Over 100 Jewish extremist settlers riot near West Bank town, clash with Israeli forces

Over 100 Jewish extremist settlers clashed with IDF soldiers and Border Police officers near the Palestinian village of Jalud, in the West Bank, in the early hours of Tuesday morning, in an attempt to block the return of a Palestinian family to its home in the village.The rioters blocked roads, set tires on fire, and hurled rocks at security forces. They also set fire to Palestinian-owned structures, vehicles and other property in the area, the IDF said.Three Border Police officers were lightly injured in the clashes, and a security forces vehicle was damaged.According to the IDF, the family's return had been coordinated after they were previously forced to evacuate following attacks by extremist settlers, but it was not completed due to the riots.The attempted return followed a September 6 High Court of Justice order requiring Israeli authorities to arrange within 14 days for three Palestinian petitioners and their families to return to their homes in Jalud. The court ordered the IDF and police to protect the families during the return and allow them to bring in supplies needed to repair the homes and restore water and electricity.The justices also ordered the state to explain why the residents had not already been returned and why barriers remained on the access roads. The state was required to submit a sworn response by October 8.The case centers on the unauthorized Givat Hatzmabarim outpost, established near Jalud in April. Two of the petitioners and their families left their homes in July after what the court described as a prolonged de-facto siege. The justices found that the measures described by the state had failed to produce effective enforcement, despite authorities possessing identifying details, vehicle records and extensive photographic evidence.Israeli forces used riot dispersal measures to break up the gathering and apprehended two suspects, who were transferred to the Judea and Samaria District Police for questioning.Police and forensic investigators were expected to enter the area later under IDF protection to collect evidence and testimony as part of the investigation."The security establishment strongly condemns any harm to security personnel while carrying out their duties, as well as acts of vandalism and damage to property," the IDF said."Such incidents divert attention, undermine stability, and hinder the security forces' defensive and counterterrorism activities."IDF reinforces West Bank presence amid rising tensionsThe attempt to return the Palestinian family to its home was carried out under a High Court of Justice order, according to military officials cited in the original report.Military officials said Central Command should have prepared differently in the Kusra area to prevent the rioting and violence in which the three Border Police officers were wounded.Central Command chief Maj.-Gen. Avi Bluth is expected to conduct an inquiry into the events overnight, with particular attention to incidents of nationalist crime at additional locations. The inquiry will focus especially on the Binyamin Regional Brigade's sector, where military officials said there had been a sharp increase in nationalist crime incidents over the past week.The incident came amid growing tensions in the West Bank. Against the backdrop of violent friction between Israelis and Palestinians and security officials' concerns over a wave of lone-wolf terrorism and organized terrorist infrastructure, the IDF reinforced its Judea and Samaria Division to a total of about 25 battalions.Situation on the ground remains volatileIn addition, a divisional headquarters responsible for the Judea and Etzion regional brigades was moved to the area, where tens of thousands of Israeli hikers had arrived on Monday."IDF troops, Border Police and Israel Police reinforced the roads, hiking areas, known friction points and communities," a military source in the Central Command said."There is clear tension, and it is strongly felt on the ground. Several situation assessments were conducted throughout the day, with ongoing updates from the field to the headquarters," the source added.Despite the reinforcements, military officials warned that the situation on the ground remained highly volatile. One of them told Walla, "All that's missing is a friction incident between Palestinians and Israelis that spirals, is captured on video and ignites the area."A series of nationalist crimes by far-right activists against Palestinians was also recorded across the West Bank over the weekend, particularly in the Binyamin Regional Brigade's sector. The most common pattern involved damage to property and the spraying of graffiti overnight.Israelis, Palestinians clash in West BankIn addition to sporadic local confrontations involving stone-throwing, several incidents involving groups of masked Israelis were also recorded.The most prominent incident occurred in the Palestinian village of al-Mughayyir. Settlers entered the area claiming they were grazing sheep. Shortly afterward, reports were received of masked individuals smashing the windows of vehicles and homes.Palestinian residents reported on Tuesday morning that, overnight, while IDF troops were operating in al-Mughayyir and arrested Mu'taz Haitham Abu Na'im, crowds of settlers attacked the home of Musa Abu Aliya, the father of Hamdan Abu Aliya. The residents further claimed that settlers set fire to the home of prisoner Fikri Musa Abu Aliya and several vehicles.On Thursday, the Ephraim Regional Brigade received a report of a confrontation between Palestinians and Israelis in the area of the Ammurya outpost, during which a vehicle rolled into a ditch.The Judea Regional Brigade also received a report of a Palestinian vehicle being set on fire. In the Binyamin sector, reports were received in the early morning hours of vehicles being torched and Hebrew graffiti being sprayed in the village of Attara.Another report said that 14 settlers broke into the yard of a Palestinian home in the village of Abu Falah and smashed the windows of a vehicle there.Also on Thursday, a Palestinian woman complained that she had been attacked in the evening while stuck in traffic at Rimonim Junction, where a settler threw a stone at her, as seen in footage she uploaded to social media.On Sunday, Palestinians claimed that several Israelis attacked the Naif al-Ka'abneh community near Ramallah, east of Taybeh. According to the Palestinians, the Israelis smashed the windows of Palestinian homes and vehicles. Palestinian reports further claimed that the Israeli attackers stole NIS 3,000 from Palestinians at the scene.Later that same night, between Sunday and Monday, Israelis arrived at two separate locations in Deir Abu Mash'al, where they set vehicles on fire, sprayed graffiti, and damaged property.Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.