Settlers say did not provoke Palestinians
Bat Ayin rabbi recounts violent clash with residents of Khirbat Safa village, which left at least 16 people injured. Palestinians claim they were attacked by settlers, while army says both sides hurled stones at each other
Sixteen Palestinians were injured earlier in clashes with Israel Defense Forces soldiers following a prayer held by settlers near the West Bank village of Khirbat Safa. One of the Palestinians suffered critical wounds. An Israeli citizen was lightly hurt.
According to the Palestinians, the entire incident was a planned operation. Bat Ayin's rabbi, Daniel Cohen, told Ynet that hundreds of the area's residents had arrived at a hill overlooking the Palestinian village, which is located about 1.5 kilometers (about 1 mile) from the settlement, in order to mark the Blessing of the Sun.
The worshippers flocked to the area after coordinating their activities with the army and began praying for the transcendence of the soul of 13-year-old Shlomo Nativ, who was killed last week in a terror attack in Bat Ayin.
At a certain stage, the worshippers heard whistles and screams from the village down the hill, several hundred meters away from the place they were standing on.
"Some of the young people went to check what was happening and create a front. Four soldiers accompanied them in order to protect them," said Cohen. "There were dozens of Arabs gathered there, shouting. The muezzin called on Arabs from nearby villages to join them."
According to the rabbi, the settlement's residents did not fire at anyone. "The army arrived at the village, and then a clash erupted between the army and the Arabs. Most of the people remained in the area where we were located. No one entered the village apart from the army."
According to the Israel Defense Forces, however, the Palestinians arrived at the area where the settlers were praying and both sides began throwing stones at each other.
The IDF said in statement that "the force dispatched to the area in order to separate between the sides used crowd dispersal means against the Palestinians. Once the soldiers' lives were in danger, the force's commander ordered them to fire at the lower part of the main inciters' bodies."
The Palestinians, however, claimed that the settlers fired in the air and damaged their property.
'We are embarking on a new road'
Cohen insisted that "no one went there to provoke the Arabs. We were all gathered on Mukhtar Hill and then went up to the cemetery to cite Psalms in the memory of Shlomo Nativ.
According to Palestinian sources and hospitals in the Hebron area, 16 Palestinians were injured in the clashes. Dozens were hurt when they inhaled tear gas.
The Nativ family ended its seven days of mourning on Wednesday morning. Addressing the atmosphere in the village since the deadly attack, Cohen said, "It's difficult to describe and create a real picture for those who don’t understand the place's milieu.
"Alongside the grief and pain over the cruel murder, there is also determination and a strong will to expand the place and settle new places."
According to the rabbi, the family of the slain youth feels that "he is a great soul, and wherever it is it will continue to work for the State of Israel. With all the pain, we feel that when such things happen we return to our roots, to our strength and to our vibrancy, and we embark on a new road."
