IDF searches for terrorist
Photo: AP
Palestinians say attacked by Bat Ayin settlers
Sources in Beit Omar say armed residents of settlement where youth was murdered last week stormed village, fired into air, and damaged property; Yesha council enraged over alleged IDF plan to cut back troops guarding West Bank settlements
Palestinian sources reported Tuesday that settlers from the West Bank settlement of Bat Ayin attacked residents of the nearby Beit Omar.
The sources said at least 15 armed settlers entered one of the neighborhoods in the Palestinian village and fired into the air, damaging a number of houses and property belonging to residents there.
Aftermath
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The IDF stated that a number of complaints had been lodged Monday evening by Palestinians claiming settlers had arrived at their neighborhood and were firing shots into the air. The army launched a search in the area.
Bat Ayin residents were dismissive of the claims. "This is total nonsense. It never happened," said the settlement's security officer, Yaakov Morgan.
Last week a terrorist infiltrated Bat Ayin, murdered 13-year old Shlomo Nativ, and injured a 7-year old boy with an axe. The culprit has not yet been detained despite exhaustive searches by the IDF. During the search, forces surrounded the neighborhood assaulted by settlers Tuesday.
The Palestinian residents claim they had attempted to ward off the settlers when they attacked during the night, and that a cry had gone out from the village mosques to defend the neighborhood.
The sources also claimed that IDF soldiers who had arrived in order to quell the outburst had seized a house in order to take up positions.
The Palestinian residents claim that since the terror attack in Bat Ayin the IDF has employed collective punishment methods against the villagers by establishing more checkpoints in the area.
The Yesha Council is claiming that IDF Central Command has announced a cutback of more than 10% of soldiers stationed in the West Bank in order to guard settlements.
The council claims the cutback will leave many settlements without protection in a matter of weeks. Yesha Council Chairman Danny Dayan has sent a letter to the army's chief of staff saying asking him to freeze the order. "This is really placing lives in danger," he wrote.
