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The Palestinian Authority reported more Israeli settler violence toward Palestinians on Friday as tensions simmer in the West Bank.
Israeli settlers are accused of burning crops belonging to a local Palestinian in the village of at-Tawani, south of Hebron. The settlers came from the nearby settlement of Ma’on, according to the PA’s official WAFA news agency.
WAFA also reported that settlers attacked a spring in Qaryut, south of Nablus. Israeli forces fired gas canisters at local Palestinians who confronted the settlers, according to the outlet.
The Israel Defense Forces has not commented on the incidents on its social media channels as of this writing.
Why it matters: Israeli settler violence toward Palestinian civilians in the West Bank increased dramatically in June and the Palestinian Authority has reported hundreds of attacks this month. They include arson attacks on homes, a school and a mosque.
The IDF, the Israel Securities Authority and police condemned the violence in a joint statement on June 24. “In recent days, violent attacks have been carried out by Israelis in Judea and Samaria against innocent Palestinians,” it read. “These attacks contradict every moral and Jewish value. They constitute, in every way, nationalist terrorism and we are obliged to fight them.”
Palestinian officials have also repeatedly condemned the attacks and called for international action.
On Tuesday, Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas held a rare phone call to discuss the settler attacks.
Israeli security raids throughout the West Bank are continuing amid the violence.
Tensions in Israel and the Palestinian territories have been high throughout the year. In December, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned to power with a coalition including Jewish nationalist parties that support the settler movement.
There have also been attacks on Israeli civilians this year. In March, three people were injured when a shooter opened fire outside a Tel Aviv cafe and one of the victims later succumbed to his wounds. In January, several Israelis were killed in a shooting at a Jerusalem synagogue.
Israel and the Gaza-based Islamic Jihad also fought for several days in May, killing 33 Palestinians and one Israeli.
Know more: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned on Wednesday that the tensions in the West Bank could hurt efforts to normalize relations between Israel and Arab states including Saudi Arabia.
