• Published 09:19 12.11.09
  • Latest update 10:02 12.11.09

Shin Bet eyes two settlers allegedly behind anti-Palestinian violence

Settlers have vandalized Palestinian property to retaliate for the removal of illegal outposts.

By Chaim Levinson Tags: Israel news

The Shin Bet security service last week warned two residents of the West Bank settlement bloc of Dolev-Talmonim that it holds them responsible for the unrest that has hit the area in recent weeks.

Extremist settlers have hurled stones at Palestinians' vehicles and vandalized property to retaliate for the removal of illegal settlement outposts, a tactic they call "the price tag."

Police and Border Police on Wednesday units came to the bloc, situated a few kilometers northwest of Ramallah, to demolish illegally-built structures in the Givat Ha'egoz outpost near the settlement of Neria, as well as structures in the area known as the "kibbutz," near Nahliel. The demolitions were accomplished with no serious trouble - unlike the very serious incident that occurred two weeks ago, when clashes between police and demonstrators forced the officers to disperse protesters with tear gas. After that incident, area residents hurled stones at vehicles with Palestinian license plates, and at least one car swerved off the road into a ditch.

Following a string of such disturbances, the Shin Bet summoned two residents to issue a warning. One of them, Elad Meir, said an officer told him he knew Meir was engaging in hostile acts under the banner of the "price tag" policy, and that the Shin Bet viewed him as directly responsible for the recent unrest in the area.

During Wednesday's demolitions, police and Border Police appeared to be ramping up efforts to enforce order in the area. But few reports of unrest were reported, other than a few incidents of stone-throwing by settlers.

In the evening, "kibbutz" residents sought to reconstruct what had been demolished. "The response to destruction is reconstruction," said one. "But this won't be the end of the story of what happened here."

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    This story is by: Chaim Levinson
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  • 12. 0 0
    settlers
    • Robert Henry
    • 15.11.09
    • 20:07

    I wonder if any of these settlers, so called God's chosen, would submit to a DNA test or geneo;ogy that proves that they hve any more right than the Limba tribe in Africa. I womder why I see no black faces in pictures of Tel Avive. I doubt the authenticity of their claim.

  • 11. 0 0
    # 10 binyamin
    • Axel
    • 12.11.09
    • 13:12

    "jail time when there is zero proof of a crime" Israel needs no proof to put arabs in administrative detention. Just suspicion. But did we really need evidence again that Israel has one law for Arabs and one for Jews?

  • 10. 0 0
    Threats with no proof
    • Binyamin Dissen
    • 12.11.09
    • 12:15

    Since when do the police get to arrest and "warn" citizens when they lack even a semblance of proof? Oh, when they are religious Jews. And the Left demands jail time when there is zero proof of a crime? Of course. The "accused" are religious Jews.

  • 9. 0 0
    anti-palestinian violence
    • rm
    • 12.11.09
    • 10:25

    So why haven't they been arrested huh? Palestinians go to jail for this sort of violence don't they? Once again justice is way too lenient voor settlers.

  • 8. 0 0
    Warning?? A warning??
    • Katherine
    • 12.11.09
    • 09:08

    Wow, if a Palestinian threw stones at Jewish cars and vandalized settler property, he would be in jail for years. But these settlers who have done these things numerous times to Palestinians get a "stern warning" from the Shin Bet?? Nice justice system you have here Israel.

  • 7. 0 0
    Why just "eye" them...?
    • Esther
    • 12.11.09
    • 09:07

    ... there should be more effective ways to deal with them... straight into the klink, or an-eye-for-an-eye, delived by the cops ofcourse...

  • 6. 0 0
    Jewish or Gentile makes no difference...
    • Daniel S.
    • 12.11.09
    • 08:15

    Anyone who would steal from, vandalize, harm, or kill another being is inhumane. Kahanist settlers and Hamas militants alike are lower than dirt.

  • 5. 0 0
    That's nice.
    • Maureen Ann
    • 12.11.09
    • 07:58

    Shin Bet gives warning to "extremist settlers" - squatter thugs squatting on Palestinian land. No beatings, no detention, no shooting in the foot while blind folded and handcuffed... lucky for them, the thug squatters, they are not Palestinians reacting to having their land and human rights stolen!

  • 4. 0 0
    Isreal again taking the moral high ground
    • Adrian de Klerk
    • 12.11.09
    • 07:17

    Isreal again taking the moral high ground. I have yet to see the pals arrest another pal for attacking Isrealis. In fact they haven't.

  • 3. 0 0
    Good to know that they are cracking down!
    • Apa
    • 12.11.09
    • 07:02

    I am sure a warning or two will do it. It is not like they should be met with rubber bullets and tear gas or anything for hurling stones - they are jewish after all, not arab.

  • 2. 0 0
    Between a rock and a hard place
    • HPL
    • 12.11.09
    • 06:00

    The authorities are between a rock and a hard place when it comes to policing settlers. To one segment of Israeli society, some of the settlers' activities are viewed as out and out criminal acts. Another segment considers those same activities to be fully justified, patriotic, even divinely inspired. The authorities are damned if they do and damned if they don't, so to speak. This is not traditional law enforcement, in the sense that the police cannot count on a clearly overwhelming percentage of the public backing them--as it would, say, if they were going after bank robbers. Personally speaking, I don't envy them their job in the least.

  • 1. 0 0
    Shin Bet eyes two settlers allegedly behind anti-Palestinian viol
    • Meir
    • 12.11.09
    • 05:46

    Perhaps they need to be doing more than "making eyes" at them?