Police arrest right-wing teen suspected of attacking senior officer
Deputy brigade commander hospitalized after punched in the eye by 17-year-old during outpost evacuation in West Bank.
By Nadav Shragai, Haaretz Service, Jonathan Lis and Nir HassonPolice on Thursday arrested a right-wing teen suspected of attacking an Israel Defense Force deputy brigade commander a week ago during the evacuation of an illegal settlement outpost near Elon Moreh in the West Bank.
The 17-year-old is suspected of punching Lieutenant Colonel Benny Shick in the eye. Shick was evacuated to hospital for treatment.
The suspect, arrested by police at the entrance to the West Bank settlement of Itamar, is from the center of the country. He recently moved to the northern West Bank farm of Avri Ran, seen as the leader of the "hilltop youth."
The youths assaulted other officers during the late October evacuation, tore their military uniforms and slashed the tires of military vehicles, the IDF said.
The settlers also shouted slurs at the soldiers, calling them "Nazis," "Jew-haters" and "asses." Several youths were loaded onto an IDF vehicle, which they proceeded to wreck and set on fire. While none of them were arrested, a complaint against them will be submitted to West Bank police on Thursday.
IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz subsequently condemned the "violence and bullying" of settler youths resisting the evacuation of four illegal West Bank outposts.
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