Palestinians: Settlers cut down 40 olive trees in fresh West Bank rampage

Settlers rampaged in the West Bank for a second straight day on Tuesday, cutting down some 40 olive trees belonging to Palestinian farmers in the village of Burin, said Mayor Ali Eid.

The Israel Defense Forces said it received reports of the rampage, but by the time troops arrived, the settlers had fled.

Extremist settlers often vandalize Palestinian property to protest Israel's removal of small, illegal outposts in the West Bank - a tactic they call "the price tag."

Police on Monday evacuated three illegal structures in various West Bank outposts. In response, settlers torched Palestinian olive groves, threw stones at Palestinian cars and blocked roads around the West Bank.

Two Palestinians were lightly hurt, as were a soldier and a settler; five settlers were arrested.

Meanwhile, a settler was lightly wounded on Tuesday in a clash with Israeli police officers near the West Bank settlement of Bat Ayin.

The incident occurred after police came to the settlement in order to arrest two people suspected of disorderly conduct. Following the arrest, a number of settlers tried to halt the police officers' departure from the settlement.

An altercation subsequently broke out between security forces at the scene and the settlers, in which one of the settlers was lightly wounded. Another settler was arrested after he threatened a senior Israel Defense Forces officer who was at the site.