The Middle-East Observer
Settler violence
Palestinian villagers start hunger strike to protest land confiscation
Palestinian villagers on Sunday said that they are planning to start a hunger strike. They want to protest against the confiscation of their lands by Israeli forces. According to Palestinian MP Mustafa Barghouti, 140 acres of land have been confiscated by Israeli forces and Palestinian villagers are regularly harassed by settlers from nearby settlements. Meanwhile, the UN … Continue reading
Israeli forces dismantle settler outpost in Hebron
The Israeli army demolished an illegal outpost, Mitzpe Avichai, outside Hebron on Wednesday. The IDF also issued a restraining order against the outposts leader, Yaron Kaleb, restricting him from entering the West Bank. This is the third demolishment of an illegal outpost in the West Bank this week. On Monday, the IDF dismantled Givat Gal Yoseph; a wave … Continue reading
Israel Police: West Bank mosque defaced, cars torched in suspected ‘price tag’ attack
A mosque was vandalized with Hebrew graffiti and three cars were torched in a Palestinian village in the West Bank, Israeli police said. The words “price tag” and “Gal Arye Yosef” were painted on the mosque. ‘Price tag’ refers to the practice by Jewish extremists to retaliate Israeli government or army actions against settlers by … Continue reading
Right-wing extremists cite Israeli MK as source on IDF movements in West Bank
According to documents, Likud MK and coalition chairman Ze’ev Elkin contacted right wing extremists in the West Bank to inform them of IDF movements. The news story comes on the heels of the arrest and charging of five right-wing extremists with attempting to impede the IDF’s evacuation of illegal outposts and settlements in the West … Continue reading
Israel Police struggling to suppress Jewish extremists in West Bank, says senior officer
More than 228 incidents of attacks by right-wing activists were recorded in 2011, with 65 indictments served on charges of account and vandalism, but Israeli police is hard-pressed to gather sufficient evidence due to the location of the crimes. Haaretz, Israel Click here for the full story
Israel bars 12 Jewish settlers from West Bank
Israel has barred a dozen Jewish settlers from the West Bank for a period of up to a year, a step Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had pledged to take to rein in violence against Palestinians, officials and Israeli media reports said. Reuters, United States Click here for the full story
Israel mulls espionage charges against Jewish West Bank activists
Israel’s State Prosecutor’s Office intends to indict right-wing activists with espionage over suspicions they tracked Israel Defense Forces activities in the West Bank. Haaretz, Israel Click here for the full story
Netanyahu: ‘Price tag’ attacks put a stain on all of Israel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak condemned violence by right-wing extremists on Tuesday, vowing to use all means to eradicate the phenomenon. “This is a stain on all of Israel and on a population of settlers that are not part of this phenomenon.” Netanyahu added that “this stain must be erased. Haaretz, … Continue reading
PA cabinet slams settler ‘terrorism’
The Palestinian Authority cabinet on Tuesday slammed the Israeli government for failing to prevent settler violence against Palestinian communities. The cabinet called on Israel to stop settler “terrorism” against Palestinians and urged the international community to prevent the “organized crimes” of settlers. Ma’an News Agency, Palestine Click here for the full story
Opinion: Don’t shoot the settlers
Wild assault at settlers in wake of latest rightist violence is a recipe for civil war. Ynetnews, Israel Click here for the full story
Opinion: Shoot the Jewish terrorists
Uri Saguy, former IDF intelligence chief, says radical rightists behaving like terrorists should be treated as such. Ynetnews, Israel Click here for the full story
3rd of IDF in W. Bank operating against ‘price-tag’ attacks
The IDF Central Command has allocated 30 percent of its forces deployed in the WestBank for “price-tag” attack-related missions, the largest proportion in years. “This means we have fewer forces to prevent terrorism,” a senior officer said on Thursday. “When a battalion commander needs to come to a road and disperse Jews who are throwing stones at Palestinian … Continue reading
Religious teens denounce violence against IDF
In an attempt to distance themselves from the far-Right youths who attacked soldiers in the West Bank earlier this week, high school seniors from the Efrat settlement released a letter on Thursday denouncing violence against IDF troops. Ynetnews, Israel Click here for the full story
Rioting Jews to be tried in army courts
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu provided security forces and police with several new legal tools on Wednesday designed to enable them to stamp out radical nationalist attacks. According to one of the recommendations Netanyahu accepted a day after the vandalism and rock-throwing incident at an IDF base, Jews rioting in the West Bank will now be tried in military courts like Palestinians. … Continue reading
Settlers torch Ramallah mosque
Jewish settlers on Thursday torched a village mosque near Ramallah and sprayed racist graffiti in Hebrew on its walls, witnesses said. The attack comes a day after Jewish extremists torched a 13th century mosque in Jerusalem, spraying “Death to the Arabs” and “Muhammad is a pig” on the building. Ma’an News Agency, Palestine Click here for … Continue reading
Netanyahu: Jewish extremists not a ‘terror group’ but will be given military trial
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved Wednesday a series of steps that would crack down on Jewish extremists responsible for recent violent attacks on IDF soldiers and other targets, but rejected a recommendation to label them a “terror group.” Netanyahu approved issuing administrative detention orders for the Jewish extremists, as is usually done with Palestinians suspected … Continue reading
Opinion: Israel must enforce law on West Bank settlers
Monday night’s riots merely proves what has long since been obvious: In the West Bank, there is neither law nor judge as far as the settlers are concerned. They can run riot to their heart’s content. Haaretz, Israel Click here for the full story
Barak: Consider classifying ‘hilltop youth’ a terror group
Defense Minister Ehud Barak Wednesday morning said the legal possibility of classifying the “hilltop youth” group of young radical settlers as a terrorist group, saying “as far as their behavior is concerned, there is no doubt that we are talking about terrorists.” Jerusalem Post, Israel Click here for the full story
Settlers: Barak to blame for rightist riots
Samaria Regional Council head Gershon Mesika has pointed a finger at Defense Minister Ehud Barak following the violent incidents involving right-wing activists in the West Bank on Monday night. “Unfortunately, Ehud Barak acted like a pyromaniac and set the ground on fire intentionally by trying to destroy homes in Ramat Gilad despite the advanced talks … Continue reading
PM convenes emergency meeting on attack on IDF base
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday convened an emergency meeting with senior security officials in his office following an attack by some 50 settlers on an army base in the West Bank. “These are criminals, Jewish terrorists who are harming the security of Israel,” Homeland Security Minister Matan Vilnai said. Jerusalem Post, Israel Click here … Continue reading
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