There has been a sharp increase in the number of attacks by Jewish extremists against Palestinians in the West Bank this year Haaretz Hebrew newspaper reported.
According to data from the Israeli Shin Bet intelligence service number of Israeli settlers’ hate crimes in 2018 has already exceeded the total number in 2017 with attacks centered around the Nablus area.
The report referred to a surge in “price tag” incidents characterized by acts of vandalism such as graffiti or vehicle defamation.
There have been 13 attacks of this kind since January 2018 compared to 8 the year before. Attacks defined as “at least as serious as arson” are also said to be overtaking those of last year.
In 2018 two attacks of this nature have occurred whilst in 2017 the total reached five according to the Shin Bet.
Only a few weeks ago a mosque in the West Bank village of Aqraba close to Nablus was vandalized by Israeli settlers. The words “revenge” and “price tag” were sprayed onto the mosque walls in Hebrew. There were also reports of attackers throwing flammable materials and shouting racist slogans.
