Description

Photos:
Scene. Published by Maan News
_____

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli settlers blocked the western entrance to the Tuqu village southeast of the southern occupied West Bank district of Bethlehem, late Monday evening.

Tuqu's, Taysir Abu Mifreh, said that some 50 Israeli settlers were gathered at the western entrance of the village, preventing Palestinians from passing which caused panic among locals.

Israeli settlers were under armed security by Israeli forces.

Abu Mifreh added that Israeli settlers have recently escalated attacks against locals, the latest of which was last Friday when dozens of Israeli settlers hurled rocks at Palestinian vehicles.

Between 500,000 and 600,000 Israelis live in Jewish-only settlements across occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank in violation of international law, with announcements of settlement expansion earlier this year sparking condemnation from the international community.

The majority of settler attacks committed against Palestinians are met with impunity, with Israelis rarely facing consequences for such attacks.

Only 1.9% of complaints submitted by Palestinians against Israeli settler attacks result in a conviction, the Israeli human rights group Yesh Din reported.