Palestinian factions ready to defend West Bank from settler attacks

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
13 Apr 2024 19:56

Palestinian Resistance factions have announced their readiness to defend against Israeli attacks and lambasted the absent role of the PA.

Properties of Palestinian villagers are set on fire by Israeli settlers in the West Bank village of al-Mughayyir, occupied Palestine, on Saturday, April 13, 2024. (AP)

In a consensus, Palestinian factions have expressed the utmost necessity of confronting fanatic Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, on Saturday.

Palestinian factions put out statements following an attack on Palestinian villages near Ramallah, which led to the martyrdom of at least one Palestinian and injured multiple others after settlers, protected by occupation forces, stormed the villages of al-Mughayyir and Burqa on Friday.

PIJ holds PA responsible for settler attacks

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) said that the Palestinian Resistance factions will fulfill their duties in defending the Palestinian people, holding the Palestinian Authority responsible for the state of decay experienced in the occupied territory. In a statement, the PIJ said that the historical practices of the PA, specifically security coordination with occupation forces, have brought occupied territory to the current situation.

Pointing to the role of normalizing Arab states and the international community, the PIJ held the aforementioned entities responsible for the "rampage" of Israeli settler gangs in the West Bank.

The movement pointed out that the systematic attacks in the West Bank aim to extend the Israeli entity’s control over al-Aqsa Mosque. It called on people everywhere to confront the settler attacks with full force. Moreover, the PIJ called on all Arabs and Muslims to escalate their actions in support of Palestine and the West Bank, in the face of expanded settler attacks.

Alongside the genocidal war that "Israel" has launched on #Gaza, the #WestBank is not safe from rising settler violence.#AlMayadeen's correspondent in #Ramallah reported that Israeli settlers attacked #Palestinians in the villages of Deir Dibwan and Baytin and set fire to their… pic.twitter.com/X0ggyJmmfY
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) April 13, 2024

Hamas calls on Arab, Muslim Ummahs to confront the attacks

On its part, the Islamic Resistance Movement - Hamas, called on the people of the West Bank to rise against settler schemes, escalate revolutionary and resistance actions, confront the occupation, and resist settlers' attacks. It highlighted that resisting the occupation's plots in the West Bank comes in the context of the unity of the Ummah's battle for al-Aqsa Mosque, which has come under continuous settler and armed attacks.

PFLP's West Bank branch ready to escalate its operations

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine's (PFLP) Abu Ali Mustapha Brigades in the West Bank, announced its responsibility for an attack on the Israeli-controlled Huwara checkpoint to the south of Nablus. A statement put out by its Military Media unit emphasized that its fighters and the fighters of every Palestinian Resistance faction are ready to foil any future attack from Israeli settlers in the West Bank.

The spokesperson for the PFLP's armed wing, Abu Jihad, who is carrying out his military work from the Gaza Strip, stressed the need to confront the Israeli occupation and its settlers. He emphasized that the Palestinians should ignite the flame of an "Intifada", an Arabic term for a revolution against the Israeli occupier, on every front.

"You (Palestinians in the West Bank) should create the nightmare that has always haunted Zionists," Abu Jamal asserted in a military address.

Abu Ali Mustapha Brigades in the West Bank had announced that their fighters targeted Israeli settlers with live gunfire, after fanatic groups of armed Israeli settlers went on a rampage in al-Mughayyir, setting ablaze several Palestinian homes and cars.

The PFLP's armed wing also targeted Israeli occupation forces at their site in Jabal Jarzim, marking a significant escalation in the group's actions.

Confrontations of settlers attack ongoing

Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported that Palestinians in Qusra and Beit Furik continue to confront Israeli settlers who have launched yet another attack on villages south of Nablus.

Moreover, Palestinians in al-Sawiyah opened fire with their assault rifles at armed Israeli militias that attempted to attack the town. In Duma to the west of Nablus, settlers set several homes in the town ablaze.

Settlers attacked a residential community in Masafer Yatta, near al-Khalil, and expelled Palestinian families at gunpoint.

Others congregated in the illegal settlement of "Homesh" near Nablus to prepare for an attack while others gathered near Rujeib, a Palestinian town bordered by several illegal settlements.

In the governorate of Ramallah, settlers attacked Ein Qiniya and destroyed several vehicles.

⚡️More footage of the demonic zionist terrorists destroying Palestinian villages on the west bank now pic.twitter.com/UZz2Q3gzIh
— War Monitor (@WarMonitors) April 13, 2024

Local sources also reported that five Palestinians were injured as a result of the attack on the Abu Falah village to the east of Ramallah.

According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, emergency services attended to 11 injured people in Ramallah and five others in Nablus. It said that two Palestinians, aged 24 and 36, were shot by Israeli gunfire in al-Mughayyir and Beit Furik respectively.

Concurrently, Israeli occupation forces have decided to deploy additional troops to the West Bank, aiding the settler attacks on Palestinians.