JERUSALEM, The United States Tuesday slammed the recent settler attack against a group of Palestinian and foreign hikers near the city of Jericho as “brazen” and “shocking”.

“The video showing Friday’s brazen assault on hikers, among them American citizens, north of Jericho is shocking,” the US Office of Palestinian Affairs tweeted.

“Those who incite violence + exacerbate tensions must stop,” it added.

On Friday, a group of Israeli Jewish settlers assaulted a group of Palestinians and foreign nationals who were hiking near Jericho.

The assailants attacked the hikers with clubs and spewed pepper spray in their faces.

One of the hikers, an Italian national, received a fracture and bruises on her arm while others suffered from burns on their faces after being sprayed with pepper gas.

They spent two hours trying to call the Israeli police but to no avail.

The incident occurred near the village of Badu al-Mu’arrajat in the Jordan Valley, west of the colonial settlement of Mevo’ot Yeriho and east of the colonial settlement of Rimonim.

Source: Palestine News & Info Agency