Settlers riot in Turmus Ayya
Hundreds of settlers rioted, vandalized, and set property on fire in the Palestinian village of Turmus Ayya on Wednesday, less than 24 hours after terrorists opened fire near the West Bank settlement of Eli, killing four and wounding four others.
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Some 200 rioters first set fire to homes on the outskirt of the village and as it spread, some 150 of the masked mob entered the village to set more homes ablaze. According to the mayor of the village, at least 12 local residents were wounded from live gunfire and some 30 houses and 60 cars were partly or totally burned
"The attacks carried out by the settlers on Palestinian land continue with the help of the military," Mayor Lafi Adeeb said. "We call on the international community to intervene and defend us. OUr village is surrounded by settlements and we are subjected to attack on a daily basis," he said.
The army said it was beefing up its troop presence in the West Bank. On Wednesday morning, it said troops arrested three suspects in the Palestinian village of Urif in connection to the attack and mapped out the homes of the two gunmen ahead of their likely demolition.
Shortly after two of the victims of Tuesday's attack were laid to rest, the mob descended upon the village prompting villagers to seek shelter from the rioters, in their homes. As security forces arrived, some of the rioters fled by others remained, destroying property and instilling fear in the local population.
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Crews attempt to extinguish a fire caused by rioting settlers in Turmus Ayya
(Photo: AP)
At the same time in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the immediate plan to build 1,000 housing units in Eli. "Our response to terrorism is to hit it hard while building our country," the PMO said in a statement.
"This is a drop in the bucket," said Eli mayor Ariel Elmaliach. "We call on the government to pass a resolution in its cabinet meeting next week, to make Eli into a city," he said.
The Palestinian Authority issued a scathing condemnation of the mob attack on Turmus Ayya. "The terror of Huwara is being repeated," the PA said in a statement referring to the February attack on the Palestinian town by settlers who set dozens of houses and cars ablaze after two brothers from a nearby settlement were murdered in a terror attack.
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Smoke rising from fires caused by rioting settlers in the village of Turmus Ayya on Wednesday
(Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)
"Settler militias and armed terrorists are increasing their attacks on defenseless Palestinian civilians, their property and fields," the statement read. Hussein al-Sheikh the secretary general of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization said the settlers were rioting under the protection of the military. "We see the occupation's government responsible for this organized terror," he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report