According to reports published by Israeli media, young extremist settlers severely beat and wounded the two Palestinians, identified as Amir Shawiki and Ahmed Kasuani, in Neve Ya'akov neighborhood of East al-Quds as they were heading home.
The two Palestinians, who suffered injuries in the head and other parts of their bodies, were rushed to al-Muqased Hospital in the village of al-Tor to receive medical treatment.
The injured had to be carried through a checkpoint as Palestinian ambulances were not allowed to enter the area. Israeli troopers did not make any arrests and the attackers simply walked away.
Settlers in the West Bank often assault Palestinians, vandalizing their properties, cars, mosques and olive trees. However, the assailants are rarely detained.
On July 20, a group of Israeli settlers broke into a Palestinian house in the city of al-Khalil, injuring five people. The assailants forcefully entered the building as Israeli soldiers nearby watched the incident and did not intervene. The extremist settlers threw stones inside the house and attacked the Palestinian family inside. A 12-year-old boy was hit by a stone and knocked unconscious. Four more people aged 15 to 55 also suffered injuries.
According to the UN, there were nearly 400 incidents of settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank in 2013.
NTJ/HH