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by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Tuesday evening, June 4 2013, a number of extremist Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian vehicles in the At-Tour Palestinian town, in occupied East Jerusalem, and attacked local youths who tried to stop them. Israeli Policemen arrived at the scene, and kidnapped three Palestinians.

Local sources have reported that the settlers, living in Beit Ort illegal settlement, built on Palestinian lands in At-Tour, gathered at a main road and hurled stones at Palestinian cars causing damage to at least three vehicles.

The sources added that several local youths tried to stop the settlers, before Israeli police officers arrived at the scene and kidnapped three of the Palestinian youths instead of apprehending the settlers, or at least removing them from the area.

Two of the kidnapped Palestinians have been identified as Amir and Ahmad Abu Sbeitan.

Mofeed Abu Ghannam, head of the Follow-up Committee in At-Tour, told the Maan News Agency that the settlers are escalating their attacks against the Palestinians, their lands and property, while the Israeli Police and army are not seriously acting against these attacks.

Abu Ghannam added that the Israeli government “is practicing state sponsored terrorism”, and that the policies of consecutive Israeli governments are racist policies that support the settlers against the indigenous Palestinian inhabitants of Jerusalem.

He further stated that the ongoing Israeli violations, especially against the Palestinians in and around occupied Jerusalem, and Israel’s escalating settlement activities, clearly indicate that Tel Aviv is not interested in peace.

“Despite regional and international efforts to resume direct peace talks, Israel continues its attacks, invasions, violations, and its illegal settlement activities in occupied Palestine”, Abu Ghannam said, “Israel is not interested in peace, not interested in a solution to the conflict”.