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Last update - 09:41 15/09/2008
Police yet to make arrests, take testimony on settler rampage
By Barak Ravid and Nadav Shragai, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Israel, Palestinians 

Police launched an investigation on Sunday into Saturday's rampage by West Bank settlers against residents of a Palestinian village, but have not made any arrests or collected testimony relating to the incident, despite the fact that it was documented by news and human rights organizations.

Police sources in the West Bank said on Sunday that they had approached the human rights organization B'Tselem with a request for the home video footage capturing how Yitzhar residents attacked the village of Asira al-Kabiliya, leaving eight Palestinians injured.

A police source said officers were prevented from accessing the scene by Israel Defense Forces troops. Police claimed that two settlers arrested by Border Police officers were released a short while later, and that they were detained merely to quell the violence at the scene, not with the aim of opening a probe.
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Meanwhile, police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding Saturday's infiltration of Yitzhar by a terrorist seeking to commit an attack, the incident which sparked the settlers' attack on the village. During the infiltration, a 9-year-old boy was lightly wounded when he was stabbed in the hand.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told a cabinet meeting yesterday that the government will not allow West Bank settlers to carry out "pogroms against non-Jews."

Meanwhile, there were unconfirmed reports that dozens of youths from the settlement of Yitzhar had established an additional outpost nearby.

"The phenomenon of [settlers] taking the law into their own hands and lashing out with violence and brutality is unforgivable and will be dealt with by the law-enforcement authorities," Olmert said.

"There was a terror attack in northern Samaria and a young boy was hurt. This is serious and difficult, but the security forces will find the culprit and do what needs to be done, as they do every day," he said.

Olmert condemned what he called a "retaliatory campaign" against the Palestinians, including the use of live fire. The prime minister added that there was no reason to believe the Palestinians targeted by the settlers had any connection to the stabbing attack earlier in the day.

"There are law-enforcement authorities in the state of Israel," he told the cabinet. "We have both military and security services, and we won't allow this kind of violence or brutal attacks on civilians.

"The violence is not used against those suspected of terrorism," Olmert continued, "it is used against Israel Defense Forces officers and soldiers. I urge the authorities to take measures to end this grave phenomenon."

In a meeting of Labor Party ministers earlier on Sunday, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said, "The defense establishment will act decisively to enforce law and order in the West Bank, but we need the cooperation of the police and the legal system."

Meanwhile, a rabbinical committee praised the settlers' "heroism" and "courage" following the attacks. The committee is composed of rabbis affiliated with the religious Zionist movement from a number of settlements in the West Bank and within Israel proper, alongside those linked to the Hasidic movement Chabad.

The rabbis released a statement saying the settlers' reaction to the boy's stabbing was in accordance with halakha (Jewish law).


