RAMALLAH: Israeli occupiers have set fire to four vehicles belonging to Palestinians in the West Bank village of Immatin, east of Qalqilyah, according to Palestinian sources.
Head of the Immatin council Haitham Sowan told Arab News the arsonists were from the nearby Gilad Farm settlement outpost. He also claimed Israeli forces witnessed the act on Thursday but did not intervene. “The settlers pulled over next to an Israeli military jeep and spoke to the soldiers. We tried to chase them down, but the army blocked us,” he said.
He added that Israeli firefighters did not respond to the Palestinians’ calls for assistance, claiming villagers were prevented from calling Palestinian fire crews.
“Had this fire erupted in one of the homes, it would have ended in disaster,” Sowan said. “All the soldiers said was that we can file an arson complaint with Israeli police in the Kedumim settlement. We know who committed the act, so does the army, but no one is doing anything about it. This proves Israeli security forces are supporting the occupiers.”
He claimed a soldier from Kedumim would hassle Palestinian farmers in Immatin with his friends when out of uniform. When he was on patrol he would continue to taunt them. Two Palestinians from Immatin were seriously injured after Israelis from the settlement of Yakir hurled stones at their car in January.
Meanwhile, a top Fatah official said that the Palestinian Authority, which the party controls, would not give into international pressure to resume peace talks with Israel.
“Negotiations (that would take place) under the current Israeli and US position benefit only the Israeli government and provides cover to the settlements and Jewish procedures in Jerusalem,” said Nabil Sha’ath, a member of the Fatah Central Committee and former Palestinian negotiator.
