Clashes in West Bank (Archives)
Photo: AP
IDF: Settlers beat soldier, hurl stones
Soldiers trying to block Yitzhar settlers from approaching Palestinian village get stoned, one soldier lightly injured. IDF says, 'Violence towards soldiers intolerable, particularly on Independence Day'. In another incident, settlers vandalize Palestinian car entering Gilad Farm
Settlers from Yitzhar beat and lightly wounded a solider Tuesday evening. The IDF said the settlers also hurled stones and slashed the tires of a military vehicle.
The incident took place after a military force issued a closed military zone order to keep the settlers from entering the Palestinian village of Madma, south of Nablus. An altercation broke out, during which the settlers attacked the soldiers.
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit said, "Violence towards soldiers is crossing the line in an intolerable manner, particularly on Israel's holiday, Independence Day. This intolerable and deviant conduct will be handled according to the law with the necessary resolve."
A spokesperson for the Judea and Samaria District Police said one youth was arrested after he was seen slashing the tires of a military vehicle during the clashes in Yitzhar. He was transferred to the police station for questioning.
Vandalized Palestinian vehicle in Gilad Farm
Sources from the settlement claimed that the IDF and police report was distorted. They claimed that the soldiers expelled a group of travelers visiting the area for no reason. They also claimed that one of the soldiers opened fire without being in any danger.
"We do not understand why the Samaria brigade commander insists on igniting the area by forbidding entrance to areas where there is no reason not to enter. We hope that the IDF goes back to dealing with matters it is trained in, the main matter being defending the security of the lives of Jews in Israel."
Earlier Tuesday another violent incident was reported in the West Bank, this time in the Gilad Farm, where a Palestinian vehicle was vandalized. A young Palestinian couple who accidentally entered the community's northern gate, had their tires slashed and their windshield broken by settlers.
The settlers spotted the Palestinian man outside of his car and suspected he was trying to steal horses. The community's security officer alerted soldiers, who separated between the parties and allowed the Palestinians to leave the area unharmed.
Following the incidents, the Rabbis for Human Rights organization warned against settler attempts to claim "price tags" in response. The organization demanded the military give immediate protection to the Palestinian villages.
