Police demolish Hebron building; 3 settlers arrested
Two police officers lightly injured, three women detained in clashes between settlers, security forces attempting to demolish two illegal structures in Jewish community of Kiryat Arba. In response, rightists vandalize Palestinian property
According to the settlers, the security forces used violence against them and injured five of them, including a teenage girl who was wounded in the head.
The Judea and Samaria District Police reported that the security forces entered the Federman farm on Thursday night in order to demolish two structures erected in the area.
When the forces tried to leave the place, the police said, a number of settlers hurled stones at them. Two policemen were injured but did not require medical care. Three women settlers involved in the clashes were taken in for questioning.
As for the claims that the forces used violence, the police said that "those who say violence was used against them should file a complaint with the Police Investigation Unit."
Extreme right-wing activist Itamar Ben-Gvir told Ynet the Border Guard and police forces arrived at the farm and destroyed a building. According to Ben-Gvir, the forces did not use truncheons, but "used their hands" and acted with violence against the settlers.
He said that residents of Kiryat Arba and Hebron, most of them youths, were waiting for the security forces in the area in order to prevent them from demolishing the structures, but that the forces eventually managed to destroy one building. He added that those who remained in the area were rebuilding the demolished structure.
Kiryat Arba fence damaged
Right-wing activists who were in the area said that several rightists responded to the demolition by going to Palestinian neighborhoods in Hebron and damaging Palestinian property, fields and the Kiryat Arba fence. They claimed that Palestinians hurled stones at them.
On Saturday night, massive police, Border Guard and IDF forces destroyed the Federman farm and detained four people. Noam Federman was arrested for assaulting a policeman and breaking his hand, and two young girls were taken into custody after reportedly attempting to set fire to a police car. Another person was detained for questioning.
Federman's wife, Elisheva, recounted the events in a conversation with Ynet. "It was a regular Saturday evening. We were cleaning after Shabbat. Our nine children went to sleep. I finished working on a paper for school, Noam was on the computer, when we suddenly heard dogs barking.
"We received a phone call that massive forces were headed towards us. Noam went out to see what was happening, and then Yasamniks ((Israel Police special patrol unit) jumped on him. I haven't seen him since.
The morning after the evacuation, Kiryat Arba resident, called for revenge against the IDF. "We hope they (soldiers) are defeated by their enemies, we hope that they all become (kidnapped soldier) Gilad Shalit, that they are all killed and that they are all slaughtered, because that's what they deserve," he told Army Radio.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert referred to the settlers' threats at the start of the cabinet meeting that day, saying that "those who make such remarks belong in jail."
Ben-Yishai was arrested Thursday on suspicion of incitement and released to his home under court restrictions after being questioned. In a statement he released earlier this week, he claimed he was not referring to all IDF soldiers, but only to those involved in the evacuation.
