Torched car in Umm a-Tin
Photo: Zachariya Sada
Palestinians say settlers torched cars
Umm a-Tin residents say Gilad Farm Jews set fire to four of their vehicles, army did not intervene. 'This proves that security forces are supporting settlers,' one resident says
Palestinians from the West Bank village of Umm a-Tin claimed that Jews from the Gilad Farm settlement set fire to four of their vehicles overnight Thursday.
The Palestinians said IDF forces witnessed the act but did not intervene. "My brother and the neighbors said they saw a number of settlers pour gasoline on the cars, set them ablaze and flee the scene," Umm a-Tin resident Iad Suan told Ynet.
"The settlers pulled over next to an IDF jeep and spoke to the soldiers. We tried to chase them down, but the army blocked us."
According to Suan, Israeli firefighters did not respond to the Palestinians' call for assistance, adding that the village residents were prevented from summoning Palestinian firefighters. "Had this fire erupted in one of the homes, it would have ended in disaster," he said.
"All the soldiers had to say was that we can file an arson complaint with the Kedumim police department. We know who committed the act, and so does the army, but no one is doing anything about it," he said, "This proves that the security forces are supporting the settlers."
Shomron Sub-District Police said it has launched an investigation into the incident.
Clashes between Gilad Farm settlers and farmers from Umm a-Tin were reported Tuesday. A representative of Rabbis for Human Rights said the past few weeks have seen "an escalation in settler violence against Palestinians."
Efrat Weiss contributed to the report
