SETTLERS ATTACK PALESTINIAN VILLAGE SOUTH OF NABLUS

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000853 SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE. NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/22/2017 TAGS: KWBG PGOV PREL PTER PHUM KPAL IS SUBJECT: SETTLERS ATTACK PALESTINIAN VILLAGE SOUTH OF NABLUS REF: JERUSALEM 00843 Classified By: Acting Principal Officer Thomas M. Duffy, per reasons 1. 4 (b) and (d) ¶1. Palestinian Authority (PA) sources told POL Specialist May 18 that settlers from Yitzhar settlement south of Nablus attacked residents and destroyed property in the Palestinian village of Asira al-Qabaliya May 17. Ammar Saleh, the Secretary for the Asira al-Qabaliya village council, told PolOff May 19 that groups of 15 to 25 settlers have attacked the village every Saturday for at least two months. He said they often target their attacks on the home of Jamal Yusuf on the outskirts of town, and villagers band together to defend Yusuf. Saleh said a few IDF soldiers accompany the settlers each time but do not intervene during the attacks. ¶2. (C) Najib Abu Ruqaya of B'Tselem confirmed this account of the attacks to PolOff, adding that the settlers burned the village's wheat harvest during the May 17 attack. He said villagers have complained to the IDF, but they have not stepped in, which emboldens the settlers. WALLES