Leftist Knesset members say they are outraged by settler riots and army inaction at a West Bank village Saturday in the wake of the stabbing of a Jewish boy by a Palestinian. Meanwhile, the settlers are infuriated with the leftist disregard for the stabbing attack.
Knesset Member Ahmad Tibi referred to the settlers as "two-legged animals" following the riots.
Nine-year-old boy taken to hospital with light wounds after being stabbed in West Bank settlement Saturday by Palestinian who torched empty home; settlers riot in nearby village in response, at least four Palestinians wounded
"The rampaging settlers are abusing innocent Palestinians while IDF officers turn a blind eye," he said. "The army chose to impose a siege on the two Palestinian villages that have been victimized."
Meanwhile, Knesset Member Zahava Gal-On (Meretz) urged Defense Minister Ehud Barak to act sternly against the "violent settlers who are rioting and hurting Palestinians as if they are allowed to do whatever they want."
"It's impossible to have a situation whereby the army is doing nothing while this is going on," she said. "The time has come to end the policy of inaction vis-à-vis the settlers."
The Peace Now movement called on Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter to revoke the gun licenses of the settlers who reportedly opened fire during the riots.
"The settlers do not miss any opportunity to hurt Palestinians and endanger human life," Peace Now Secretary General Yariv Oppenheimer said.
However, Yesha Council Chairman Danny Dayan said Saturday that "Beilin, Tibi, and Gal-On are dancing on the blood of a wounded 9-year-old Israeli child in order to advance their political agenda."
"Violence of any kind is wrong, but their complete disregard to the attempt to murder a Jewish child in Yitzhar proves that they are not people of peace, but rather, Palestinian propagandists."
Efrat Weiss, Amnon Meranda, and Sharon Roffe-Ophir contributed to the story
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