Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., October 09, 2008 Tishrei 10, 5769 | | Israel Time: 12:39 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 07:24 03/10/2008
After outpost evacuation, settler youth say 'don't mess with us'
By Nadav Shragai , Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: IDF, Israel News, settlers

Minutes after security forces completed demolishing the wooden structures in the illegal West Bank outpost of Shvut Ami B, cellular phone text messages and e-mails were already circulating among rightist activists delivering the appropriate message.

No one was told to torch Palestinian fields, block roads or vandalize Israel Defense Forces property. The messages contained two dry facts: Shvut Ami B has been evacuated and the future home of Rivka Meirtchak and David Cogan, a couple set to be wed next month, has been demolished.

But that sufficed, and a response came within a few hours when a Palestinian olive grove near the settlement of Kadum was set ablaze and Highway 60 was blocked for an hour.
Advertisement
Every time the IDF evacuates an outpost, or Palestinians attack settlers or their property, rightist youths set out on a rampage and damage Palestinian, police or IDF property.

Security forces believe this retaliatory policy has been orchestrated by illegal outpost residents who have been removed from their dwellings by order of the army, at rightist gatherings. Of course, the settlers and their supporters deny these accusations.

"It's about time that our side has crazies too," said A., a 17-year-old settler from Yitzhar. "It's about time that we also have people whose 'irrational responses' cannot be controlled. That the Arabs and the IDF say they're majnunim (crazy in Arabic) - you don't want to mess with them. That way will show that both Jews and Arabs can be turned into punching bags, and people will think twice before they hurt us."

In comparison to settlers' former responses, this time their retaliation was relatively minor. Shvut Ami B is a small and unimportant outpost near Shvut Ami A, built on land confiscated by the IDF after the 1967 Six-Day War for the purpose of building an army base.

Had it not also been the future home of Meirtchak, 29, of Kiryat Ata, then a response might never have come. But Meirtchak is well known among settlers for having refused bail, and as a result remained in police custody for four months rather than recognizing the authority of Israel's courts. Meirtchak was originally arrested for refusing to be evacuated from Shvut Ami A after it was declared a restricted military zone. She was eventually sentenced to a shorter period in jail than she had already spent in custody, but her story made waves among settlers and she became a local celebrity with the settler youth. She was nowhere near Shvut Ami B Thursday, but just mentioning her name sparked a fire.

About 3,000 activists, mostly youths from national religious settlements in the Hebron hills area or Yitzhar, actively participate in these punitive actions. Their modus apparatus comes almost naturally: When a nine-year-old boy was stabbed by a Palestinians in Yitzhar, they set nearby Palestinian fields on fire; when the Yad Yair outpost was evacuated by the IDF they blocked Highway 60 for several hours.

The vast majority of the West Bank's 300,000 settlers do not participate in such retaliatory measures. Most of their rabbis and leaders, including the Binyamin Regional Council chairman, have strongly rebuked them. But much of the settler youth consider the measures to be reasonable and effective in preventing Palestinians and the IDF from taking action against them. Or, in the words of the 17-year-old youth A. from Yitzhar, "They should learn not to mess with us."


