Ramallah/Tel Aviv, Aug 13. (dpa/GNA) – Israel’s armed forces on Wednesday said, they would take action against radical Israeli settlers in the West Bank who are alleged to have harassed the Palestinian residents of a remote house for days.
Reports said the settlers blocked access to the house in the village of Qusra with large stones, leaving the Palestinians trapped inside.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a post on Telegram, that they toured the area on Wednesday morning and spoke with the Palestinian family living there, who told them that the home had electricity and water. However, the Israeli army has so far failed to stop the radical settlers, who have been harassing a Palestinian family in a remote house for days.
The military had announced that morning that, it was taking action against the settlers, who had blocked the access routes to the house in the village of Kusra with large stones. By the afternoon, however, the only update was that efforts were continuing.
Following consultations, the Israeli Chief of the General Staff, Eyal Zamir, is reported to have ordered “reinforcements for the sector in the form of an additional infantry battalion.”
Israeli media had reported clashes between settlers and security forces in the morning. The Israeli military said the border police had cleared a settlers’ tent near the house, and were trying to push the settlers out of the area. The affected Palestinians recently said, that they did not want to leave their home despite the harassment, according to media reports.
Reports said two children aged 4 and 10 are also part of the family. Israeli media said several Israeli soldiers recently came to the settlers’ outpost in Qusra. However, they merely prayed with the settlers and otherwise allowed them to continue, according to the reports.
During the tour, the IDF commanders said they were seriously concerned about the actions of Israeli civilians against the Palestinian family, and ordered several measures to take place, including disciplinary action against the security personnel.
A similar incident occurred in a nearby village last month, according to reports by the Times of Israel and the Palestinian news agency WADA. The family there is said to have left their house after settlers harassed them for weeks. The settlers are now said to be staying in the Palestinians’ house.
GNA