Palestinians wave flags in Sa-Nur
Photo: AP
'A victory for the Palestinian struggle'
Photo: AP
West Bank: Palestinians raid settlements
2,000 Palestinians pour into former West Bank settlements of Ganim and Kadim after IDF forces leave the area; al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades commander: We are very pleased with the liberation (of the settlements); this is heart-warming. It is a victory for the Palestinian struggle and sacrifice
Some 2,000 Palestinians raided the former West Bank settlements of Ganim and Kadim Tuesday after IDF forces left the area.
“Ganim and Kadim are very beautiful,” Abu Araj, the commander of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades’ Jenin branch, said.
“We are very pleased with the liberation (of the settlements); this is heart-warming. It is a victory for the Palestinian struggle and sacrifice.”
The Palestinians noticed the IDF unit that had manned Ganim was beginning to pull out of the settlement and begin pouring into it within minutes, grabbing everything they could get their hands on: Electrical wires, logs and metal and aluminum parts. Some Palestinians were seen searching the rubble for ammunition.
A short time later the Palestinians realized soldiers had also retreated from nearby Kadim; they proceeded to stream into the former settlement by the hundreds and take equipment left behind by soldiers and settlers.
Hundreds of Palestinians also entered the former West Bank settlement of Sa-Nur, where they waved flags and banners from the ancient mosque’s rooftop, which the settlers converted into a synagogue.
Burning trees in Sa-Nur
Palestinian Authority police officers contained the crowd and worked to prevent acts of looting and arson.
According to the agreements with Israel, Palestinian police officers are not permitted to carry weapons in areas under IDF supervision.
Last Saturday hundreds of Palestinian villagers from the northern West Bank raided the evacuated settlement of Homesh after realizing there were no IDF troops in the area.
The residents burned trees and began looting whatever they could get their hands on, including iron, plastic, electricity poles, aluminum, and other objects they found in the rubble.
