Settler protestors block Highway 1
Following series of violent incidents in West Bank in response to dismantling of illegal outposts, settlers block entrance to Jerusalem with burning tires
Four right-wing activists were arrested Monday afternoon for attempting to block the entrance to Jerusalem through Highway 1, in protest against the evacuation of a number of illegal outposts in the West Bank.
At around 5:30 pm around 50 youths arrived at the scene of the protest and began to torch tires and a wagon on the road. Police arrested four of the protestors and dispersed the rest.
Heavy traffic began to pile up on the highway as municipality employees were summoned to clear the burnt wreckage from the area. Police are preparing for further rioting in the capital.
Settler violence began Monday morning as a group of masked youths began blocking roads in the West Bank. Some of the rioters attacked Palestinian passersby.
Palestinian sources said four were injured in the attack, one of whom was rushed to the hospital with a cracked skull. Police dispute the claim, saying one man was lightly injured. No one was arrested.
Shortly after 5:00 am police received a report that masked settlers were hurling rocks along route 55 near the settlements of Kedumim and Karni Shomron. According to the Palestinians, the settlers had placed stones on the road itself and when passing cars stopped to clear them from the way – the passengers were pelted with rocks and beaten.
The settlers also torched several tires and set them on the road.
Standing out amongst the incidents that occurred in the West Bank on Monday following the dismantling of illegal outposts is the arrest of MK Michael Ben Ari (National Union). The right-wing MK was taken into custody by Border Guard troops during a protest staged at Yitzhar junction.
Ben Ari had tried to block military vehicles transporting settler youths detained during the protest. Footage from the scene of the incident shows Ben Ari clambering onto the front fender and refusing the soldier's requests to get off while yelling "you can't touch me."
Settlers also set fire to a Palestinian field near the outpost of Havat Gilad. However defense officials say that the firefighters alerted to handle the blaze refused to put it out due to ideological reasons. The firefighters rejected the accusation outright, saying that the unit had been waiting for a military escort as they were not allowed to enter Palestinian territory without one.
