Settlers pelted a car of two Israeli peace activists with stones, wounding them as they were on their way to protest the eviction of some 1,000 Palestinians from the Masafer Yatta region in the occupied West Bank on Friday.

One of the activists wounded on Friday by settlers near Masafer Yatta (Photo: Yesh Din)

Video footage showed several settlers blocking the activists’ car near the Mitzpe Yair outpost in the South Hebron Hills, with one hurling stones at the vehicle and smashing the front passenger side window. The area has seen one of Israel’s longest-running legal battles, with Israel’s top court recently ruling in favor of evicting over 1,000 Palestinians from their land.

“Settlers blocked the road for the activists, who were on their way out after the activity ended, and as soon as the activists stopped, they attacked them and the vehicle with stones,” Yesh Din said.

The human rights group also said occupation forces were in the area but did not appear to intervene. As the Israeli military maintains a large presence in the occupied West Bank, soldiers are often on the scene of these attacks and are regularly seen standing by as they occur. The practice of non-intervention by soldiers in settler attacks on Palestinians has come under growing criticism in Israel, following the publication of more and more footage of such incidents and as foreign governments have increasingly expressed concern.

Related: https://maki.org.il/en/?p=30314