Israeli occupation forces on Thursday forced Jewish settlers out of an illegal settlement in northern West Bank, Israel Radio said.

This came following confrontations between Israeli forces and Jewish settlers, who pelted stones at the former, but no casualties were reported, it said. Jewish settlers also set ablaze nearby farmland close to Qalqylia. They have recently stepped up their aggressions on Palestinians and their property in the West Bank.

Jewish settlement activities constitute a key stumbling block to the Palestinian-Israeli peace process as Israel insists on maintaining three major settlements in the West Bank.