Fresh violence has broken out in a West Bank village that has been besieged by Israeli settlers for weeks, with dozens of Israeli rioters barricading themselves inside a Palestinian home, the Israeli military confirmed on Saturday.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said there had been reports of violent confrontations in the village of Qusra, including stone-throwing at Palestinians. Palestinian residents were also present in the house at the time, the IDF said.
"The security forces who arrived at the scene initially operated to remove the rioters from the home and separate the groups, in order to protect the residents inside the house," it said in a statement.
Vehicles belonging to the Israeli rioters were also seized and handed over to Israeli police along with other evidence, to be examined as part of a police investigation into the suspects.
Palestinian media reported, however, that the settlers had been protected by soldiers during the attacks. Several Palestinians were said to have been injured by pepper spray used against them by settlers.
The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that further settlers arrived during the incident and set fire to surrounding fields in Palestinian ownership.
Radical settlers have been besieging several homes of Palestinian residents in Qusra for three weeks. According to residents and activists, the Israeli army has so far failed to intervene effectively.