2 Israeli settlers indicted for attacking Palestinians in town of Huwara

By Abdelraouf Arna'out

JERUSALEM (AA) - Israeli prosecutors indicted two Jewish settlers Thursday for committing a terrorist offense against Palestinians in the town of Huwara in the occupied West Bank.

Israeli public broadcaster KAN identified the settlers as Hanoch Rabin, 25, and Raz Giron, 21, who are both affiliated with a violent settlers' group and were arrested on March 13 for assaulting a Palestinian family on March 6.

KAN quoted Israel’s internal security service Shin Bet as saying that the two settlers are part of a "violent group that aims to harm Palestinians."

Shin Bet said the accused settlers attacked a Palestinian family inside their car by throwing stones at the vehicle and hitting one Palestinian inside the car with an ax.

The town of Huwara has witnessed several assaults by Israeli settlers in recent weeks. On Feb. 26, settlers savagely attacked the Palestinian town and burned many of its homes and vehicles, leaving one Palestinian dead.

A second major assault took place on March 6 which left four Palestinians injured in addition to heavy material damage to Palestinians' vehicles.

Several Israeli officials backed the settlers’ assaults on Huwara, with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich calling for the town to be "wiped out."

Tensions have been running high across the occupied West Bank in recent months amid repeated Israeli raids into Palestinian towns.

Some 91 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the start of this year, according to Palestinian figures. Fourteen Israelis have also been killed in separate attacks during the same period.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar