ISRAELI SETTLERS ASSAULT PALESTINIAN MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS

Nablus, 25 Dzulhijjah 1436/9 October 2015 (MINA) – Israeli settlers assaulted and injured the Palestinian Minister of Communications and Information Technology in the northern occupied West Bank district of Nablus on Thursday, smashing his car windows during the attack, government officials said.

Palestinian government officials condemned the attack, and said that the Israeli settlers’ assault against the minister is considered additional evidence of settlers indiscriminately targeting Palestinians, Ma’an News Agency  quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

Government officials called upon institutions of the international community, particularly the United Nations Security Council, to intervene in Israeli violations against Palestinians.

The already contentious relations between Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Israelis from illegal settlement outposts have been increasingly tense during the past week, following the killings of two Israeli settlers by suspected Palestinians on Oct. 1, which kicked off a number of back-and-forth revenge attacks.

Since last week’s shooting, seven Israelis have been injured by Palestinians in four separate stabbing attacks, and six Palestinians have been shot dead by Israeli forces, three of which were killed after alleged stabbings, while three others were shot dead during clashes.

One of those shot dead during clashes was a 13-year-old boy.

More than 900 other Palestinians have been injured by Israeli forces in clashes since Friday.

While tensions have been increasingly strained over the past week, Israeli settler attacks on Palestinian residents in the occupied West Bank are common.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has documented 180 instances of settler-related violence against Palestinians and their property since the start of 2015. (T/P010/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)