The trial of extreme right-wing activist Noam Federman, indicted
for the aggravated assault of an officer and obstructing a policeman on duty, opened in Jerusalem on Thursday morning.
Before entering the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court, Federman told Ynet, "All the leftists and evil people – they're all temporary here. A sheep also twitches and kicks in all directions before being slaughtered."
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| Federman farm container demolished / Efrat Weiss |
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Security forces evacuate structure set up by extreme rightist's family near West Bank settlement of Kiryat Arba. One officer, two youths lightly injured in incident. After police leave, settlers immediately rebuild home and Federmans move back in |
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A request by the State Prosecutor's Office to remove Federman from the West Bank was rejected by Judge Shulamit Dotan.
He claimed that the Left's representatives, headed by Defense Minister Ehud Barak,
were attempting to make an impression before leaving their public roles.
"Ehud Barak, where will he be in a couple of months? He'll have four or five Knesset seats, so he's trying to leave an impression now. They're all going, (Prime Minister Ehud) Olmert
too. Where will he be in three months? In Switzerland or in prison?"
According to Federman, his trial will not prevent his family from continuing its routine life.
"We are strong and steadfast. We won't be scared by arrests, house demolitions and trials. We are stronger than everyone. Thank God, we stand firm."
Federman. Can return to Hebron (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
Asked whether he was angry at the law enforcement authorities, he said, "I hate those who hate God Almighty, all those who were involved in this destruction. I hate anyone who Rabbi Yaakov Yosef said
has no place in afterlife."
The rightists claimed that he was the one assaulted by the police. "We saw the violence during the pogrom at my home. They broke into my house, threw babies out of the windows, uprooted a one-year-old baby girl from her mother, and then beat the mother.
"Even when a terrorist's home is demolished they let him take out his property. In my house they threw Holy Scriptures and mezuzot on the floor."
He added that "the State Prosecutor's Office runs the State and does everything upside down."
The Federman farm clashes continued early Thursday as well. Border Guard and special police force officers arrived at the site to demolish the container Federman and his wife Elisheva were living in.
The operation did not go smoothly, and after the container was demolished, youths threw stones at the security forces. One officer was lightly wounded in the face, but was not taken to hospital.
The settlers reported that a young man and a young woman suffered light injuries from beatings during the evacuation.
Police reported that during the evacuation they located and detained a 14-year-old boy wanted for questioning for a number of police assault incidents.
Federman was detained about two weeks ago while violently protesting the evacuation and destruction
of two illegal structures at the Federman farm outpost near Kiryat Arba.
Dozens of Kiryat Arba residents confronted the security forces that arrived at the place, and attempted to forcefully break through the ring of officers who were securing the operation.
Settlers also hurled stones at the houses of local Palestinians and caused damage to property and to a Palestinian cemetery in Hebron.
The riot triggered an outburst of violent clashes in the area, and the structures at the outpost have in the meantime been rebuilt.
Federman was detained on suspicion he broke the arm of one of the policemen. Another policeman was lightly injured in the clash. Three other settlers, among them Federman's wife, were detained as well.
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