Ramallah, June 29 (RHC)-- In the occupied West Bank, a mob of armed Israeli settlers stormed the village of Umm Safa over the weekend, firing bullets at residents and setting fire to homes and vehicles.  Several people were reportedly injured. 

Mohammed Radi, a Palestinian journalist who was shot at by an Israeli settler as he filmed the attack, told reporters: “We arrived in Umm Safa.  There were dozens of settlers.  They fired at the village.  The moment one of the settlers saw us filming, he shot in our direction.  Two of the bullets went into the camera. Then the camera blew up from the shooting.  Thank God we are safe.”

In the last week alone, Israeli settlers have carried out at least 85 assaults on Palestinian towns in the West Bank.  This comes as Israel’s far-right government has approved the construction of thousands of new homes in illegal settlements across the West Bank, despite growing international condemnation.