Related articles:
  • Security officials vow tougher line against settler violence
  • Leftist prof.: Bomb at my home shows settler violence spilling over Green Line
  • Settlers deny involvement in shooting death of West Bank shepherd
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    A man of peace
    Vatican defends wartime pope Pius XII against charge he turned blind eye to Holocaust.
    Feminine features
    An Iranian motor company unveils plans to design cars specifically tailored to women.
      1.   THUGERY AT IT`S BEST 04:24  |  VIPER 03/10/08
      2.   When you try to deport a man from his home, don`t expect flowers. 04:52  |  Chaim 03/10/08
      3.   Evacuation from Israel 06:41  |  Dudka 03/10/08
      4.   "Modus apparatus" - the newspaper for intellectuals 07:57  |  Zeev 03/10/08
      5.   viper and calculations 08:15  |  sharon 03/10/08
      6.   About rights and legitimacy 08:20  |  Jean Van Daem 03/10/08
      7.   #2 CHAIM, let me ask you this 08:23  |  VIPER 03/10/08
      8.   It`s long past time... 08:31  |  Frustrated 03/10/08
      9.   Government leaves no choice 08:44  |  Moshe 03/10/08
      10.   #2, right! 08:47  |  Niva dos Santos 03/10/08
      11.   #2 Chaim 09:06  |  JonathanInTelAviv 03/10/08
      12.   chaim 09:30  |  A.M. 03/10/08
      13.   Dudka 09:32  |  A.M. 03/10/08
      14.   Good for them. 10:00  |  Jew 03/10/08
      15.   ##1,2,3 Thanks For The Advice 10:08  |  Jay A Friedman 03/10/08
      16.   to Chaim 10:26  |  Native 03/10/08
      17.   to cham 10:32  |  rm 03/10/08
      18.   IDF ( misplaced souls) should concentrate on Arab terror 11:00  |  Harvey 03/10/08
      19.   #5 Laughable, Jean 11:05  |  Johnboy 03/10/08
      20.   #15 The patronization of Jay A Freidman 11:11  |  Johnboy 03/10/08
      21.   Why don`t the lefties move to sderot after all gaza was evacuated 11:12  |  no hypocrite 03/10/08
      22.   chaim 2 11:22  |  potobac 03/10/08
      23.   Chaim #2, are u sure it`s his home? 11:45  |  Joe Sittizen 03/10/08
      24.   Laughable quote: "The vast majority....: 11:56  |  Esther 03/10/08
      25.   to moshe #9 12:02  |  Northern 03/10/08
      26.   Is this the Old West? It is about time law and order was done. 12:26  |  De 03/10/08
      27.   Chaim, you are destroying Israel 12:26  |  Minister 03/10/08
      28.   The crimes of the right are crimes, but not of Israel 12:28  |  x-ray 03/10/08
      29.   Right wingers you`re stooping to the tactics of the Pals 12:30  |  x-ray 03/10/08
      30.   A rising new mafia, which must be nipped in the bud 12:35  |  Ivar 03/10/08
      31.   If Kadima Rewards Arabs Terror, Kadima Should also Reward 13:15  |  Joseph.E 03/10/08
      32.   They need to be shot 13:24  |  David Teich 03/10/08
      33.   19: JB`s fantasies never die 13:29  |  David Teich 03/10/08
      34.   Esther you don`t represent all of Israel either 13:59  |  Settler Babe 03/10/08
      35.   johnboy unoccupied 14:47  |  odles 03/10/08
      36.   Why it happens 14:54  |  American in NY 03/10/08
      37.   #2 Chaim 15:18  |  T A Sheppard 03/10/08
      38.   Al-Haaretz at the best 15:25  |  not Informer 03/10/08
      39.   could... 15:29  |  gawain 03/10/08
      40.   #7 Viper. "Palestine" is only a geographic term. 15:29  |  Chaim 03/10/08
      41.   #11 Johnathan. "Uh" was the most sensible part of your post. 15:36  |  Chaim 03/10/08
      42.   #27 Minister. The perverse government threatens Israel. 15:43  |  Chaim 03/10/08
      43.   #29 xray. There`s nothing wrong with learning from success. 15:47  |  Chaim 03/10/08
      44.   State of Israel delegitimizes itself 16:02  |  shlomo 03/10/08
      45.   #30 the man from the saudi planet of suicide for israel 16:06  |  victor hardman 03/10/08
      46.   Chaim what planet are you on 17:01  |  Dave Duncan 03/10/08
      47.   #36 sounds just like ulster american in ny 17:17  |  victor hardman 03/10/08
      48.   #32 david will now define democracy? 17:22  |  victor hardman 03/10/08
      49.   To haim no 2 17:29  |  saba 03/10/08
      50.   Rewarding violence encourages violence 17:39  |  Rolandus 03/10/08
      51.   Chaim, join them and say their methods are right 17:42  |  x-ray 03/10/08
      52.   #46 another dave misuses the word democracy 18:15  |  victor hardman 03/10/08
      53.   # 40 chaim discovers a new mandate 01:26  |  Axel 04/10/08
      54.   #40, CHAIM, keep believing the lies 05:17  |  VIPER 04/10/08
      55.   48: Poor Victor, can`t even find a dictionary 11:56  |  David Teich 07/10/08
      56.   53-4: Axel and Viper with the usual lies and avoidance 12:11  |  David Teich 09/10/08
     Read & React
    Bradley Burston: For the journalist, on Yom Kippur
    Responses: 112
    Edgar Bronfman: Judaism must recognize mixed marriages for Israel's sake
    Responses: 118
    Arab lawyer detained after refusing to remove pants during airport check
    Responses: 133
    Nadav Shragai: Settlers have become punching bag of the media and the left
    Responses: 43
    Ari Shavit: Financial crisis shows downside of blindly worshipping free market
    Responses: 16


    More Headlines
    09:16 Jewish youth allegedly beat Arab man in Acre, igniting riots
    12:58 Report: Hezbollah says Ron Arad died in 1988
    21:40 Obama threatens dire consequences if Iran doesn't change its ways
    13:58 ANALYSIS / Thank goodness for McCain and Obama support on Iran
    18:30 Nasrallah: We have not abandoned plan to avenge Mughniyeh
    12:33 Two U.S. journalists reported missing detained by Syria for not having visas
    08:31 Hungarian prosecutors zero in on alleged Nazi war criminal
    20:15 Vatican defends wartime pope against charge he turned blind eye to Holocaust
    18:42 Footage shows freed terrorist Kuntar training with Hezbollah
    16:06 Delegation of Israeli doctors to Gaza denied entry
    17:01 Left-wing terrorist turned neo-Nazi tried for Holocaust denial
    11:53 Iranian manufacturer launches women-only car
    23:25 Hamas gives nod to Egyptian proposal for Palestinian reconciliation
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    Dial 013 for your long-distance calls
    and get all your money back
    US CITIZENS
    Vote for real change. Request your ballot today!
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    Israel's Premier Real Estate Website
    www. israel-property.com
    Hebrew Summer courses
    From $39.95
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
    birthright Israel | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved