Israeli settlers injure teenager in Palestinian village with stones

Israeli defence minister says anyone who throws rocks or sets cars on fire 'is a terrorist'

Israeli soldiers stand next to cars vandalised by Jewish settlers in the village of Qira, near the West Bank town of Salfit, on Sunday, January 23. AP

Israeli settlers threw rocks through windows and injured a teenager as they drove through a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank on Monday, a Palestinian official said.

The Israeli military confirmed the incident on Monday, saying the Israelis had caused “significant damage” and that police have opened an investigation.

This was the latest in a series of settler attacks in recent months. On Friday, settlers attacked Palestinians and Israeli peace activists in the West Bank and set a car on fire.

Last month, a settler was shot and killed by a Palestinian gunman, setting off revenge attacks.

Palestinian Authority official Ghassan Daghlas said the Palestinian teenager was taken to the hospital after being struck in the head by a stone. He said the teenager was “lightly wounded”.

Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz said anyone who throws stones or sets cars on fire “is a terrorist and will be treated as such”, AP reported.

Israeli officials have repeatedly vowed to take action against settler violence in recent months. Palestinians and Israeli rights groups say the army rarely intervenes and often sides with the settlers.

About 500,000 Israeli settlers live in 130 settlements and dozens of unauthorised outposts across the occupied West Bank.

The Palestinians view the settlements as the main obstacle to resolving the conflict. Most countries view settlements as a breach of international law.

Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 war but the Palestinians want it to form the main part of their future state.

Israel considers the West Bank to be the biblical and historical heartland of the Jewish people. There have been no substantive peace talks in over a decade.