3 Palestinians suspected of arson in Havat Gilad

Police arrested three Palestinians from the village of Far’ata on suspicion they infiltrated the Havat Gilad outpost on Tuesday and burned a residential structure. A dog who was inside the structure died in the fire.

The event prompted clashes between dozens of settlers and Palestinians which involved the hurling of stones. An IDF force who chased after the suspects was pelted with stones and responded by firing shock grenades.

Related articles:

• Negotiations on Migron evacuation break down
  
• 12 settlers temporarily banned from West Bank
  
• Op-ed: A dubious kosher stamp
  

At around 12 pm, Havat Gilad residents noticed three Palestinians fleeing from a house which was on fire. The outpost's emergency squad was alerted. "They managed to hear the dog howling for help," Havat Gilad founder Itay Zar said. "They chased after the arsonists who escaped to Far'ata."

He further added, "This is not the first time that Palestinians from this village try to hurt it. Several days ago they fired fire crackers which exploded near our guys. They've been coming here every day lately – Palestinians escorted by far leftists and foreigners who shout and swear things like 'We'll Fogel you' and so on."

Zar said that the residents have informed the IDF of the events. He expressed hope that the army will prevent future similar acts, particularly on the day of the Fogel family's memorial service to be held on Wednesday.

Shomron Regional Council head Gershon Mesika urged IDF officers to boost deterrence in the area. "This is terrorist infiltration for any intent and purpose," he said. "The horrifying images of the dog burning to death illustrate what could have happened had there been a family inside the house at the time – a day before the Fogel murder anniversary."

• Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter
  

• Receive Ynetnews updates directly to your desktop