Roughly twenty families were evacuated from their homes in the Samaria town of Yitzhar Thursday afternoon, after fires apparently set by Arab arsonists burned out of control on the edge of town, destroying a number of buildings.
The fire was spotted encroaching on the Shaked neighborhood, destroying two homes and a stable.
Firefighting teams, a helicopter unit, and police have been dispatched to the scene.
Residents of Yitzhar said the fire was sparked by arsonists from the village of Urif, a Palestinian Authority-controlled town near Yitzhar.
Tzvi Succot, a resident of Yitzhar and spokesman for the Otzma Yehudit party said Thursday’s arson was just the latest attempt by young Arab arsonists from Urif to set torch Yitzhar.
“Once again, they’re trying to burn our town,” Succot wrote on Facebook. “As of now, a stable and two buildings have gone up in flames. We’re tired of this.”