Israeli settlers torch machinery in attack on Palestinian industrial zone

Israeli settlers attacked an industrial zone in the Palestinian town of Beita, south of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, on Monday, setting fire to heavy machinery, vehicles and equipment and causing extensive damage.

Dozens of settlers stormed the industrial zone and torched three excavators, along with several other vehicles and pieces of equipment belonging to local stone-cutting workshops.

Ashraf Ghazaly, the owner of the heavy machinery, said more than 150 settlers took part in the attack. They threw stones at Palestinian workers before storming one of the workshops and setting fire to machinery, vehicles and equipment.

Ghazaly estimated the losses at more than 3.3 million shekels (approximately $1m). One excavator had been purchased just four days earlier.