Israeli Knesset members satisfied with Huwara burning down
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Israeli media say Knesset members from Otzma Yehudit, Itamar Ben-Gvirs far-right party, admired how homes were burnt down in Huwara.
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A Palestinian man walks by scorched cars, including some that have been taken off the road for spare parts, in the town of Huwara, near the occupied West Bank city of Nablus, occupied Palestine, February 27, 2023 (AP Photo)
Knesset members from the Otzma Yehudit party described Monday the violent attacks carried out by Israeli settlers in Huwara in the occupied West Bank, occupied Palestine, as "legitimate".
Israeli occupation Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and far-right Israeli party Otzma Yehudit Leader Itamar Ben-Gvir declined to comment on the attacks, Israeli media has said.
"Huwara is closed-down and burnt down, and this is what I want to see," said Zvi Vogel, head of the National Security Committee in the Knesset. "Only this way will we establish deterrence."
"Deterrence that has not existed since Operation Defensive Shield (the invasion of the West Bank in 2002) has been established," Vogel added, describing the damage done by the settlers in Huwara as "good" and saying that they deserved "a lot of admiration".
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported late Sunday that illegal Israeli settlers launched raids in Huwara, Nablus, violently assaulting Palestinians while the Israeli occupation forces were preventing ambulance crews from making it to the scene.
The injuries were sustained as the Israeli occupation forces were providing protection for the illegal settlers while the latter were vandalizing the property of Palestinians, including arson, as Israelis were setting fire to Palestinian cars and homes.
Reportedly, as the IOF was preventing ambulance crews from accessing the scenes, the settlers were attacking the emergency vehicles.
The settlers are setting fire to Palestinians' property in Huwara, so far burning down several homes and cars, an Al Maydeen correspondent said.
According to Palestinian sources, more than 150 Palestinians were injured in the attacks of the occupation forces and settlers and 52 Palestinian homes and 130 Palestinian cars were burned. A civil defense vehicle was also destroyed.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced the martyrdom of Sameh Hamdallah Aqtash (37 years old), who succumbed to severe wounds sustained by live bullets from the occupation forces and settlers' attack on the village of Za’tara near Nablus.
مستوطنون يحرقون مركبة ويهاجمون منازل في قرية بورين جنوب نابلس. pic.twitter.com/fvuquod3Ot
— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) February 26, 2023
Israeli media reported earlier on Sunday that two settlers were killed with an M-16 rifle in a shooting operation near the town of Huwara, Nablus, in the occupied West Bank.
Israeli Channel 12 reported that the one behind the operation rammed the car of the two Israelis, then got out of his car, shot them then left the scene.
After the operation, the leader of the Israeli opposition, Yair Lapid, described the situation as "total chaos", after Israeli occupation settlers aggressed the area and rampaged through properties of Palestinians, setting dozens of vehicles and houses ablaze, in addition to attacking the residents of the town.
"The government has lost control of Jewish terrorism, the cabinet, the Knesset, and the settlers," Lapid said on his Twitter account.
A few days before this operation, Inspector General of Police Kobi Shiftai said the Israeli occupation is witnessing a period of escalation, noting that there is a "significant increase in the number of warnings."
He added, "I have tried to refrain from giving interviews for the time being, but if there is anything preventing me from sleeping, it is the situation we are in."
