Setting up outpost (archives)
Photo: AFP
Settlers smash windows of Palestinian houses in Hebron
Following evacuation of Maoz Ester outpost, settlers resume acts of protest by hurling stones, damaging cars and houses in West Bank. Extreme rightist Ben-Gvir: Netanyahu and Barak are pyromaniacs
A group of settlers from the West Bank city of Hebron entered the city's Abu Sneina neighborhood on Monday afternoon and smashed the windows of four Palestinian vehicles and seven houses. This was done in response to the evacuation
of the Maoz Ester outpost.
Talking to Ynet, right-wing activists accused the government of being responsible for the violence. Extreme rightist Itamar Ben-Gvir referred to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
and Defense Minister Ehud Barak
as "pyromaniacs inflaming the situation."
Clashes broke out in several places between settlers and Palestinians, but did not turn violent.
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The Hebron settlers' response is part of their "price tag" policy, on the backdrop of the government's plan to dismantle illegal outposts. It should be noted that the Maoz Ester outpost has been demolished and rebuilt several times in the past few months.
Another violent incident took place earlier, in the Binyamin region. A Palestinian reported that settlers had hurled stones at his car and smashed its window. Sources in the defense establishment reported that settlers had also hurled stones near the Yitzhar Junction.
Palestinians responded by throwing stones at an Israeli vehicle near the village of Azun Atma, in the Qalqilya area. There were no injuries, but the car sustained damage.
Arabs and Jews hurled stones at each other also near the grave of Simon the Righteous in east Jerusalem. There were no injuries, but one car sustained damage. A police force dispatched to the area dispersed the rioters and restored calm.
This was the second time in three days that violent clashes broke out between Jews and Arabs near the site. On Saturday a Jewish man was lightly injured in a brawl, which led to the arrest of an east Jerusalem resident.
