 500,000 Jewish settlers. According to Israeli settlement watchdog Peace Now, there are currently 146 settlements and 390 smaller outposts in the territory.

SKS