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RAMALLAH, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- A senior Palestinian official announced on Wednesday that the Palestinian courts would soon begin looking into cases filed by Palestinians against Israeli settlers.

Palestinian Justice Minister Mohammed al-Shalaldeh told the official Palestinian news agency (WAFA) that his ministry will cooperate with other government's offices and civil society institutions "to facilitate this mission."

"Under the basic Palestinian law, the Palestinian citizens have the right to drop cases at the Palestinian courts against those who violate their rights," al-Shalaldeh said, referring to the settlers.

Israeli media reported that it would be the first time since the Palestinian Authority was established in 1994 that Palestinian courts look into cases against Israeli citizens.

"Work is underway to collect criminal evidence to file the first cases to convict Israeli settlers, whose names are known, of committing crimes and violations against Palestinian citizens in Hebron's old city and the village of Burin, south of Nablus," al-Shalaldeh added.

"The Palestinian government had earlier decided to form a national team to prosecute Israeli settlers and hold them responsible before Palestinian courts for crimes they committed against the Palestinian people," al-Shalaldeh said. Enditem