Settlers Attack Three Palestinians Near West Bank Village

Jewish settlers assaulted Palestinian farmers on Saturday, wounding three, at an olive grove near the village of Burin in the West Bank, according to witnesses and the Red Crescent.

The Israeli army said that eight settlers threw stones at Palestinian farmers on Palestinian agricultural land near Burin, wounding one, who was treated on location. The army also added that there were no arrests, as the settlers managed to flee.

Israel Police also confirmed that none of the settlers were arrested. "There are no detainees. By the time we got to the scene, they had all dispersed already," adding that the incident is being investigated.

According to the human rights NGO Yesh Din, two Palestinians were evacuated to a hospital in Nablus. One was released shortly after being admitted. The second one, who was attacked with an iron rod, was also released with bruises to his arm and back.

Witnesses said the settlers attacked the farmers while they were harvesting olives, and also damaged the grove. Following the incident, clashes erupted between the settlers and the Israeli soldiers who arrived at the scene.

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The attack came days after Rabbis for Human Rights activists said they were assaulted by settlers near Burin. The activists said they had arrived at the village to assist Palestinian farmers to harvest their olive trees, and that masked assailants attacked them with iron rods, hurled stones at them and set the olive groves on fire.

The Israeli army confirmed that altercations took place in the village, and that the fire that broke out there was caused by arson, adding that one of the settlers was arrested.