Hundreds of settlers and right-wing activists, mostly teenagers, gathered on Olive Hill in the Efrat settlement at Gush Etzion Wednesday afternoon.
Several dozen settlers began marching to the nearby Eitam Hill in order to establish an outpost there.
Police and IDF forces, who were in the area in order to prevent the activists from carrying out their plan, were struggling to stop the march as activists approached the hill from several directions.
According to right-wing activists, Eitam Hill is within the planning boundries of Efrat. However, the hill will become Palestinian property upon completion of the separation fence in the area, which will exclude it from Efrat.
A group of left-wing activists from the Peace Now movement were prevented by police from entering the Efrat settlement through its northern entrance.
Right-wing organizations began spreading notices calling for a renewal of settlement activity several weeks ago.
“The establishment of a settlement in Eitam will be the first step in renewing a wave of settlements in Judea and Samaria. This is our response to the ongoing policy of surrendering to the enemy,” the notices read.
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