Palestinian vehicles torched in suspected revenge attack after West Bank outpost evacuation

Suspected Jewish extremists set Palestinian vehicles alight and damaged property in Majdal Bani Fadil, a West Bank village south of Nablus, early on Tuesday, November 3. The incident was suspected to be retaliation for the evacuation of an illegal Israeli outpost in the West Bank on Monday.

Palestinian reports said the perpetrators entered the village from its northern side and burned two vehicles parked outside residential homes. The Palestinian news agency WAFA named the owners of the vehicles as Wadi Zein al-Din and Alaa Zein al-Din. The reported fires were accompanied by other property vandalism in the village.

Walls in Majdal Bani Fadil were also reportedly marked with graffiti. The exact wording of those markings had not been independently verified. The possible connection between the attack on the village and the removal of the outpost remained a suspected motive rather than an established finding.

Before the village incident, Israeli security forces carried out an overnight operation near the Palestinian city of Salfit to dismantle illegally erected structures. The structures stood inside a closed military zone. Authorities said the location had repeatedly served as a base for violent conduct and other illegal activity.

Israeli rioters tried to stop security personnel from getting to the site and proceeding with the removal. They burned tires and put up roadblocks on major routes in the surrounding area, obstructing access as the forces sought to carry out the enforcement operation.

The roadblocks caused traffic disruptions throughout the morning. Both local residents and Israeli citizens passing through the area were affected by the closures. Security forces subsequently removed the obstructions from the roads and finished the operation to clear the illegal structures from the site.

During the operation, dozens of rioters subjected security personnel to verbal and physical assaults, despite efforts by the forces to avoid physical confrontations. Eighteen Israeli suspects were arrested on suspicion of assaulting security personnel and obstructing their work during the enforcement action.

Security forces also seized several vehicles. A search of one uncovered flammable materials, weapons used for assault and pepper spray. The 18 suspects were handed over to the Judea and Samaria District Police for questioning over the alleged assaults and obstruction.