Settlers torch field
Photo: B'tselem
More settler violence in West Bank
Settlers torch field, throw stones at Palestinian cars in protest against partial evacuation of Maoz Ester
Police suspect right-wing activists torched a Palestinian field and threw stones at Palestinian vehicles in the West Bank Wednesday in protest against the evacuation and dismantlement of two structures in Maoz Ester outpost.
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Sources in the West Bank told Ynet that settlers also blocked a road near the West Bank settlement of Shavei Shomron for 40 minutes, after which it was opened without further incident. The sources said the settlers then torched "a very small area" and that the fire was extinguished quickly.
Yossi Dagan, of the Shomron Settlers' Committee, blamed the defense minister for the day's violence. "All of the incidents are a result of Ehud Barak's conduct in the matter of the evacuation of outposts," he told Ynet.
"It's unfortunate that Israel's defense minister is instigating war by provocatively destroying structures for his own political interests, and out of a clear aim to cause anger to boil over again and again."
Settlers in the West Bank have recently announced that they would "exact a price" for every illegal structure evacuated by the state. The police's arrival at Maoz Ester Wednesday was due to two structures settlers added to the outpost in order to expand it.
On Tuesday Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch addressed the series of violent incidents in the West Bank and urged security forces not to be deterred. "You know what to do with anyone who is breaking the law – we will not allow them to take the law into their own hands," he said.
