Extremist Israeli settlers, on Friday, assaulted a number of Palestinian amateur hikers while they were on a weekly trek near the village of Nabi Saleh, to the west of Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank.

Settlers from Halamish, an illegal Israeli settlement near the village, attacked and verbally abused the hikers, who were passing through a forest near the village. The settlers beat some of the hikers and chanted racists slogans against them, in the presence of Israeli soldiers.

Settler violence against Palestinians and their property is routine in the West Bank and is rarely prosecuted by Israeli authorities.

According to Israeli rights group B’Tselem, “As the occupying force, Israel must protect the Palestinians in the West Bank. However, the Israeli authorities neglect to fulfill this responsibility and do not do enough to prevent Israeli civilians from attacking Palestinians, their property and their lands.”

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