Israelis attack Palestinian towns Burn cars, buildings
Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian towns in the occupied West Bank overnight on Tuesday, torching buildings and cars in apparent retaliation for the killing by Hamas of four Israelis near a settlement the day before, residents and officials said.
Yaqoub Oweis, chairman of the village council of Al-Lubban Al-Sharqeya, said a large group of settlers attacked while Israeli soldiers and police stood by as they burned a petrol station, orchards, a cement factory and dozens of cars.
"The attack was unprecedented and abnormal," he said. "There was heavy gunfire but we couldn't distinguish whether it came from settlers or the soldiers because of the darkness." Attacks were also reported in other West Bank towns.
The latest round of violence underlined the volatility of Israeli-occupied territory, where for over a year military has been conducting regular sweeps leading to repeated clashes.
Palestinians complained repeatedly of attacks by settlers in the West Bank, an issue that has also drawn mounting international concern.
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