Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., August 08, 2008 Av 7, 5768 | | Israel Time: 20:49 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Young settlers clashing with Israel Defense Forces soldiers. (David Mizrahi)
Last update - 22:22 27/07/2008
IDF officers: Yeshiva teachers incite W. Bank teens to violence
By Amos Harel
Tags: West Bank, violence 

Students at extremist yeshivas in West Bank settlements have been involved in a large number of violent confrontations with security forces there recently and in throwing stones at Palestinian cars, say military sources. Senior Israel Defense Forces officers are reportedly furious over the lack of effective legal measures against rioters and because the government is taking no steps against yeshiva teachers who incite to violence.

The officers' remarks followed last Thursday's wave of unrest in which settlers in the area used beepers to call residents to the roads to attack Palestinian cars and confront security forces. The settlers' move followed the destruction of a structure at the outpost of Adei Ad.

This is not the first such reaction in recent months. The intent is to "extract a price" and create a kind of balance of fear vis-a-vis the security forces. Each time an outpost is evacuated or even a single structure in one is destroyed and settlers do not have enough time to mount significant opposition, they will respond somewhere else so as to harass the security forces and make clear that such acts will lead to general escalation in the area.
Advertisement
Security forces have determined that students from the Od Yosef Hai yeshiva in Yitzhar (formerly located at Joseph's Tomb in Nablus) are taking an active role in the violence. Students from the yeshiva in the Gilad Farm outpost and the girls high school in the settlement of Ma'aleh Levona are also said to be involved.

"This is a regular method," a senior officer told Haaretz. "When they want to riot, they stop classes and send the students in an organized fashion onto the roads. The frustrating side of all this is that teachers are involved. These are government employees."

After disengagement in the summer of 2005, the IDF attempted to act against the heads of hesder yeshivas (which combine religious studies with army service) who took an active part in the violence or preached refusal to follow orders. However the move went only so far as a recommendation by then chief of staff Dan Halutz to cut off relations between the IDF and the yeshiva at Eilon Moreh. Then defense minister Shaul Mofaz opposed the recommendation and his successor Amir Peretz did nothing about it.

The army believes action must be taken against the ringleaders and not the youths. "There is no value to harsh treatment of high-school students," one officer said.

Security officials have long been critical of the helplessness of the legal system to deal with violent demonstrators in the West Bank, both leftist and right-wing.

The officers point out that demonstrators are quickly released from custody and usually return to their violent activities. The problem has come up in demonstrations against the separation fence, first at the village of Bilin and now at Na'alin. The officers say no more than 50 Israeli leftists and 50 foreigners participate regularly in demonstrations, and note increasing violence against security forces who have suffered dozens of injuries in recent months.
Bookmark to del.icio.us  
 
