8 rightists arrested in Jerusalem
Dozens of right-wing activists attempt to block entrance to capital in protest of settlement construction freeze. Meanwhile, building inspectors manage to enter settlement of Maale Levona despite stone throwing, hand out freeze orders
A police force stationed in the area dispersed the crowd and arrested eight people.
Dozens of young people arrived on Highway 1 at around 6 pm. They began walking on the road and tried to stop the traffic, but were removed by the police within a short while. Several minutes later, the activists tried to block the entrance once again, but were again stopped by the police.
At the same time, some 40 right-wing activists blocked a junction in South Mount Hebron. The protestors also hurled stones at Palestinian vehicles.
The rightists promise that this is only the beginning, and that additional roads will be blocked across the country in the coming days. A mass protest is expected to take place in the capital on Wednesday evening under the banner, "We will break the freeze."
Settlement head: Accept building freeze
Motti Yogev, deputy head of the Binyamin Regional Council, said Monday evening that the settlers must accept the construction freeze and understand that it is needed in light of the growing Iranian threat and the need to recruit an international coalition to fight it.
"What I'm saying here may get me in trouble, but perhaps we should bend a little, especially when we are talking about a limited period of 10 months," Yogev said during a conference on hesder yeshivot held at the Jerusalem Center for Ethics.
Police remove protestors (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
He expressed his protest, however, against the enforcement of the decision, which includes issuing orders and sending building inspectors to the communities.
Earlier Monday, the security forces managed to enter the settlement of Maale Levona in the Binyamin region and hand out building freeze orders, after they had been driven away by residents earlier in the day.
According to the security forces, several residents threw stones at policemen entering the settlement. A Border Guard officer threw a shock grenade in response. There were no reports of injuries. The settlers denied throwing stones at the forces.
Residents of the settlement of Revava also prevented Civil Administration building inspectors from entering their community and distributing freeze orders. Inspectors also arrived at the settlements of Shilo and Shvut Rachel in the Binyamin region and Bat Ayin and Tekoa in Gush Etzion. No unusual incidents were recorded in these four communities.
Kobi Nahshoni contributed to this report
