Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Several dozen Israeli settler youths attacked the village of Beit Ilu on Tuesday, north of Ramallah, in response to Israeli forces razing the Gush Talmonim outpost, Israeli media reported.
The attack was coordinated by text message, the Israeli daily Haaretz said, and the settlers began chanting "The police destroy nothing that belongs to Arabs." "The rule of evil is persecuting the settlements." "In 24 hours, we will set this place up anew." "We will not be broken."
According to the daily, the assailants cut branches from nearby olive trees to make improvised weapons and began hurling stones. One of the settlers was appointed "security guard" to ensure no journalists were able to record the incident, Haaretz wrote.
Rioters broke into the home of the Mazar family, trying to set fire to the car of family members trying to escape the violence and then began pelting them with stones, the daily said, adding that Mohammed Mazar, who was visiting his grandmother, was hit in the head and began to bleed. Another relative was also injured, and both were evacuated to a local clinic.
Mohammed Radwan, the town's engineer, said at least 30 people were injured in the attack, the daily reported.
An Israeli military spokesman told Ma'an that, concerning the incident, three Israelis and two Palestinians were lightly injured in nearby Nachliel, opposite Beit Ilu, as a result of mutual rock-hurling. Israeli security forces and border police were called to intervene in the incident and separated those involved, the spokesman said.
Village authorities were forced shut down all its amenities and schools as a result of the attack.
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