Clash near Gilad Farm (Archives)
Photo: Yisrael Potterman
Palestinians: Soldiers watched as settlers attacked
Nablus area Palestinians say assaulted by Gilad Farm residents; settlers accuse leftists of 'provocation'; three settlers detained
Palestinians from the Nablus area claimed to have been attacked Friday by Gilad Farm settlers with iron rods.
According to the Palestinians, one of them was evacuated to the hospital with a broken hand.
The West Bank settlers, for their part, said they were provoked by left-wing activists at the scene. Three club-wielding settlers were detained.
The injured Palestinian is the brother of Zachariah Sida, the operation's coordinator in the Palestinian Authority for the Rabbis for Human Rights organization.
In a conversation with Ynet, Sida rejected the settlers' claims, saying he was summoned to the scene by Palestinian farmers from the nearby Jit village who complained of being assaulted by the settlers.
"I arrived at the scene with my two brothers. One of them was holding a camera and the settlers lunged at him, beat him, snatched the camera away and fled," he said.
"Another group of settlers attacked me and my other brother. Just as they were about to hit me with an iron rod, he stuck out his hand. That's how he broke it."
The activist said IDF soldiers witnessed the events but did nothing to stop the violence. "The settlers attacked while the soldiers stood and watched."
Gilad Farm resident Itai Zar told Ynet, "We have no dispute with the residents of the neighboring villages. Activists from Rabbis for Human Rights are trying to fan the flame of hatred, and we hope they'll stop soon."
Shmulik Grossman contributed to the report
