The violent evacuation of the unauthorized West Bank outpost of Amona left police scarred as well, Police Chief Moshe Karadi told settlers leaders Monday.
According to Yesha Council heads, the police chief told them: "For us too, Amona left a scar." Karadi added that "both sides must examine themselves, look into what took place, and learn the lessons."
This was the first meeting between the sides and it concluded with a decision to continue with confidence-building measures. The meeting was also attended by senior police officials.
Monday's meeting (Photo: Haim Tsach)
Representing the settlers in the meeting was Yesha Council Chairman Bentzi Lieberman, Binyamin Regional Council Head Pinchas Walerstein, and other regional council leaders.
The police chief and settler leaders decided to continue the discussion in order to bridge gaps through joint meeting meetings with youths and education officials.
Yesha Council leaders repeated claims that police interrogators acted in an unsatisfactory manner in response to police violence in Amona, and that concentrating on a lone police officer was insufficient. They urged police to take collective responsibility.
Karadi listened to settler leaders throughout most of the meeting, which was tense at first.
Later, Walerstein said: "Israeli society reached Amona bleeding after Gush Katif. I don't have another explanation for the intensity of the frustration and what took place. The scar that Amona left did not come from the destruction of homes, but from the unjustified, brutal violence directed at us."
At the end of the meeting Walerstein told Ynet: "I expect the IDF to learn more lessons because harming the citizens of the State of Israel is not part of the role of IDF soldiers. It is clear that the police was one of the tools used and therefore we had to meet with police heads."
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