Jewish settlers torch Nablus lands

Nablus – Dozens of Jewish settlers from the hilltop Migdalim settlement on Thursday torched fields belonging to Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, an official said.

Ghassan Daghlas, who holds the settlements file for the Palestinian Authority in the northern West Bank, said the torched lands were agricultural fields belonging to the Qusra village.

Israeli forces arrived on the scene after the blaze was reported, but by that time the flames had covered several dunums of land, Daghlas said. Civil Defense crews had to wait for the soldiers to arrive before they were allowed to reach the site of the blaze, he added.

An Israeli military spokeswoman said the army was aware of the fire but had no other involvement.

No complaint was filed with the District Coordination Office, an official said.