An IDF officer was attacked by a settler Saturday night during a protest in the West Bank, the army said Sunday.
The incident occurred when a group of settlers was blocking a road near the settlement of Kedumim in protest of the death of Ahuvia Sandak, a teenage settler who was killed last month during a car chase with the police after he and several other individuals were caught hurling rocks at Palestinian vehicles.
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IDF soldiers dispersing a settler protest near the settlement of Kedumim
(Photo: Tazpit)
Since Sandak's death, protests, mainly of settlers and right-wing groups, flared up across Israel, demanding an investigation into the incident.
Several of these demonstrations have turned violent, with protestors confronting security forces.
Soldiers belonging to the Golani Brigade arrived at the scene to remove the settlers and open up the road.
Lt. Col. Ayub Kayuf is attacked as troops break up a settler protest
(Video: Tazpit)
Several of the protestors refused to evacuate and the soldiers began to forcibly remove them from the area.
One of the refusers turned violent and begin punching the brigade’s reconnaissance battalion commander, Lt. Col. Ayub Kayuf, several times.
Yehuda Shimon, a 45-year-old lawyer and a father of 10, was detained and handed over to police along with several other protestors.
Kayuf has filed a formal complaint against Shimon, who denies punching the officer.
"I came to protest with my daughters," Shimon told Ynet. "I was standing to the side smoking a cigarette.
"One of the officers, I did not know who he was, picked one of the girls from the road and I yelled at him to get his hands off her. He pushed me to the side and five soldiers pounced on me."
IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi strongly condemned the violent attack on the officer.
"The attacking of an IDF officer, individuals who dedicate their days and their nights to protecting the civilians of Israel, by settlers, who are themselves protected by them, is absolutely improper," he said in a statement.
"We must fight against this sort of misconduct immediately, and bring those who committed these acts to justice."