ting the mayor. "One person was hit in the head and needed stitches. They also beat up an older lady in her 70s after insulting her," the pastor told AFP. The West Bank violence has shocked much of the world, with Britain spearheading economic sanctions that led Israel to close the British consulate in Jerusalem. Israel Gantz, head of an umbrella settler group, blamed recent incidents on "groups of provocateurs and terrorists" but implicitly acknowledged some Israelis' responsibility. Settlers also beat up AFP photographer Jaafar Ashtiyeh earlier this month, as he covered the olive harvest tensions, fracturing several of his ribs and stealing his camera. Netanyahu's government has ramped up approval of West Bank settlements, which are illegal under international law. About 500,000 Israelis live in the West Bank, which Israel seized in 1967, alongside three million Palestinians. (AFP) Edited by Tony Sabine

2026-10-18 09:25:00