Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., December 07, 2008 Kislev 10, 5769 | | Israel Time: 02:26 (EST+7)   Back to Homepage web haaretz.com Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate GA 2008 Travel Week's End Anglo File

Hebron youth / Out of control By Nadav Shragai Tags: settlers, hebron, israel news  There is no way to describe events in Hebron over the last 48 hours other than as a loss of control. Leaders of the Jewish communities in Hebron and nearby Kiryat Arba no longer have any control over the youths pouring into the so-called "House of Contention." These youths listen to neither community leaders nor the rabbis. Nor have they been moved by the pleas of the house's residents. At one point, organizers of the struggle to prevent evacuation of the house tried to evict youths from the northern West Bank who, together with local youths, were assaulting Palestinians and soldiers and desecrating the nearby Muslim cemetery. But some of those who were tossed out returned, and some of the youths who were brought from various schools, along with their teachers and rabbis, to replace them, also refused to obey the adults. After a 16-year-old boy was seriously injured yesterday, one rabbi who had come with his students from Beit El said he was no longer willing to take responsibility for what was happening and was going home. The army and police have also lost control, and have proved unable to stop Jews and Palestinians from hurting each other. The fact that they have allowed the most extremist settlers to set the agenda and dictate the pace of events automatically puts them in an inferior position, in which they are reacting rather than initiating. Advertisement The Yesha Council of settlers is nonexistent at the House of Contention, and even Kiryat Arba Mayor Malachi Levinger rarely shows his face. Instead, events are being directed from the roof of the building by the extremist camp: Daniella Weiss, Baruch Marzel, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Rabbi Uzi Sharbaf. "When you enter the Land of Israel, you must kill the king of Heshbon every day anew," Weiss told her youthful followers, referring to the Biblical king of the Amorites whom the Israelites slew en route to the Promised Land. But even Weiss does not command obedience from the youth: Yesterday, she found herself arguing with a group of 10-year-old girls who could not understand why any restrictions should be placed on their actions. Mainstream settlers have been voting with their feet: Unlike at the evacuation of Amona three years ago, they have so far ignored calls to come to Hebron and resist the expected evacuation of the House of Contention. Thus instead of the few thousand mainstream settlers struggle organizers had hoped for, they are stuck with a few hundred extremist youths who feel there is no longer anything to lose, who are willing to break all the rules, and who seek to prove once and for all that, contrary to the slogan adopted by settlers during the disengagement, "love" is not the way to win. Under these circumstances, violent clashes seem virtually inevitable. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Violence on film Two settlers filmed shooting at Palestinians turn themselves in to police. Warning to Iran Bush: United States will not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.   1.   Is love the way 14:37  |  John Smith 03/12/08   2.   army waiting for settlers to commit massacre to 14:52  |  KS 03/12/08   3.   IDF could demolish 17:39  |  T A Sheppard 03/12/08   4.   How many Government provocateurs among them? 18:20  |  Yaakov K. 03/12/08   5.   The Supreme Court Leads by Exmaple in Breaking All the Rules 19:51  |  Charlie 03/12/08   6.   A bunch of neo...punks leading a country. 21:22  |  Zwygart 03/12/08

Read & React Avi Issacharoff: Hebron settler riots were out and out pogroms Responses: 234 Obama's 'Palestinian friend' laments catastrophic U.S. policy in Mideast Responses: 244 Israel braces for settler violence in wake of Hebron house evacuation Responses: 188 IDF soldier assaults Haaretz photographer in Hebron Responses: 120 More Headlines 02:04 Hebron settlers accuse IDF of collective punishment 21:24 VIDEO: Settlers filmed shooting at Palestinians turn themselves in 00:59 Clinton to Olmert: I will work for Middle East peace 23:36 Qassam fired from Gaza hits Ashkelon; IAF strikes rocket launcher 22:33 Israeli soldier allegedly assaults Haaretz photographer in Hebron 22:35 Egyptian paper urges top cleric to purify his hand after Peres handshake 02:21 Israel provides NATO with intel on Iran nuclear program 02:13 Morocco tries man for 1989 murder of Belgian Jewish leader 21:49 Abbas slams Hamas for depriving thousands of Palestinians of haj pilgrimage 17:42 Infrastructure Min.: Demanding Olmert's resignation was a mistake 10:58 Report: IAEA chief says efforts to curb Iran nuke program 'a failure' 22:44 PA police: Settlers set fire to Palestinian home in Hebron 22:44 Islamic Jihad prods Palestinian factions to avenge Hebron settler riots 19:33 40 leftists arrested as they try to block Berlin neo-Nazi march 07:26 Bush: America will not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon 14:55 Israel eases travel restrictions at key West Bank checkpoint Previous Editions Select Day 05 dec 04 dec 03 dec 02 dec 01 dec 30 nov 28 nov 27 nov 26 nov 25 nov 24 nov 23 nov

Special Offers Advertisement Summer in Israel Israeli style - Tzofim Chetz V'Keshet 2009 Living in Israel Studying in English Click & Meet our students from all around the world Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. Car rental in Israel Shlomo Sixt Receive $15.00 from our low rates. 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