Israeli settlers attack village in West Bank; Palestinians reportedly killed

Dozens of Israeli settlers, some of them masked, attacked a Palestinian village near the town of Qalqilya in the occupied West Bank, setting fire to cars and killing at least one person, authorities said on Thursday.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said one Palestinian was killed and another seriously injured by gunfire from Israeli settlers in the incident in the village of Jit, the latest in a series of attacks by violent settlers in the West Bank.

Footage shared on social media showed cars and houses ablaze after the attacks.

The White House said late Thursday that settler attacks on Palestinian civilians in the West Bank were “unacceptable and must stop.”

“Israeli authorities must take action to protect all communities from harm. This includes intervening to stop this violence and holding all perpetrators of this violence accountable,” a White House spokesman added.

The Israeli military said police and army units intervened and arrested an Israeli, condemning the incident, which it said diverted security forces from other duties.

The military said it was investigating reports of the Palestinian's death.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office issued a statement saying it was viewing the incident with “utmost severity.”

“Those responsible for any crime will be arrested and brought to justice,” it said.

Palestinians regularly accuse Israeli security forces of standing idly by while violent settler groups attack their homes and villages. The incidents have also caused increasing international concern.

The United States and a number of European countries have imposed sanctions on violent settlers and have repeatedly called on Israel to do more to stop the attacks.