Israel warns of 'dangerous' settler attacks in W. Bank

JERUSALEM

Israeli security sources warned Wednesday night of a possible fresh wave of “price tag” attacks by Jewish extremists against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, Israeli media has reported.

According to the Israeli Broadcast Authority, security sources -- who preferred anonymity -- warned of the possibility of “dangerous” settler attacks, similar to a deadly 2015 arson attack on a Palestinian family in the West Bank village of Duma.

In July of 2015, Israeli settlers torched the Dawabsheh family’s home near Nablus, killing Saad and Riham Dawabsheh and their 18-month-old baby.

According to the broadcaster, 2018 saw a precipitous rise in settler attacks against West Bank Palestinians.

The security sources were quoted as saying that the failure of Israeli courts to issue strong sentences against members of “price tag” groups had “resulted in the continuation of [these group’s] activities”.

The Palestinian government recently said that a convoy carrying Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah had been subject to a settler attack near Nablus last week.

“The convoy was attacked by a group of stone-throwing Jewish settlers near the Zatara checkpoint,” a government statement read.

According to Israeli figures, Jewish “price tag” attacks in the occupied West Bank -- including East Jerusalem -- rose by 60 percent last year compared to 2017.

"Price tag" vandalism is a strategy used by extremist Jewish settlers to attack Palestinians and their property in retaliation for perceived threats to Israeli settlement expansion.

More than 650,000 Jewish settlers now live on 196 settlements (built with the Israeli government’s approval) and more than 200 settler “outposts” (built without its approval) across the West Bank, according to Palestinian figures.