Further settler attacks in the West Bank

More attacks have been carried out by hard-line settlers in the northern West Bank this week in the lead up to the Palestinian request for formal statehood at the UN. Two teenagers and a journalist were injured on Tuesday afternoon after the clashes erupted between the Israeli army and the people of the village of Asira, who were attempting to prevent settlers from storming the village. Sources from the Palestinian Red Crescent said that Aref Mohammed Aref, 14, was shot in the back by soldiers. Journalist, Ayman Nubani, was injured after being hit in the chest by a stone. Eyewitnesses said that dozens of Israeli settlers stormed the village of Asira and tried to attack Palestinian families in the region, but were confronted by Palestinians who forced them to withdraw. Civil defence crews also extinguished a fire which broke out in the garden of a house attacked by settlers in the town. Observers have complained that there is no record of settler attacks on villages, and accused Israeli soldiers of being in the area solely to protect settlers. Imran Omar Imran, 18, was also shot by the Israeli army in the nearby village of Jaffa. Meanwhile, dozens of settlers gathered at the Dotan military checkpoint near Jenin. Witnesses accused the settlers of attempting to break into Jenin. Soldiers allegedly closed the checkpoint in an effort to prevent tensions, preventing Palestinian vehicles from approaching. It is feared that the settlers will attack Palestinian vehicles and property in the region. Settlers also set fire to 400 olive trees near Qalqilya in the north eastern West Bank. The fires were extinguished by civil defence crews, who were able to protect nearby trees and isolate the damage. The fire was lit in an area of about 300 acres of combustible fuel. Investigations are ongoing into the cause of the fire, but witnesses saw settlers in the area prior to the outbreak of the fires.