Occupation forces stormed Balata camp, east of Nablus, a few days ago (Al Jazeera Net)

Al Jazeera's correspondent reported that the Israeli occupation forces withdrew from Balata Camp in the city of Nablus after arresting a number of Palestinians, while extremist settlers attacked two Palestinian communities in the central West Bank.

The occupation forces had infiltrated the camp and stationed themselves in one of the houses in the Al-Jamasin neighborhood. They also sent military reinforcements into the camp, accompanied by a bulldozer, where armed clashes took place between the occupation forces and Palestinian resistance fighters.

The occupation forces raided the Ras al-Ayn and al-Qaryun neighborhoods, erected barriers in them, arrested a number of young men, searched them, and checked their identities. An additional force on foot was seen storming the al-Atout and Bab al-Sahha neighborhoods inside the Old City of the city.

A young man was injured by occupation bullets in the foot and taken to the hospital. Another young man was injured by bullet fragments in the foot and received treatment in the field. Red Crescent crews also transported a 4-year-old child to the hospital who was injured by an occupation police dog in Balata camp.

Al Jazeera's correspondent also reported that the Israeli occupation forces stormed several areas last night and at dawn today, and launched raids and arrests among citizens.

The occupation forces launched an arrest campaign in the town of Al-Khader, west of Bethlehem, and raided a number of homes. It also fired tear gas bombs and sound bombs in the town of Husan, raided homes there, and conducted its patrols in the town amid confrontations.

The occupation forces also raided the villages of Qaffin, north of the city of Tulkarm, Azzun, and Al-Nabi Elias, east of the city of Qalqilya, and the Jalazoun camp, north of the city of Ramallah. Where a number of young men were arrested.

The occupation forces also stormed the town of Arraba, southwest of the city of Jenin. The Palestinian Red Crescent said that the occupation forces prevented its crews from treating a young man after they injured and arrested him.

Since the Al-Aqsa flood operation on October 7th, and the subsequent Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, the occupation army has carried out daily raids into West Bank cities, accompanied by arrests of young Palestinians.

Settler attacks

Meanwhile, settlers continued their attacks in the West Bank, where two Jewish settlers assaulted Father Nicodemus Schnabel, head of the Benedictine monks in the Holy Land, while he was passing through the alleys of the Old City of occupied Jerusalem yesterday, Saturday.

The two settlers insulted the Christian religion and Jesus Christ and spat on the cleric.

The Supreme Presidential Committee for Follow-up of Church Affairs in Palestine condemned the attacks on Islamic and Christian sanctities, and called on the United Nations and the Security Council to “end the fascist crimes” of Israel.

Two settlers attacked a Christian cleric in the Old City of occupied Jerusalem, where they spat on him and insulted the Prophet Jesus, peace be upon him, with obscene words. #Jerusalem_The_Compass pic.twitter.com/x1dKeETa6P

- Jerusalem Compass (@alqudsalbawsala) February 4, 2024

Settlers also attacked residents of Ras al-Auja, north of the city of Jericho in the Jordan Valley. Eyewitnesses said that the attacks took place under the protection of soldiers from the occupation army.

The Wall Resistance Authority (governmental) said in a statement that the goal of the repeated attacks, the restriction of livelihoods, and the demolition and destruction of property, pushed the residents of the community to leave their lands and places of residence.

The Authority published a video clip on social media showing armed settlers storming a sheep pen and stealing them.

Press coverage: “A clip documenting the attacks of settlers, protected by the occupation forces, on the residents of the Ras al-Auja community, north of Jericho, and the theft of their livestock.” pic.twitter.com/K8JYSjS0wg

- Al-Qastal News (@AlQastalps) February 3, 2024

In turn, the general supervisor of the Al-Baidar Organization for Defending Bedouin Rights (non-governmental), Hassan Mlihat, said that dozens of settlers stormed the Mlihat Arab community in the Al-Marajat area, northwest of Jericho.

He added that the settlers imposed a siege with their bodies and sheep to prevent the residents of the community from taking their sheep out of the pens in the early morning hours, in an attempt to restrict the community.

The Mleihat Arab community has witnessed daily attacks since the beginning of 2024, in an attempt by Israel and its settlers to exert pressure to transfer the community.

Under the protection of occupation soldiers..settlers break into a sheep barn in the Arab Al-Malihat area, north of Jericho, with the aim of stealing them #Gaza_War pic.twitter.com/nXkv8mXBnE

- Al Jazeera Channel (@AJArabic) February 4, 2024

In a related context, the Israeli army dispersed a protest organized by the Palestinians, denouncing the attack on their lands and pastures, in the Nir area in Masafer Yatta, south of the city of Hebron, according to what was reported by the Palestinian News Agency (Wafa).

During the dispersal of the protest, the Israeli army arrested a young man and several others suffocated as a result of inhaling tear gas, according to Wafa Agency.

In turn, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs considered that the attacks came as a “challenge” to Washington’s decision to impose sanctions on 4 settlers on charges of practicing violence against Palestinians.

She said in a statement, "The settlers defy the American executive order and continue their attacks against the Palestinians under official Israeli protection."

On Thursday, US President Joe Biden signed an executive order allowing the imposition of sanctions on Israeli settlers who attack Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, as well as including 4 of them on the blacklist, according to official sources.

Leahy's law

On the other hand, the newspaper "Israel Today" quoted informed sources as confirming that the United States had asked Israel for urgent answers regarding a series of incidents in the West Bank in which the Israeli army may have violated the Leahy Law.

According to these sources, if the answers are not satisfactory to the United States, this means, according to the Leahy Law, that Israeli forces operating in the West Bank may not receive American security support.

The Leahy Act - passed by the US Congress in 1997 - prohibits the US government from providing financial support or aid to foreign forces involved in serious human rights violations.

Source: Al Jazeera + agencies