HEBRON, April 26, 2015 (WAFA) – Israeli settlers Sunday attacked Palestinian homes with stones in the Hebron neighborhood of Tal Rumeda, according to local sources.

Imad Abu Shamsiya, a local resident, told WAFA that a group of settlers from a nearby illegal settlement entered the area and hurled stones at Palestinians’ homes, spreading fear and panic among children.

The settlers also sabotaged residents’ personal properties and some of the infrastructure in the neighborhood, including the external water lines, according to Abu Shamsiya.

The settlers’ attack comes only a day after a Palestinian was shot dead by Israeli police in the Old City of Hebron. He was identified as 22-year-old Mohmood Abu Jhaisheh, a resident of Hebron’s town of Ithna.

Israeli police reported that Abu Jhaisheh approached an Israeli police patrol and attacked one of them with a knife, lightly injuring him.

Illegal Jewish settlers have repeatedly attacked Palestinian property and worship places. Settlers’ violence includes property and mosque arsons, stone-throwing, uprooting of crops and olive trees, attacks on vulnerable homes, among others.

According to the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem, Israeli security forces do not always deploy in advance to protect Palestinians from settler violence, even when such violence could be anticipated. “In some cases, rather than restricting violent settlers, Israeli security forces impose restrictions on the Palestinians.”

Settlements are illegal under international law as they violate Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits the transfer of the occupying power’s civilian population into occupied territory.

M.N./T.R.