Iranian row
Rice on possible IDF Iran strike: U.S. has no veto over Israeli military operations.
Hamas movie set
Hamas transforms former Gaza settlement into movie production house.
  1.   Really true 06:02  |  Sam 27/07/08
  2.   simple solution 06:19  |  potobac 27/07/08
  3.   Don`t denigrate the sage rabbis! 06:26  |  Nathaniel 27/07/08
  4.   Incitement is part of their version of heir religion 06:41  |  David 27/07/08
  5.   Army is to protect jews and their property- not to destroy 06:56  |  AAA 27/07/08
  6.   Yeshiva students in YESHA 07:02  |  Wise Saba 27/07/08
  7.   The fashest left wing should have no qualms about 07:10  |  Jew 27/07/08
  8.   Feigned opposition to student and settler . . 07:13  |  michael mazur 27/07/08
  9.   Really, really true, don`t confuse them with facts... 08:14  |  BBSNews 27/07/08
  10.   #2 potobac - Solution must be applied equally 08:24  |  * BEN JABO 27/07/08
  11.   madrasas need to be closed 08:33  |  Space 27/07/08
  12.   Lets all hear what Ehud Barak has to say.....! 09:23  |  Stephen. 27/07/08
  13.   # 6 to saba re: saviors 09:31  |  eric 27/07/08
  14.   The Government learned from the best 09:44  |  Paul 27/07/08
  15.   TERRORISTS ON BOTH SIDES... 09:54  |  ravi 27/07/08
  16.   #1 Sam you made the pants too long 09:57  |  * BEN JABO 27/07/08
  17.   hmmmm? then they are in essence "zionist madrassas" 10:05  |  eric 27/07/08
  18.   Yeshiva, Hamas teachers two peas in a pod 10:11  |  Adam 27/07/08
  19.   Teaching children to hate 10:19  |  Kim 27/07/08
  20.   not all that differet 10:36  |  rm 27/07/08
  21.   # 13 Eric 11:11  |  Wise Saba 27/07/08
  22.   This is nothing new..its just been kept hidden 11:30  |  Guy From NYC 27/07/08
  23.   Yeshivas are Nothing But Zionist Terrorists Training Camps 11:47  |  Lev Bronstien 27/07/08
  24.   False messiahas... 11:48  |  Esther 27/07/08
  25.   #11 Space cadet 12:00  |  The Voice of Truth 27/07/08
  26.   # 21. Wise Saba to eric. Time to listen Eric. 12:01  |  Stephen. 27/07/08
  27.   GUY from NY another one with selective distate for incitement 12:13  |  PETER SM 27/07/08
  28.   The idea to punish somebody who is weaker and not involved 12:21  |  Andreas 27/07/08
  29.   Laisser faire attitude 12:28  |  Sam 27/07/08
  30.   Response to Kim: what is Zionism? 12:56  |  also a Zionist 27/07/08
  31.   My son was educated like a fanatic. 13:11  |  Vincent 27/07/08
  32.   # 21 come now, oh wise saba... 13:12  |  eric 27/07/08
  33.   #19 Kim 13:25  |  H 27/07/08
  34.   Only remedy: The Saudi Plan - retreat to 67 borders 13:31  |  Ivar 27/07/08
  35.   Oh Bronstein, you`ve done it again 13:35  |  Michael Durson 27/07/08
  36.   i thought israelis were fair people 13:58  |  equality? 27/07/08
  37.   Better remedy is the Saudi Wahabi Salafi Plan 14:08  |  Genuine Tosefta 27/07/08
  38.   How many suicide bombers come out of Muslim Madrassas? 14:16  |  Genuine Tosefta 27/07/08
  39.   Vincent the liar, Yeshiva is not for 6 or 8 year old children 14:35  |  Genuine Tosefta 27/07/08
  40.   ANY incitement is reprehensible.The Arab apology industry keeps 15:04  |  PETER SM 27/07/08
  41.   Yeshivas are centres of violence 15:06  |  Ulf 27/07/08
  42.   #39 Yeshiva or not 15:08  |  Ulf 27/07/08
  43.   apply law equally left, right, and center 15:12  |  Pontius Pilate 27/07/08
  44.   Protect IDF`s health 16:25  |  Jim 27/07/08
  45.   Scum! 16:25  |  RM 27/07/08
  46.   Stop Teaching Muslim Children to MURDER JEWS !!! 16:43  |  Linda Rivera 27/07/08
  47.   Who Does World Prefer? Terrorist KILLERS or Jew Homebuilders (1) 16:49  |  Linda Rivera 27/07/08
  48.   Who Does World Prefer? Terrorist KILLERS or Jew Homebuilders (2) 16:55  |  Linda Rivera 27/07/08
  49.   #41 ULF u OAF 17:05  |  * BEN JABO 27/07/08
  50.   #42 ULF U OAF - You hit the nail on the head 17:07  |  * BEN JABO 27/07/08
  51.   "BRONSTEIN"Your evidence being? 17:22  |  PETER SM 27/07/08
  52.   Religious schools 17:34  |  Gordon 27/07/08
  53.   Peter SM, All the evidence points 18:38  |  dave 27/07/08
  54.   #52 Gordon 18:39  |  * BEN JABO 27/07/08
  55.   #10 Ben Jabo 18:43  |  Jim 27/07/08
  56.   Jewish Homebuilders.... 18:43  |  Palestinian Brit 27/07/08
  57.   To Linda Rivera 18:45  |  muslimah 27/07/08
  58.   Ben Jabo - you are the confused one.... 18:46  |  Palestinian Brit 27/07/08
  59.   Linda - you can call him GOD - he doesn`t mind! 18:48  |  Palestinian Brit 27/07/08
  60.   Again, time to treat extremists on both sides the same 19:15  |  David Teich 27/07/08
  61.   It seems that many religions are closely connected with violence 19:16  |  Natallie Durson 27/07/08
  62.   58-9: Pal Brit is off base again 19:20  |  David Teich 27/07/08
  63.   #18 Adam 19:25  |  Jim 27/07/08
  64.   Shut down the Zionist madarassas 19:39