Related articles:
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  • Rights group: W. Bank settlers grab more Palestinian land
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      1.   of course 03:14  |  potobac 15/09/08
      2.   "attac" 03:41  |  cp 15/09/08
      3.   The ruling elite want a binational state called Israel! 04:25  |  Meir Weinstein 15/09/08
      4.   ISRAELIS WOULD RATHER DIE THAN TO GOVERN THEMSELVES 05:20  |  SHMUEL 15/09/08
      5.   Settlers Are Thugs 05:40  |  Art Skell 15/09/08
      6.   Human Rights, ya right, The JOKE of the Century 06:03  |  John 15/09/08
      7.   Olmert the Criminal calling the Kettle Black 06:05  |  Free World UNITE 15/09/08
      8.   Not only settlers are thugs No. 5 06:26  |  Marlene N. 15/09/08
      9.   Not `seeking to commit an attack`, Home burnt down, boy stabbed. 06:33  |  Tom 15/09/08
      10.   Protect Israelis and this won`t happen 06:53  |  Dani 15/09/08
      11.   This is a mistake right? 06:59  |  RM 15/09/08
      12.   In this blatant case, hesitating is a crime in itself... 07:28  |  Esther 15/09/08
      13.   Pals, pay back!! 07:45  |  Niva dos Santos 15/09/08
      14.   Coward Olmert`s anger against the IDF !!! 08:21  |  Dagma 15/09/08
      15.   To Art Skell # 5 - `As an American`...... 08:32  |  Dolly 15/09/08
      16.   Move to Austria 08:33  |  ALGERIAN 15/09/08
      17.   a terrorist infiltrator armed with a knife?? 08:40  |  eric 15/09/08
      18.   Really Olmert - Criminals will be dealt with by law-enforcement 08:46  |  Dagma 15/09/08
      19.   Were the arabs arrested? 09:08  |  chuck 15/09/08
      20.   Settler vigilantism 10:23  |  Michael 15/09/08
      21.   now ur reporting what has`nt happend? 10:44  |  sam 15/09/08
      22.   wake up folks! 10:46  |  ecr 15/09/08
      23.   Protect the settlers 10:46  |  lady from USA 15/09/08
      24.   B`Tselem a lobby group, not a human rights group 10:58  |  Joe Sittizen 15/09/08
      25.   eric says, he is a jew so he`s lying: they start them young 11:08  |  x-ray 15/09/08
      26.   Is there a school for stupidity in Algeria? it sounds like it 11:09  |  x-ray 15/09/08
      27.   Neither Halakha nor Sharia, but Civil Law for peace and order 11:21  |  Ivar 15/09/08
      28.   #5 totally agree 11:25  |  K 15/09/08
      29.   The facts ? the truth. 11:55  |  Jean Van Daem 15/09/08
      30.   #5 Art Skell 11:55  |  Boycott 15/09/08
      31.   vigilantism 12:17  |  Fadi Hiez 15/09/08
      32.   If it were Palestinian attackers, they would be behind bars now 12:32  |  Aaron 15/09/08
      33.   Michael 12:45  |  lady from USA 15/09/08
      34.   Jacob`s homeland 12:54  |  lady from USA 15/09/08
      35.   arrests 12:58  |  Ralph 15/09/08
      36.   # 25 to x-ray re: x-ray 13:28  |  eric 15/09/08
      37.   # 26 to x-ray re: algerian school 13:30  |  eric 15/09/08
      38.   "pogroms against non-Jews." - Olmert 13:37  |  17 15/09/08
      39.   Our Pioneer heroes! 13:46  |  Eliezar 15/09/08
      40.   Definition of Settlers 13:57  |  Joe Friedman 15/09/08
      41.   #20 Michael -"if we wish to claim we are better than the Palestin 13:59  |  17 15/09/08
      42.   advice to Btselem save the original -give copies 14:46  |  Labhras 15/09/08
      43.   eric hard for you to understand, 15:39  |  x-ray 15/09/08
      44.   Labhras has the answer ! 16:12  |  K 15/09/08
      45.   @ALGERIAN 17:18  |  Ralph 15/09/08
      46.   Mob Reaction 17:48  |  Ron 15/09/08
      47.   Settlers Actions 18:03  |  Joel P. Loeffelholz 15/09/08
      48.   #43 K dont blame me. 18:17  |  Labhras 15/09/08
      49.   #41 I am thinking about your words, 17 18:44  |  Mark B. 15/09/08
      50.   # 49 ( Mark B. - You lost me. 19:57  |  17 15/09/08
      51.   Response to 17 20:32  |  Mark B. 15/09/08
      52.   #27 ivar confuses law with law enforcement 20:44  |  v.hardman 15/09/08
      53.   # 51 Mark B 21:23  |  17 15/09/08
      54.   Not a day passes.... 22:47  |  Gray 15/09/08
      55.   Gray - dreams about killing Jews in future? 23:04  |  17 15/09/08
      56.   This is not Unusual 23:07  |  Lee Kaplan 15/09/08
      57.   #52 Mark B 23:43  |  17 second attempt 15/09/08
      58.   Most Israelis rightly sympathize with settlers. 01:44  |  Chaim 16/09/08
      59.   #57, 17 and the ten commandments? 03:26  |  VIPER 16/09/08
      60.   #59 Viper, Bravo ! - Rabbi Hillel and You. 04:27  |  17 16/09/08
      61.   "17"...Grow up and try again when you`re "21" 08:27  |  Gray 16/09/08
      62.   # 43 to x-ray re: things (2nd try) 08:28  |  eric 16/09/08
      63.   #62 gray needs to study the history of the usa 09:13  |  v.hardman 16/09/08
      64.   Chuck #19, probably not 09:15  |  Palestinian Prince 16/09/08
      65.   vhardman re history 12:03  |  potobac 16/09/08
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