Palestinian government hails villagers who beat up settlers

West Bank villagers who beat up a group of Jewish settlers then locked them inside a building were on Thursday hailed by the Palestinian government as acting in "self defense.”

"Citizens of Qusra village, who were subjected to numerous assaults by settlers during the past months, acted in self defense," said government spokesperson Ihab Bseiso in a statement.

On Tuesday, around a dozen settlers from the Esh Kodesh settlement outpost entered Qusra, some wearing masks, but were beaten up by local Palestinians who then shut them up in a house. The Israeli IDF eventually negotiated the release. (AFP)