Settlers rebuild demolished structure, attack Palestinians
Right-wing activists respond to tearing down of illegal building in Jewish community of Kiryat Arba by storming nearby Palestinian house, hurling stones and causing heavy damage; Palestinians report photojournalist injured by stone. Settlers say new building erected in place of one destroyed, lay cornerstone for Federman house
The settlers also claimed to have rebuilt the structure destroyed by the security forces.
Hours after the violent clashes, hundreds of Kiryat Arba and Hebron residents and right-wing activists took part in a cornerstone ceremony in the Federman farm.
Kiryat Arba Rabbi Dov Lior, chairman of the Committee of Yesha Rabbis, said during the event that "the expulsion forces activities in the Federman farm remind me of what we went through in Poland dozens of years ago.
"Then too we were expelled from home for no reason, only for being Jews. Then too we were not given the option of evacuating our things, taking out personal belongings. Then too they came in the middle of the night and removed us without any compassion."
Another participant said that "the hands of those who expelled Jews from their homes should be cut."
The residents continued erecting buildings in the area and plan to spend Shabbat in the Federman farm.
Palestinian sources in Hebron reported that settlers continued to riot outside the farm on Friday afternoon, hurling stones at Palestinian residents and damaging their property. According to the reports, the settlers were masked and injured a local photojournalist hit by a stone. The man was taken to a hospital for treatment.
On Thursday evening, Palestinians living near the Federman farm reported that dozens of settlers were harassing them in response to the demolition of Federman's house on Saturday night.
Security forces clash with settlers (Photo: Rahamim Maimon)
Halifa Dana, the owner of one of the two only Palestinian homes located near the farm, told Ynet that in the evening hours settlers had started hurling stones at his house and destroying the barbed-wire fence separating between the settlers and his house.
"I'm really beginning to fear for my life," Dana said. "In the past few days they have not stopped throwing stones. There are 20 to 30 settlers who have not ceased making life difficult for me and for my 90-year-old neighbor downstairs. The old woman's house was completely destroyed.
"I was lucky because my entire house is blocked by railings and shutters, so the damage was small. But I am very concerned, because they could enter the house any minute now if they manage to dismantle the barbed-wire fence."
Water tanks ruined, windows shattered
But the luck Dana spoke of came to an end following Thursday night's clashes between the security forces and settlers, during which two policemen were lightly injured and three women were arrested.
The settlers decided to avenge the security forces' activity and stormed Dana's house. According to the Palestinian man, the barbed-wire fence was removed and settlers broke into his home and destroyed everything they could get their hands on.
"Four of my sons and I tried to face them, but there were so many of them. They broke everything in their way, especially the water tanks," he said.
According to Dana, three water tanks were broken as well as windows and furniture placed at the entrance to the house.
"My sons and I eventually escaped to a nearby thistle field, but the settlers chased us in order to hurt us." Dana said one of his sons was lightly injured after being beaten by the settlers.
Rabbi Arik Asherman of Rabbis for Human Rights said Friday that he had appealed to the police and army in the past few days, but that nothing has been done.
Talking to Ynet, he said that the army told him his complaint was being handled.
"Only yesterday we filed a complaint with the police after the old woman's home was filled with glass from the broken windows, but the police didn't even bother to come and examine the place and look into the incident," he said.
The Judea and Samaria District Police said in response that it had not received any complaints on the matter.
A Border Guard official said that "near the Federman farm there is a lone Palestinian home which has been secured by a Border Guard force since Saturday night's events, in order to prevent settlers from causing damage.
"The house was secured by a Border Guard force from after midnight till 2 am last night. Dozens of teenagers arrived in the area, hurled stones at the house and escaped."
Residents of the West Bank city of Hebron and Kiryat Arba reported Friday morning that they had finished rebuilding the structure torn down by the security forces. According to the residents, dozens of youths rebuilt the structure for hours.
Efrat Weiss contributed to this report
