RAMALLAH, West Bank -- Palestinian farmers near the west bank town of Ramallah said Monday they were chased out of their village's olive groves by gun-toting Jewish settlers who then destroyed their cars, AFP reported.

The farmers said they were picking olives near their village of Tulmosay when the settlers appeared and attacked their vehicles, burning two cars and smashing up two others.

Israeli police confirmed that two cars had been burned and said they found rifle cartridges at the scene. They opened an investigation but have so far made no arrests, a spokesman said.