About 40 Israelis attacked Palestinians in the West Bank village of Al-Maniya, southeast of Bethlehem, army radio reported Friday evening.
The Israeli rioters used dogs, clubs, and pepper spray. The Palestinian Red Crescent claimed that 16 Palestinians were wounded in the incident, while a statement by the IDF said that only four Palestinians were lightly wounded, and said the incident was a clash between Israeli and Palestinian civilians, Ynet reported.
טרור יהודי דרומית לבית לחם: כ-40 מתנחלים מהמאחז הבלתי חוקי "מקנה יוסף" תקפו בכלבים, אלות וגז פלפל משפחה פלסטינית דרומית לבית לחם. 4 פלסטינים נפצעו - אך איש מהפורעים לא נעצר • הפלסטינים טוענים: 15 כבשים הורעלו, רכב הושחת במקום@Doron_Kadosh pic.twitter.com/XUSpHP9zvh
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The Israelis reportedly came from the illegal "Mekana Yosef" outpost, according to Army Radio.
None of the rioters were arrested.
One vehicle was vandalized, Israeli media reported, while Palestinian Authority state media WAFA claimed that the rioters set fire to two vehicles, damaged several others, and damaged solar panels.
Mixed record on suppressing settler violence
The Jerusalem Post learned last month that the IDF has had a mixed record in containing Israeli attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank.
About 18 Palestinians were wounded in settler attacks in the first week of January, according to a UN OCHA report. The report, however, did not differentiate between combatants and civilians.
In early December, the IDF and the Shin Bet pressed Defense Minister Israel Katz to restore administrative detention of such violent settlers after incidences of settler attacks on soldiers.
Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.