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2 May, 2013

Jewish fanatic settlers launch “price tag” attacks in West Bank

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JERUSALEM, May 1 (Xinhua) — Jewish settlers in the West Bank painted “price tag” graffiti on Palestinian homes and smashed their windows in an apparent “price tag” attack overnight Wednesday, Israeli police confirmed to Xinhua.

The Israeli attack was apparently in retaliation for a stabbing incident on Tuesday morning, in which a Palestinian stabbed an Israeli settler to death at the Tapuch Junction in the West Bank.

Following the settler’s death, clashes erupted later on Tuesday between dozens of Israeli settlers and the Palestinians in the village of Beit Ilu, west of Ramallah, where both sides hurled stones at each other until the Israeli police dispersed them.

As many as 15 settlers have been arrested since Tuesday morning for vandalism and attacking Palestinians, Israeli Police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld told Xinhua.

The Israeli Army Radio reported that a few minutes after the stabbing incident, veiled settlers set fire to agriculture fields and threw stones at Palestinian cars.

Sarit Michaeli, spokesperson for the Betzelem organization, which advocates Palestinians’ human rights, said the wave of violence could intensify between Israeli settlers and the Palestinians.

“These attacks spark counter-attacks on the Palestinians’ behalf and will only intensify the circle of violence,” Michaeli told Xinhua on Wednesday.

Price tag attacks are acts of vandalism and violence targeting Palestinians and their property as well as Christian and Muslim holy sites.