Israeli settlers injured in West Bank explosion

The explosion, which took place near the Israeli settlement of Dolev, about 10 kilometres west of Ramallah, harmed three settlers.

Eyewitnesses told The New Arab's Arabic language service that occupying Israeli forces arrived at the scene of the explosion for reinforcement.

The settlers affected were a family of three: a 46-year-old man, his 16-year-old son and his 17-year-old daughter.

The father and son were rushed to to Hadassah hospital in Ein Karim where they are currently being treated.

The daughter, in critical condition, is being treated on the scene. There are conflicting reports in local Israeli and Palestinian media as to whether she has died.

An Israeli military helicopter evacuated the injured and the Israeli army placed the whole area under lockdown, closing all roads leading to nearby Palestinian villages, such as Janiyah and Ras Karkar.

Israeli Channel 13 said a Palestinian had thrown a bomb from a vehicle at the settlers. A white car was seen fleeing the scene.

The newspaper Maariv said that a large number of troops from the Israeli army “were now combing the area to find the perpetrators who had thrown the explosive device”.

The Israeli settlement of Dolev was built in 1983 on land illegally confiscated from three Palestinian villages, and is inhabited by 1,400 settlers.