Israeli forces attack Palestinian protesters trying to block settler march in Beita
Occupyingattacked dozens of Palestinians with stun grenades and tear gasat the entrance of the town of Beita south ofNablus in the West Bank on Tuesday evening.
Palestinian residents of gathered at the town's entranceto confront potential attacks by Israeli who had planned amarch to Nablus.
The Samaria Regional Council, a settler organisation,organised the march using the slogan “we want a Jewish state”.
Israeli forces attempted to disperse thecrowd, which led to at least 28 Palestinians being treated on the scene for tear gas inhalation, according to Palestinian Authority's news agency Wafa.
The settler march began at the Za'tara military checkpoint towards the Hawara checkpoint,Ghassan Daghlas, an official who monitors settler activity in the northern West Banktold Wafa.
Other settler gatherings took place in the West Bank governorates of Nablus, Qalqilya and Salfit, Daghlas said.
Israel has occupied the West Banksince 1967 and built hundreds of settlements there in violation of international law.
For several months, locals from Beita and other nearby areas have been demonstratingat least once a weekagainst the building of the Givat Evyatar settlement outpost on Mount Sabih.
They are also fighting seizure of land in Beita, Huwarra and Zatara,intended for the creation of a road to be used exclusively byJewish settlers.
Israeli authorities have responded to the protests with violence.
The settlers at theEvyatar outpost, which was built without Israeli government permission and islocated a few kilometres away from Beita, were evacuated at the beginning of July.
A deal between the Israeli government and the settlersallowed for the hilltop outpostto remain under the permanent supervision of the Israeli army, after the settlers left.