Israeli Police Investigate Settler Attacks on Palestinian Villages Near Ramallah

Israeli police have launched an investigation into alleged attacks by settlers against Palestinians in villages near Ramallah, following reports received overnight. In the village of Deir Abu Mashal, a vehicle was reportedly set on fire and a house attacked. In Ras Karkar, a tractor was allegedly torched and hate graffiti, including the words "Revenge" and "Happy holiday from happy Jews," was spray-painted.

Police and forensic investigators from the Judea and Samaria district are preparing to enter the scenes, accompanied by IDF forces, to collect evidence and gather testimonies. This investigation follows a similar incident last week, where three Jewish assailants allegedly set a vehicle on fire in the village of Al-Ruba'i in the southern Hebron Hills after pouring flammable material on it and fleeing. Security cameras recorded this incident, which occurred near the Meitzad Yehuda checkpoint.

Palestinian residents also reported a vehicle fire in the village of Atara, near Ramallah, accompanied by graffiti with messages like "Only transfer. Revenge, Ali Zahav, Later." These incidents come nearly two weeks after the High Court of Justice sharply criticized the state's handling of settler takeovers of Palestinian homes in the village of Qusra, near Nablus.

During that hearing, justices questioned the perceived lack of law enforcement in the West Bank. Justice Khaled Kabub noted that "95 percent of complaints are closed," expressing doubt about the effectiveness of enforcement. Justice Grusskopf directly addressed a police representative, stating, "The feeling is that this is a revolving door. If it weren't like this, the army would work less hard. I don't understand the complexity. Once there is a closure order, whoever is there is a criminal. When you catch someone there a second time, what is the problem? Why isn't an indictment filed? If someone is arrested a second time, what else do you need?"