West Bank settlers burn trucks mistaken for Gaza aid shipments

By richardbrown // 2024-05-21

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In the second such incident within two days, Israeli settlers attacked and burned a truck in the occupied West Bank and assaulted its Israeli driver, mistakenly believing the truck was delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza, according to a report by the Times of Israel on May 17. When Israeli soldiers intervened, the settlers also attacked them, resulting in minor injuries to three soldiers, including two officers. Israeli settlers have been attempting to block humanitarian aid transported from Jordan to Gaza, where many Palestinians are suffering due to Israel's blockade. Initially, Israel declared it would prevent food and water from entering Gaza while also attacking humanitarian convoys and killing aid workers and accompanying police. However, facing international condemnation, the Israeli army has recently allowed more aid into Gaza. Despite this, Israeli activists continue efforts to block aid from reaching the strip. (Related: EU official condemns surge in Israeli extremist attacks on humanitarian aid convoys bound for Gaza.) The Israeli army stated that the settlers attacked the Israeli driver at a junction near the Kochav Hashahar settlement, northeast of Ramallah, before setting the truck on fire. Soldiers treated the injured driver and tried to disperse the mob, who responded with violence. In a separate incident, settlers protesting aid to Gaza threw rocks at Palestinian cars at the Tapuah Junction south of Nablus. Israeli police used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the rioters. One Israeli was lightly wounded when a Palestinian driver, trying to escape the mob, hit him with his car. These attacks in the West Bank began last month after Israel agreed to expand the aid route from Jordan. The right-wing activist group Tzav 9 has been organizing protests to block aid trucks from reaching Gaza, including at the Karam Abu Salem crossing on the Israel-Egypt-Gaza border. Tzav 9 argues that no food aid should be allowed into Gaza until the roughly 100 Israeli captives held by Hamas are released. Meanwhile, Israel holds thousands of Palestinians in its prisons.

Report: Israeli security force may be informing activists about location of aid trucks

The Times of Israel reported that some Israeli security force members are believed to be informing activists about the location of aid trucks. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir reportedly signaled to the police to allow activists to protest and block trucks entering Gaza at certain crossings. On May 15, activists attacked another commercial truck in the West Bank, also mistaking it for an aid convoy. They set a fire on the road, dumped the truck's contents, and assaulted its Palestinian driver. Two days earlier, activists spilled the contents of one truck onto the road and set two trucks on fire to prevent aid from entering Gaza. Four people were arrested during this incident. Tzav 9 claimed responsibility for blocking the shipment at the Tarqumiyah checkpoint in the Hebron Hills region, between the southern West Bank and Israel. Meanwhile, Palestinian lorry drivers delivering aid to Gaza have described "barbaric" scenes after Israeli settlers blocked and vandalized their vehicles, preventing essential supplies from reaching the territory. The incident at the Tarqumiya checkpoint in the West Bank saw Israeli soldiers escorting the convoy but failing to intervene. Videos on social media showed settlers throwing aid boxes on the ground and setting at least one vehicle ablaze. Driver Zoubi recounted, "We were carrying oil, sugar, and other items when 400 settlers attacked us. The army did nothing to protect us." Aid agencies report famine conditions in Gaza, worsened by Israeli restrictions. Gaza needs 500 daily lorryloads of essentials but receives only a fraction. Zoubi said soldiers stood by as settlers broke windscreens, pierced tires, and threw food into the road. Drivers were later attacked again when they returned to retrieve belongings. The attack drew international condemnation, with U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan calling it a "total outrage," and U.K. Foreign Secretary David Cameron describing it as "appalling." Read more stories like this at IsraelCollapse.com. Watch Israeli settlers attack Jordanian trucks and unload humanitarian aid on the way to Gaza. This video is from the channel Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth on Brighteon.com.

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Report: Israeli security force may be informing activists about location of aid trucks

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