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by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

An armed gang of around 50 Israeli settlers stormed a Palestinian Bedouin community of shepherds in Huwwara area, south of Nablus in the northern West Bank on Saturday.

This is not the first time that settlers from the nearby Itamar and Yitzhar religious Jewish Israeli settlements have attacked Palestinian civilians – in the last three years, these attacks have become more and more frequent occurrences, according to local residents. The attacks often take place on Saturdays, after religious services in the settlements.

In Saturday's attack, the gang of armed settlers descended on the Bedouin community and began uprooting trees and plants and smashing the glass of vehicles belonging to the Bedouins. They also tried to steal sheep from the Bedouin shepherds.

The Bedouin community in Huwwara is made up of several families living in tin huts and tents in extremely impoverished conditions, trying to make a living by herding sheep.

The Palestinian monitor of settlement activity in the West Bank, Ghassan Daghlas, called on the Israeli liaison office to investigate the incident.



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NABLUS, July 6, 2013 (WAFA) – Israeli settlers Saturday attacked shepherds and their families south of Nablus and damaged their property, said local sources.

Ghassan Daghlas, who monitors settlement activities in the north of the West Bank, told WAFA that the settlers attacked the shepherds in the Huwara area.

He said that the settlers slashed tires for tractors, smashed windows of a vehicle and tried to steal cattle.

M.H./M.S.