Netanyahu is stoking a fire

Huwara is a Palestinian town in the heart of the Shomron, the mountainous northern portion of the territory Israel refers to as Judea and Samaria and the world knows as the West Bank. Huwara is smouldering today after a night of rioting and fire-setting by Israeli residents. On Sunday, two Israelis, brothers Hallel and Yagel Yaniv, 21 and 19 years old, from the nearby Israeli settlement of Har Bracha, were murdered by a Palestinian gunman. They were travelling through Huwara when they were gunned down at point-blank range while sitting in traffic. Their mother Esti said: ‘We have a huge hole in our hearts. Nothing will close that hole, not settlement construction, not a protest – nothing.’

Some settlers listened to other voices. Last night, dozens of young Israeli men from surrounding communities descended on Huwara and set fire to homes and cars. The Israeli army was forced to enter Huwara to rescue the Palestinian residents from the Israeli mob.