Palestine calls for ‘popular resistance’ to confront Israeli settler attacks

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said Wednesday that "it's high time" to confront Israeli settler attacks in the occupied West Bank via popular resistance.

Shtayyeh made his statements as he visited the town of Huwara, west of Nablus, following this weekend's settler attack.

A Palestinian was killed on Sunday when dozens of Israeli settlers attacked the town and vandalized several Palestinian homes and vehicles. The violence followed the killing of two Israeli settlers in a shooting attack in Huwara.

"Forming popular protection committees in the villages, [refugees] camps and towns are the real response to [Israeli] settler rampage," Shtayyeh said.

"The settlers are a tool that executes the crimes of the [Israeli] occupation under the protection of its military forces," he added.

The Palestinian premier said his government will exert its utmost efforts to fulfil the needs of the affected people in Huwara town.

The Palestinian town was visited by an European delegation and US Special Representative for Palestinian Affairs Hady Amr following the settler attack.

The Israeli authorities did not announce any arrest or measures against the perpetrators of the attack on the town.

Violence escalated across the occupied territories in recent weeks amid repeated Israeli military raids into Palestinian towns.

According to Palestinian figures, at least 66 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the start of the year. Twelve Israelis were also killed in attacks by Palestinians in the same period.