'Settlers attacked Palestinian houses'

First violent response- Palestinian sources reported on Saturday that settlers attacked houses in the West Bank villages of Burin and Hawara, near Nablus and the settlement of Itamar, where five family members were stabbed to death in their sleep Friday night by terrorists who infiltrated the settlement.

"Price tag" operations perpetrated by right-wing activists and settlers have been reported frequently in the past few weeks, the latest following the evacuation of structures in the West Bank outpost of Havat Gilad.

The violent acts have included torching of Palestinian vehicles, spraying slurs and blocking various roads throughout the country.

Ariel Mayor Ron Nachman commented on the "price tag" operations shortly before the incidents in Burin and Hawara were reported, saying "I am not responsible for violent acts perpetrated from either side."

Nachman arrived in Itamar Saturday afternoon and expressed anger over the fact Defense Minister Ehud Barak has yet to visit the settlement.

"I want him to look me in the eye. Where are all the inciting elements from within? Where are the human rights defenders? I demand to investigate the correlation between their statements and this heinous murder," he said angrily.

Nachman called on the government to "probe all the bleeding hearts that de-legitimize the residents living here."

He also slammed the law enforcement apparatus and the Supreme Court for failing to stop the incitement.

"There is a direct link between domestic incitement and the murder. We need to find those responsible for the attack and give them the death penalty. I can't recall such a horrific terror attack," he said.

Yoav Zitun and Attila Somfalvi contributed to this report

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