Middle East

Israelis, Palestinians brace for more violence after settler rampage

Violence continues to escalate in the West Bank with a settler-led rampage and multiple shootings.

People mourn over graves of Israeli brothers who were killed Sunday.
AP

Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Galant says he expects complex and difficult days ahead. His remarks come one day after a Palestinian gunman killed two Israeli brothers.

Israeli settlers responded by rampaging through the West Bank town of Hawara. 

Israeli rights groups and Palestinian officials say at least 200 buildings were burned and vandalized during the five-hour attack. 

A Palestinian official says one Palestinian was killed. More than 100 Palestinians were reported injured, mostly from smoke inhalation or tear gas.

A Palestinian shop owner described seeing settlers setting fires and throwing tear gas bombs. He said, "They came bearing hatred."

Pleas from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials for settlers not to take the law into their own hands were ignored.

US ambassador confirms American citizen killed in West Bank attack
US ambassador confirms American citizen killed in West Bank attack

US ambassador confirms American citizen killed in West Bank attack

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides confirmed on Monday that an American citizen was killed in a "terror attack" in the West Bank.

LEARN MORE

"I understand the hard feelings, but this isn't the way, can't take the law into our hands," said Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israeli public security minister. "Israel's government, the state of Israel, IDF, the security forces, they are ones who need to crush our enemies."

The Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister was harshly critical of the international community's response.

"Many international actors used their political clout to shield Israel from accountability and to bully the Palestinians out of seeking justice," said Riad Al-Maliki, Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister.

Sunday's violence coincided with a one-day summit of Israeli, Palestinian, Egyptian and Jordanian officials aimed at de-escalating the tensions. 

There were no specific results aside from an agreement to meet again next month.