Illegal synagogue destroyed, settlers clash with Palestinians
Shortly after Civil Administration demolishes illegal structure serving as Jewish place of worship in Givat Menachem outpost, Palestinians report windshields of several vehicles smashed. As situation escalates, settler lightly to moderately injured from stone hurled by Palestinians
The security forces on Tuesday destroyed an illegal structure serving as a synagogue in the Givat Menachem outpost near the West Bank settlement of Nahliel.
Shortly afterwards, the Civil Administration received a report of a number of Palestinians vehicles with smashed windshields found near the village of Bitilu. The Civil Administration launched an investigation into the incident.
West Bank
Leftists videotape settler stone-throwing near Hebron / Olga Goretzky
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The situation escalated following the morning's events and settlers and Palestinians began throwing stones at each other. A settler was lightly to moderately injured in the head from a stone hurled by Palestinians. He was evacuated to a hospital while security forces deployed in the area. According to the settlers, two additional people were lightly hurt.
After the synagogue was destroyed, the holy books were handed over to the community rabbi. The operation was completed without any unusual incidents.
The Binyamin settlers' committee said in response that "the selective destruction of the synagogue is a continuation of the demolition of the synagogue in (the outpost of) Maoz Ester last week. (Defense Minister Ehud) Barak
specializes in destruction, and the synagogue and additional structures in the Binyamin region will be rebuilt as early as today."
Meanwhile, the security forces and Civil Administration representatives handed out demolition orders on Hill 18, near the Jewish settlement of Kiryat Arba. In response, the Binyamin and Samaria settlers' committee declared together with the Komemiut movement that the settlers would begin Tuesday to set up houses, clubs, a café and a nursery in 10 communities. The operation would be launched in the settlement of Elon Moreh, they said.
David Ben Zion, one of the operation's organizers, told Ynet that "where a caravan was destroyed five days ago we have placed a floor. We will put up walls and a roof and hold a ceremony in the area this afternoon. People slated to live in the building will enter it and it will later be connected to water and electricity supplies.
"We have said, and have been consistent about it the entire time, that a new building will be set up in the exact place where a building freeze order is issued."
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