Israeli settlers carry out rampage in West Bank, setting 20 Palestinian-owned vehicles on fire

Israeli settlers carried out multiple arson attacks in the occupied West Bank town of al-Bireh near Ramallah early on Monday, setting fire to and destroying at least 20 Palestinian-owned vehicles.

The settlers first stormed the city’s industrial zone before setting the cars ablaze, local sources and eyewitnesses told local media, as well as The New Arab’s Arabic-language site, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

Videos shared online showed flames erupting from parked cars, with smoke billowing from them. Other vehicles were also damaged by objects thrown onto the windscreen and other parts. Car alarms and explosion sounds - as a result of the arson - were also heard.

Settlers also opened fire at residents attempting to salvage what was left of their vehicles and civil defence authorities who had arrived onto the scenes to extinguish the fire, the Palestinian news agency Wafa said. No injuries were reported, however.

The attack was reportedly preceded by another violent incident where settlers had slashed vehicles' tyres and graffitied anti-Palestinian slogans on them, one eye witness told the Turkish Anadolu agency.

The settlers also carried out vandalism acts in the neighbouring town of Deir Dibwan, where they set fire to a parking lot, and sprayed slogans described as racist.

Other videos emerged hours later following the aftermath of the attacks, showing burnt-out cars and damaged buildings, with Palestinians expressing anger over their destroyed belongings.

The incidents came after Israeli settlers attacked the West Bank village of al-Mughayer on Sunday, stealing olive harvests amid the crucial olive harvesting season.

Arson attacks carried out by Israeli settlers on Palestinian properties and West Bank towns are a common occurrence. Homes, vehicles and businesses are often subject to such acts of vandalism.

Violence has soared over the past year in the occupied territory, as both Israeli forces and settlers have stepped up raids and attacks across West Bank towns, in parallel with the ongoing wars in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.

Israel forces and settlers have killed at least 760 Palestinians in the occupied territory since the start of the war in Gaza on October 7 last year. A further 6,300 have also been wounded since.

Over 11,600 Palestinians have also been detained since, including journalists, children and former prisoners, the Palestinian Prisoners Society said.

Israel has occupied the West Bank territory since 1967, following an illegal invasion in the aftermath of the Arab-Israeli war. Since then, Israeli authorities have subjected Palestinians to human rights violations, restrictions and violence – all while advancing illegal Israeli settlements on the Palestinian territory.