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Men in 20s taken to hospital in critical and serious condition, they reportedly attacked an officer as others set fire to homes and cars in nearby Palestinian villages.
Two Israeli men were apparently shot and badly injured by a police officer in the West Bank late Monday, medics said, during an attack by settlers on two Palestinian villages.
The incident came as Palestinian media reported that settlers had attacked the villages of Jinsafut and al-Funduq, setting fire to homes and vehicles.
According to media reports, the two masked Israelis attacked a Border Police officer near a settler outpost close to the Palestinian villages and pepper-sprayed him. The officer in response opened fire, wounding the pair. It was unclear why the men attacked the officer.
The Magen David Adom ambulance service said the men in their 20s were listed in critical and serious condition after being shot near the settlement of Ramat Gilad. They were taken to Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba.
The Department of Internal Police Investigations said Tuesday it questioned a police officer in connection with the shooting of the two Israelis. A spokesperson said the officer was released to house arrest until Friday and barred from all police stations and other facilities for eight days, and was additionally prohibited from contacting those involved in the incident.
On Monday night, the Israel Defense Forces said troops and Border Police officers were dispatched to the area to disperse the “violent rioting.” It later said that the rioting was dispersed by the forces.
The chief of the IDF’s Central Command, Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, the head of the West Bank division, Brig. Gen. Yaki Dolf, and head of the Civil Administration, Brig. Gen. Hisham Ibrahim, were set to hold an assessment in the area, the army added.
Footage shown by the Kan public broadcaster showed dozens of masked settlers who went into the Palestinian West Bank village of al-Funduq overnight, setting fire to cars. The footage showed them also trying to break into homes and throwing rocks. There were no reports of arrests in the attack on the Palestinian villages.