Israeli settlers from a nearby settlement in the West Bank have set fire to a large tent, while three young Palestinians were still inside.

The Sunday act of arson did not result in any casualties as the Palestinians managed to flee the tent in time.

The tent, about 50 square meters in size, and belonging to Muhammad Nasr Nawaj'ah, was used as a meeting hall for the small hamlet near Yatta, south of al-Khalil (Hebron).

Local residents who were awakened on Sunday morning by calls for help rushed to extinguish the fire and aid the injured.

The three were identified as 22-year-old Abd Ar-Rahman Nawaj'ah, 21-year-old Yahya Nawaj'ah, and 22-year-old Ibrahim Nawaj'ah.

Meanwhile, an official with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Sunday denounced the violence of Israeli settlers and soldiers in the West Bank city of al-Khalil in stark terms.

Matteo Benatti, who has been the Head of the ICRC's office in al-Khalil since September 2007, focused on the day-to-day consequences for Palestinians in explaining the situation.

He said that "it is unlawful under the Fourth Geneva Convention for an occupying power to transfer parts of its own population into the territory it occupies."

He added that the settlements have made many aspects of life very difficult for the Palestinians in al-Khalil, where about 600 settlers live in colonies, in close proximity to some 30,000 Palestinians.

The Israeli authorities have imposed tight security measures and have set up many checkpoints in this particular area of the city.

A number of roads are closed to the Palestinians and they are not allowed to bring cars into the areas where they live.

"Movement restrictions, together with recurrent violence by settlers, are affecting the day-to-day life of the Palestinians," Benatti said.

FTP/SME/MMN