West Bank: Settlers burn down Israeli army post

The Israeli occupation army said on Monday that Israeli settlers set fire to an Israeli security post in the occupied West Bank, following a campaign of arrests against a number of them.

Settler attacks against the Israeli military in the West Bank have recently escalated, following the army's arrest of a number of settlers following their Wednesday attack on the town of Kafr Malik in the central West Bank, which resulted in the deaths of three Palestinians and the injury of seven. Meanwhile, settlers are carrying out other attacks against Palestinians under army protection.

"Overnight, Israelis set fire to a security post containing systems that help thwart attacks and maintain security in the Binyamin Brigade area (central West Bank)," the army said in a statement, adding that "damage to the post poses a threat to the safety of residents."

Settlers attack Israeli soldiers

Ignoring his own and settlers' violence against Palestinian civilians, the Israeli army condemned "any manifestation of violence against security forces."

For its part, the official Israeli Broadcasting Authority stated that "extremist settlers set fire to a vital security facility in the West Bank last night." It added, "They also wrote slogans on the facility's walls, and the security establishment is investigating whether the site's performance was affected by the fire."

She explained that "the incident came amid recent escalating tensions in the West Bank, where dozens of Israelis gathered at the entrance to the Binyamin Brigade headquarters, some of whom spat at soldiers, sprayed pepper gas at police officers, and vandalized three military vehicles."

She added that "others attempted to force their way into the base, raising banners accusing the brigade commander of treason and demanding his imprisonment." She noted that "police and border guard forces dispersed the crowd using unspecified means of dispersing demonstrations."

On Saturday, settlers attacked an officer and reserve soldiers near the village of al-Mughayyir, north of Ramallah in the central West Bank, causing minor injuries. Six suspects, including two minors, were arrested, according to the commission.

She added, "The same night also witnessed deliberate attempts to run over soldiers, and stones were thrown by approximately 30 settlers at a military force. The soldiers responded by firing warning shots into the air, but there were no injuries."

Five settler vehicles also deliberately collided with a military vehicle in an attempt to block the road, causing damage, according to the authority.